The state House has the following message for all those who believe that having people talking on hand-held cell phones while driving is not a great idea.

Stick it in your ear!

A move to ban chatting, texting or otherwise yakking on a hand-held device while driving was shot down in the House. The proposal by state Rep. Josh Shapiro would have allowed police to pull over anyone they observed using a hand-held phone while driving. Instead House members fell back on the tried and true method of enforcement in Pa., if you’re stopped for something else – like maybe driving like a bat out of hell – and the kind officer notices you also seem a tad distracted because your’re talking on the phone, he can issue you another citation.

I’m not exactly sure I see what the problem is here. Does anyone want to make the argument that dialing, texting or talking on a hand-held device is NOT an unsafe practice.

AAA is willing to go even further. They believe it’s the act of conversation that is the danger, and would just as soon see all phone conversation derailed. I’m not sure what that says about drivers informing the unruly backseat passengers that, no, they are not stopping at Rita’s on the way home.

Six Delco state reps – evenly split with three Republicans and three Democrats – backed the ban. Two Republicans and a Democrat voted against it.

Philadelphia recently passed a law banning the use of hand-held cell phones while driving. That puts them in the company of Lower Chichester here in Delaware County, which has had a similar law on the books for a few years now.

No one seems to know how tightly the Lower Chi law is enforced.

And that’s the key legal question. For the most part, driving is something that has fallen under the domain of the state Legislature.
There is some question whether laws adopted at the local level would withstand a legal challenge.

Now there’s another potential roadblock to the Philly measure. A state rep is reminding the city that a law already on the books would strip them of millions in federal highway funding if they insist on skirting the state motor vehicle code.

None of which changes the basic fact that driving and cell phones don’t mix.

I’m not a cell phone guy. I only turn mine on when I need to make a call.

Then again maybe I’m just uncoordinated. But I’ll admit that on the few occasions I’ve tried to use the damn thing while driving, safety goes right out the window.

Which reminds me of something I find myself yearning for more and more these harried days. Just once I’d like to get my hands around the neck of the person who keeps telling me, “This technology is going to make your life so much easier.”

Hey, pal, stick it in your ear.