Check out my ‘Letter to the Editor’ appearing in today’s Honolulu Star-Bulletin:
Banning cell phones is going too far
In response to your June 7 editorial titled “Hawaii should restrict driving with cell phones,” I have to point out that nearly every study shows that actually using a hand-held device to talk while driving was not the cause of distraction or of accidents. In fact, it was the talking in general. Studies have shown that talking to a passenger or talking through a “hands-free” device is what distracts drivers. Not holding a phone.
Simply banning hand-held cell phones in general is nothing more than an invasion of privacy and an empty attempt to appease interest groups. It is nothing more than government intervention where it does not belong. What’s next, banning all talking and sound in cars? While the government is at it, why not bug our vehicles and make sure we aren’t talking, or perhaps just pass a law eliminating passengers … or cars altogether?
Washington, D.C.
Formerly of Kaneohe
Brilliant!