AJC > Sandy Springs > Blog > Archives > 2008 > February > 25
Monday, February 25, 2008
Time to grow up about driving
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
These words caught my eye in the Sunday paper a week ago:
“In Sandy Springs, four police officers quit directing traffic in school zones because of their concerns over drivers, mostly adults, talking on cell phones and not paying attention.”
This is one of those times I wish we’d learn a lesson but I have a pretty good idea nothing is going to change.
As Sandy Springsteens our love affair with doing what we want when we want usually rules the day. We seem to have more than our fair share of adults, and I use that word with grave reservation, who act as though the universe revolves around them.
Usually the sight of a police officer directing traffic should be enough to get and hold an adult’s attention, but apparently too many of our peers would rather chat merrily away rather than wait a few minutes to make a call.
I’ve seen it in our neighborhood. The parents drop the kids at school and common sense gets left as well. The phone gets dialed, the cigarette lit and the coffee mug is put back into play. Three items, two hands not on the steering wheel at the same time and someone who should know better zooming off to start their day and woe-be-unto anyone who might be in their way. The stray jogger. The delivery guy. The police officer.
These people do seem to have the ability to pound their horn if you get in the way. Or flip someone off.
It has been suggested that there be no-phone zones around schools. Folks, do we really need a law to tell us how to behave responsibly? Are we really that rude and self-absorbed that we can’t gets the kids to school without a phone conversation?
If a law is enacted I’d suggest that anyone breaking it be hit with two penalties. One, their phone is immediately smashed with a hammer. Two, it’s their turn to direct traffic while the police officer gets to sit safely off to the side.
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