Charlie Langton: Government Needs To Go Further To Prevent Distracted Drivers

With its proposal to ban the use of all electronic devices in cars, the NTSB will kill talk radio. Obviously, they don't like my show because they have developed a sinister plot to silence my Talk 1270 audience. 

Luckily, I have a sophisticated audience, many of whom have jobs, and in the morning from 6am-9am they drive to their jobs.  They need to vent, to yell, to let off the steam that's been simmering while they have been sleeping, dreaming of evil governmental conspiracies.

Or some of them just have an overwhelming need to tell me I'm an idiot. In any event, they rely on their cell phone to release that steam on talk radio in general, my show specifically. Does the government have another way to allow people to vent? No.

The government says banning cell phones prevents distracted driving. Really? If the government wants to do something about distracted driving, ban screaming kids with dirty diapers from distracting sleep-deprived parents.

Better yet, ban human sandwich billboards like the people on the side of the road advertising $5 pizza or going-out-of-business sales. Or ban all vanity license plates.  By the time I figure out what the license plate actually says, I'm so distracted I could have had two accidents. And isn't it ironic the government sells those license plates?? Or ban eating in the car, unless of course you have a serious health condition in which case you should be permitted to eat the candy bar but you can't take it out of its wrapper because that's distracting.

Finally, billboards are distracting, especially lawyer billboards advertising how your car accident can make you a millionaire. Hmmm... maybe there is money in distracted driving.

If the government thinks we're too stupid to use a cell phone and drive, teach us. Force students to learn the art of using a cell phone and driving. Until they become proficient in talking, texting, and emailing on the phone, don't give them a license.

Bottom line, this is a dumb law. I can't believe how distracted I am just thinking about it!