Unenforceable. So why try?

The National Safety Council, a "congressionally chartered" group (we pay for it) has come out with a recommendation for a total ban on cell-phone use while driving, including the hands-free variety.

In other news, this group is also expected to advocate outlawing listening to the radio and blowing your nose while driving. You're just going to have to let your schnozz run until you get where you're going. Naw, I made this last part up, but I wouldn't put it past these Nanny-staters to target such activities in the future.

Look, using one hand to hold a phone while driving is dangerous, and texting while underway is just plain stupid, which is why I don't do either. I prefer to not make calls at all while driving, or at least use a Bluetooth unit and keep the chat to a minimum if the call is absolutely necessary. If these people think a complete ban on phone use in the car is workable, however, they're in Fantasyland.

Putting aside the question of how to put the genie of people being used to talking anytime, anywhere back into the bottle, how can such a policy possibly be enforced, particularly for drivers using Bluetooth hands-free through their car radios? Are we going to have roadblocks where cops look for the little blue light of an active Bluetooth connection? Are cell records going to somehow be tied to some kind of online database of when one was actually behind the wheel?

The only way to make such a law workable is to further reduce our freedoms to the point where a government official is able to monitor one's whereabouts and activities in real-time 24 hours a day. I do not wish to live in such a society, as any life worth living is not going to be completely safe, but I don't think we have to worry too much about this scenario becoming a reality. Based upon my observations of how much time most people actually spend on their cell phones, I am sure that the majority would quickly bounce any politician who would actually vote to further limit their precious airtime opportunities.

"Council officials said they will press Congress to address the issue when it takes up a highway construction bill this year, possibly by offering incentives to states that enact cell phone laws."

More bribery by the Feds using the taxpayers' own money, just like they did to force the states to enact seat belt laws and blood-alcohol limits.

States that give up their Tenth Amendment rights for a little highway loot are selling their souls far too cheaply.