No texting and driving. It's the (new) law.

Yesterday, here in Florida, we had, by law, to stop texting while we were driving. What? Yep, up until yesterday we Floridians, where the median age is 100, could drive and carry on conversations via text while doing so. I'm not going to lie. I texted while I drove. I tried not to, especially when my kids were in the car, but the lure of the ding of a text was too much for me to ignore. What if my kids needed me? Were they lost? Snatched by aliens and held captive on the mother ship?  Did they need food? We're they thirsty? What? Who could possible need my help, right NOW.  It was too much. I had to look and then I had to help by texting back. Because I hate it when people don't respond to me in a timely manner. 

The new law says we can't text and drive. But we can text at a red light or while stuck in a traffic jam. We can't be pulled over while texting. There will not be any citizen's arrests. Law enforcement must pull us over for another traffic violation before citing us for the texting while driving ban. I'm not sure how they prove the texting issue. There is too much time from pulling someone over, radioing in to dispatch, and gathering up materials for the driver not to delete the text and shove the phone somewhere. As of now there are no resources or funding to carry it further to prove otherwise. It is an important law, but not one that was well thought out in my opinion. 

There was also no fanfare in getting the word out to Floridians. No money to do so. Instead the media and school officials were the main resource in spreading the word. For one week before the law took effort we were bombarded with the message on traffic signs, our TV, the newspaper, and even in my grocery. The principal announced it over the intercom in school yesterday. 

My kids are always harping at us when we text while driving. I do it rarely, but my husband is constantly on his phone reading and answering emails, texting responses, and he works in law enforcement. When I'm with the girls I use one of them as my secretary so people on the other end of the phone aren't left hanging. For some reason talking to one another has become obsolete. Yesterday I put my phone in the little cubby hole I have in my new car and shut the door. No phone for me while driving. 

I have never received so many texts as I did yesterday. Both of my kids texted me while I was driving. I have never felt more free. I heard the ding, knew it had to be Madison telling me she was ready to be picked up from her voulunteer job at the nursing home. I had just dropped off Darcy at swim practice and was on my way to retrieve the eldest, and since the law had just taken effect, I ignored the text. It dinged again and then again. I snuck a peek.  "Done :)" and then "Hello??"  I ignored it. No red lights on my route. My phone rang. 

"No texting while driving," I sang into the phone. "New law!  Today!"

She forgot. So did Darcy who kept on texting me that she was ready to be picked up as if I were deaf. As if I didn't know what time practice was over. She never thought to call me. That would be nuts. My friend texted me about attending the football game. I texted her back at a red light, "Driving! No texting!"  I got back to her later.  It was almost a relief. The same relief I feel when I forget my phone in the car while grocery shopping. I'm free! No one can find me! Take care of things. Help yourself! Figure it out!

I don't want my kids even on the phone while they are driving. I know that isn't realistic. We are a different society now with our phones and our social networking. Some day down the road phones will be built in cars I'm sure. We can't seem to not be connected. But this little change in the law will help now. I hope it will help. Texting and talking and driving is crazy. We should all be putting our phones into the cubby holes when getting behind the wheel. We should all be a little more free in doing so. Not to mention safer.