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 There ought to be a law
by Art Umbac
I saw her onboard a moving motorcycle she was driving;
texting with her cellular telephone along the
Valencia-Bacong road junction. I blew my horn to call
her attention. But apparently she was more engrossed
with her texting than with her driving. She is so young.
I would not be surprised if she is not yet licensed to
operate a motor vehicle in public.
But there she was a seemingly
harmless figure using our
streets. She is one of so many
among us who have not realized
the danger we have exposed
ourselves to not to
mention putting the lives of
other people in jeopardy by
our irresponsible use of cell
phones while operating a motor
vehicle especially twowheeled
ones.
There ought to be a law
on this one; assuming, of
course, that there is none in
our statute books, aware as
we are that cell phones are
recent technological gadgets
to be considered as factors
in reckless imprudence.
Or if there is already such a
law including cell phones by
implication, it is probably one
of the many rules of order national
or local which our city
or any other local government
units for that matter, have not
implemented for a lot of reasons
lack of political will being
one or simply, inutile system
of governance.
In my column last July
20, 2008 under the title The
Reckless In Our Streets I
dwelt on this threat to our
lives and limbs right in our
public thoroughfares. The
threat is real. For indeed,
with proliferation of cell phones there are many motorists
in our midst who, while
not intending to be, are very serious
threats not only to their
own safety but more so with the
safety of other motorists and
pedestrians.
Cell phones are wonders of
modern technology. These gadgets
facilitate a lot of things and are
very useful in managing our time
and our resources. And like any
other very useful contraptions, cell
phones must be used responsibly
considering the time, the place and
the circumstances or situation.
My son who works in Cebu
City turns off his cell phone
when he is driving. He only turns
it on when he is expecting an
important call. And when the
call comes he looks for a place
to stop so he could attend to
such call which probably would
need a little more time, attention
and concentration.
Using your cell phone while driving
a motor vehicle is risky business.
No less than your very own
life or the lives of other people are
put in jeopardy with such an attitude
of brinksmanship on your part. To
drive home this point we have to
respect this caveat again and again
in the hope that it will be internalized
in all of us.
Before this becomes a way
of life and second nature to
many motorists, I respectfully
suggest to the lawmakers in our
city and province to enact a law
that would address and regulate
the irresponsible use of cell
phones and other contraptions
of similar usage by people actually
operating motor vehicles.
This mala prohibita of a law
must first and foremost be preemptive
and preventive; not necessarily
punitive. But, of course, it must
have teeth to bite with.
As soon as the law is enacted
let its enforcement be
that concern of everybody to
call the attention on the spot
of violators. It is the duty and
obligation of everybody not
just of the law enforcers to
make our streets safe for our
use. Society must protect itself
even against itself when its
members during their unguarded
moments forget the taboos
put in place for the benefit
of all.
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