You know what would save lives? If everyone on the road would stop using their glardblamn cellphones while driving. We've all seen how dangerous texting -- hell, even just talking -- on your phone is when you're behind the wheel. People are dying. And only one brave man has been willing to break the law to stop the madness. A cellphone service provider caught a driver using a jammerto keep other drivers from using their cellphones. Apparently he'd been doing this on his morning commute for two years before he was caught. Jason R. Humphreys faces fines of up to $48,000 because guess what? Jamming other people's cellphone use is illegal.
And I understand why. You need to be able to use your cellphone in an emergency. And it's not fair for someone to prevent you from using a service you're paying for. I get all of that.
But I don't blame Mr. Humphreys at all. It must be exasperating, not to mention just plain scary, to see so many drivers, day after day, yammering and tapping away on their phones. I think people who commute daily maybe forget how dangerous driving can be. They're running almost literally on auto-pilot.
I'm sure any person who has ever been in an accident while talking or texting was utterly certain they could handle multitasking seconds before they crashed. And why wouldn't you, if you've gotten away with it many, many times before? Everyone thinks they're the exception.
Back to Mr. Humphreys: The Federal Communications Commission says Metro PCS alerted them a year ago when one of its cellphone towers was experiencing interference during morning and evening commutes. The feds traced it to strong emissions coming from Humprheys' truck. So ... he has to stop that now, obviously. But that should serve as a public service announcement to everyone. Please, could we put down our phones or pull over to the side of the road? Is anyone listening?
Do you think the cellphone jammer is a hero or does he deserve to be fined?
Image via Oregon Department of Transportation/Flickr