In this world where technology is advancing further everyday, the products that are being produced are supposed to make our lives easier. However, some of these innovations are becoming more harmful than helpful. On the forefront of this issue are wireless phones. Cellular and digital phones give us the freedom to be in touch with whomever we wish with no limitations to what our location happens to be. They are becoming so numerous in our society that one could quite literally see them being used everywhere you go. Cell phones are more affordable and easier to use than ever. They keep users in touch whether they are on the road, at the grocery store, or in the middle of a national park. Although this is a great innovation, are there any situations where they are inappropriate? This question is the basis for many debates going on as we speak.

Before going any further, I have to admit that I own one of these phones. However, I think that they are getting a little out of hand, or better yet into the wrong hands at the wrong time. Not too long ago, these devices were saved for those who held business positions and needed to be reached at every moment of the day. This was perfectly understandable and acceptable. However, times have changed and so have the people using cellular and digital phones. People of all ages and social classes are now wireless. Nevertheless, is there really a need for a 13-year old hanging out at the mall to have a cell phone? Some would say yes, it allows the child to reach his or her parents in the case of an emergency. Sounds like a good idea right? But what about when sitting in the movies and that same 13-year old is talking to her friend about which Backstreet Boy is the cutest-still a good idea? What about when sitting in a nice restaurant with your significant other, everything is perfect except for the fact that the phone belonging to the people next to you rings every ten minutes and each conversation exists of "BuyNo, sell!!!". Should you have to hear this all night?

According to state legislators, you do not. Starting January 1, 2000 owners of public businesses such as restaurants, theaters, and bars will have the option of allowing or forbidding the use of wireless phones on the premises. This has come amid opposition from many who claim that the ban is an infringement of their freedom of speech. The question "What if I need to be reached in the time of an emergency?" keeps being brought forward. Legal experts state that this is the reason behind the government giving the discretion to the owners of the buildings; it takes the hard part out of the government's hand. But to those in favor of the ban, it will be a break from all of the annoying disturbances that they have had to encounter. Many restaurants are doing something about cell phone usage. The Saint Louis Club in Missouri allows cell phones only in its lobby; New York's Old Town Bar displays a picture of a cell phone with a red line through it; and several other restaurants prohibit phones in their dining room. (Saunders, Heywood)

Another controversial issue concerning wireless phones is the use of them while driving. According to University of Toronto studies, it has been proven that while talking on the phone, drivers are less alert to their surroundings than they are without the phones. Cell phone conversations are louder, because people mistakenly think they need to yell in order to be heard. This distracts the driver from traffic noise, both hands are not on the wheel, and attention is not focused on the road, but on the conversation. And while the number of injuries and fatalities to those involved in accidents with a driver using a wireless phone are very low, officials are looking to find ways to regulate the use of these phones on roadways in order to lower the overall risk of accidents. Thirteen states are considering bills that restrict the use of phones while driving, but only three-California, Florida, and Massachusetts have passed any laws, and none of those is outright prohibitive, focusing on keeping one hand on the wheel and one ear free for traffic noises. (Etzioni) Again, there are those who feel that they are being unfairly targeted. Even those who approve of restrictions admit they are difficult to enforce. How do the cops prove it was an individual using a cell phone that caused an accident? Critics of restrictions argue the safety features of cell phones on the road. Thousands of people every day use their cell phone to report accidents and other incidents they witnessed from the road. They point to the fact that alcohol-related accidents are approximately 150 to every 1 accident caused by the use of cell phones, but yet there is no bill to push the overall ban of alcohol.

Will there ever be a truce between those with cell phones and those without? Probably not. As the advancements in technology get better, so do the risks which accompany their use. Wireless phones clearly have advantages and disadvantages to them, however, many of the disadvantages have more to do with the people who are using them instead of the phones themselves. What we as cell phone owners have to do is be more considerate to those in our surroundings, we have to remember that we are not the only ones who are there, and be more careful when we are using them. If we can do this then there is no reason that there cannot be a truce between the "Wired" and the "Wireless" nations.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Background by::