Can you hear me now?

So talking on your cell phone without using a hands-free unit is now a primary offense in New Jersey, meaning they can pull you over just for talking on your phone and fine you for $100. This whole cell phone issue has been a point of contention for me ever since it became a hot button issue a few years ago.

Basically, I feel like forcing people to use a hands-free unit is like treating a gunshot wound after somebody's been stabbed.

First of all, haven't studies shown that the process of dialing or searching for a number the most dangerous part of using your cell phone while driving? The action of holding the phone against your ear and talking is not the part that's distracting -- it's when you have to look away from the road and at your phone in order to find a number. I know people whose cars are equipped with speaker phone technology, and they actively look away from the road and at the touch tone screen to find the number they're looking for. As you can see, a hands-free unit obviously doesn't remedy this problem.

Secondly, it bothers me that holding a phone in one hand is illegal, but smoking a cigarette while driving isn't. Consider that one of these two objects has a tiny flame at its tip and requires frequent ashing out the window. It seems like smoking is easily as distracting.

It also bothers me that you can be pulled over for talking on your phone when you're not actually doing anything dangerous. I mean, even if you're driving in a perfectly safe manner, doing absolutely nothing wreckless, you can still be pulled over and fined $100. Hell, you can have three or four beers and you're still legally allowed to drive. But talking on the phone? Nope, that's hazardous!

The fact of the matter is, a lot of people are just not very good or attentive drivers. If it's not their cell phone distracting them, it's the radio. Or their hair. Or the pretty tree on the side of the road. That's why this issue was perfectly adequate as a secondary law. If you get pulled over for speeding or driving dangerously, or if you get in an accident and you were talking on your phone, then add it as an additional offense. But if you're capable of driving safely while talking on the phone, more power to you!

Hell, I can walk and chew bubble gum at the same time, too.