DESPITE the police shouting themselves hoarse against speaking on the cell phone and driving I still see many doing the same, proving a danger to others and themselves: Like this young man driving the latest fancy car who had an arm on the steering wheel and the other hugging his cell phone in an intimate embrace. “Did I wake you up?” he asked, speaking seductively into the mouthpiece.
“No,” replied the husky voice at the other end, “you just got me out of the bath!” “Out of the bath!” exclaimed the young man, not seeing the cyclist in front. “What was that noise?” asked the seductive voice at the other end. “What noise?” asked the young man breathlessly holding the cell phone even closer, and not noticing the man and the cycle falling behind. “You know you shouldn’t phone and drive.” “What are cell phones for?” asked the young man, “if not for taking the boredom out of driving!”
The signal in front, suddenly turned to red, but the young man with his phone pressed to his ear and his mind pressed elsewhere did not notice the change and continued driving through. “What are you wearing?” he asked, holding his breath in anticipation and literally looking into the phone. He did not see the startled scooterist veering dangerously to avoid him. All he felt was a thud, which he mistook for the sound of his own heart beat as he repeated the question “What are you wearing?”
“Come and see,” sighed the husky voice at the other end lustily. Yes I’m coming,” whispered the young man accelerating, “and I’m not going to put this phone off till I reach you!” The other drivers tried desperately to pull their vehicles quickly out of the way of the speeding car. “Hello, hello,” said the young man, suddenly realising his phone had gone off. “Damn,” he shouted, “damn,” and drove faster.
An old lady with a walking stick did not see the approaching car. She was flung up high and the crowd gathered round her knew she would never need a stick again as the young man in the car only shouted deeper into his cell phone. “Hello, hello, damn, damn, damn.” A schoolboy, whose father had taught him diligently how to cross at zebra crossings only, jumped out of the way in time, but decided not to obey the signals again.
Meanwhile, the young man driving the latest fancy car, one arm on the steering wheel and the other hugging his cell phone, bent down to press redial so he could talk to his girlfriend again. He did not see the ten ton truck switching lanes in front. “Hello!” said the husky voice at the other end of the line, “Hello,” she shouted as she heard the piercing scream and sound of tearing metal but the young man one mangled arm on the smashed steering wheel, the other still clutching his cell phone, lay still, never to hear her again…!
