The Austin City Council recently passed a ban on texting while driving. They also voted unanimously yesterday to expand/clarify those restrictions to include playing games, shuffling through songs, or using your cell phone’s GPS system – unless it’s mounted on the dash. As Councilmember Laura Morrison put it, “Don’t use your cell phone while you’re driving for anything else than making a phone call.”

Now I agree that texting while driving is downright reckless.

Wait, did I say reckless?

Isn’t there already a state law against reckless driving?

Yup, sure is. Texas Transportation Code, Sec. 545.401:

Sec. 545.401.  RECKLESS DRIVING; OFFENSE.  (a)  A person commits an offense if the person drives a vehicle in wilful or wanton disregard for the safety of persons or property.

There’s already a law that covers this – it just needs to be enforced. And the existing law takes care of all the ambiguities and irrationalities around the new law. For example, just pressing the next song button on your phone seems to be illegal under the new law, but shuffling through radio stations or even swapping CDs isn’t. And how is a GPS on your dash any less distracting than the GPS on your phone, which you can hold up in front of your face so you can see the road at least a little better? Or what about the proverbial putting on makeup or shaving while driving?

No one will probably ever get stepped for pressing the next song button, because cops can’t see it, and it doesn’t noticeably affect their driving. But the point is…that shouldn’t be illegal. The point is…it’s not the act of texting itself that violates the harm principle; it’s the reckless driving that results from it. And there’s already a law against that.

So really, Austin City Council, don’t you have anything better to do with your time???

Image credits: (1) poka0059 (2) junkmonkey

Friday night I attended a screening of The Shadow Effect (which I highly recommend –- more on that later). In it, Debbie Ford quotes a poem by 13-century poet and mystic Rumi. I was deeply moved by its call for us to all embrace the diversity of the human experience. All too often in our incessant pursuit of happiness we miss the greater fulfillment of experiencing a variety of emotions and knowing that they are all part of the beautiful bigger picture of our lies.

The Guest House

This being human is a guest house.
Every morning a new arrival.

A joy, a depression, a meanness,
some momentary awareness comes
as an unexpected visitor.

Welcome and entertain them all!
Even if they are a crowd of sorrows,
who violently sweep your house
empty of its furniture,
still, treat each guest honorably.
He may be clearing you out
for some new delight.

The dark thought, the shame, the malice.
meet them at the door laughing and invite them in.

Be grateful for whatever comes.
because each has been sent
as a guide from beyond.

– Jelaluddin Rumi,
   translation by Coleman Barks

Image by by Poorfish via flickr