The Utica Daily News website reported on June 1, 2009, that Oneida County (in New York State) is beginning to enforce a new law banning texting while driving. The whole State of New York already has a ban on driving while talking on a cell phone without a hands free device. This law against texting while driving is kind of like updating that law. At the time of the cell phone law’s enactment, texting was not really an issue. Well, apparently now it is.

There’s also apparently many different opinions on the new law. Here’s a video of a reporter interviewing some local people on the subject:

Notice the one gentleman who said that he would be more discreet while texting while driving! He just told the authorities that he is planning on breaking a law! Also, another gentleman said that it is “circumstantial” because someone may receive “emergency” phone calls while driving. My thought is that if someone is going to have the cell phone in the car and is planning on answering it for ANY reason, a hands free device is imperative in order to follow the law.

Well, for the sake of space on this page and time I’ll not go into all of the nitty-gritty of everyone else’s opinions on the subject and I’ll stick mostly to some of my own thoughts.

First of all, and you can call me old school if you like, it’s taken me quite some time to even see the point of the text messaging obsession. Constant texting back and forth seems to me as almost pointless and a waste of time when a quick phone call would be a lot easier. There are SOME uses that make sense:

1. When a phone call would be inappropriate, a simple text message could be a good alternative. For instance, once I received a text message on a Saturday morning during a time when most people thought me to be still sleeping. That was a good application because a phone call could have woke me up and the caller could have had a cranky situation on their hands.
2. Updating networking streams such as Twitter (check me out on twitter) and Facebook could be done via SMS. I’ve done this a few times already and I like having the option when a computer or Internet is not available (I’m thinking about tweeting my next Adirondack hike planned for June).
3. A quick text to a group of contacts could be a real time saver. For instance, I was recently invited to a bonfire/birthday party along with a group of other friends via SMS. Check out how Google Voice is making SMS easier and more versatile by reading my review of the new service.
4. Google SMS can get answers to popular questions on the fly. Google has this neat service where you can text Google a question and you’ll receive an anser via SMS. Very cool and a good use for texting. Check out my review of this service.

However, if you’re planning on carrying on a conversation with me, please find a different means other than text messaging! Call me if you have my number! Contact me on my blog, timmyjohnboy.com. Email me if you’re privileged enough to have may address. Message me on one of my social network profiles, I really don’t mind. Just don’t waste my time with a whole conversation via texting!

About driving while texting:

Why would they even need a law banning people from doing something that is already so obviously stupid. It’s like saying that it is against the law to play guitar while driving! General stupidity could be outlawed while driving, I suppose. I think it’s creative that people even think texting while driving is a good idea. Personally, I think if someone is going to be outlawed from doing something while driving it should be driving obviously distracted. For instance, someone should be pulled over for veering into another lane, or stopping and starting abruptly and in a manner that hinders the normal flow of traffic (both of which happens often while talking or texting on the phone while driving). JMHO (just my humble opinion). However, if you really can’t live in this county and follow the laws set up, I’m sure the “right” thing to do would be to move somewhere that doesn’t have these laws. Otherwise, you’re obligated to make an attempt to follow them.

OK, I’ll stop teasing those of you who are about to give me a proverbial pop in the nose for stepping on your toes.

I only have a few more questions.

1. What are your thoughts about laws such as these?
2. Has anyone else heard about the statistics telling us that driving while talking on the phone WITH a hands free device is JUST as dangerous as WITHOUT one?

A few weeks ago I made a post about receiving free directory assistance and one of those ways was to call -800-GOOG-411.  Today I came across another awesome service by Google: Google SMS for your phone!

The process is quite easy.  All you do is text your search to 466453 (“GOOGLE”) and Google will text back an answer for you!  First try texting “help” and you’ll get a list of helpful hits.  Here’s the video demo from the site:

Note: As being one who finds text messaging in general to be pointless (until I found this), I do not have unlimited texting on my phone so I have not tried this yet (by the way, if any of my friends or family read this, I don’t mean to offend you but if you ever text me, I probably won’t reply).

That being said, please leave a comment if and when you DO try this and let me know how it worked for you!

I originally heard about this on the how2dostuff blog.