I would like to comment on the proposed new cell-phone law to be introduced at the North Bend City Council.

To me, it assumes that none of us can walk and chew gum at the same time. Also, with no offense intended to our police officers, how can they who are exempt drive and concentrate any better than any of the rest of us? What special training or genetic heredity makes them different?

This law seems prejudicial and ripe for a court appeal. I have worked in the public utility business for over 30 years, on 24-by-7 call-out, in all kinds of inclement weather and all hours of the day and night, using radios – both hand-held and built-ins – and cell phones for all of that time and never have had an accident. What makes cell phones any different than a hand-held radio?

We don’t need this law and I feel it is very detrimental. If a person is not paying attention to driving due to talking on the cell, drinking a Coke, laughing with a passenger or listening to the radio, then that person should be ticketed for what the offense is: not paying attention to driving or driving recklessly. Those laws already exist.

My neighbor’s car was hit when an individual was changing his tape in his cassette player. Should we make it an offense to play the radio or outlaw cassette players? What about turning on the heater while we drive? If we really want to keep our streets safe, how about overcoming our fixation with cell phones and look to ticketing and targeting real problems, such as aggressive driving, tailgating, road rage, running red lights and any other reckless acts, which already are illegal.

We don’t need new laws, we just need to enforce the ones that we have! Thank you.

Dee Wayne Williamson

North Bend