Richard Clark wrote:

Am I the only one to recall that time when it was AGAINST THE LAW to
operate a ham radio while driving for EXACTLY THE SAME REASONS you
have witnessed with cell phone users poor driving performance?

Actually I don't, but okay.

Does it therefore follow that because those reasons turned out to be
wrong for operating Ham radio mobile that they are wrong for cell
phones? Despite the differences.

One of the more amusing aspects of DUIC driving is the slippery sloping
done by people. Equivalents are attempted to assure us that cell phones
are as safe as anything else because, hey, eating or drinking coffee is
a distraction, and just talking to the person beside you is a
distraction also. So the argument goes, you shouldn't discourage cell
phone use because then you would have to ban eating, drinking and
talking to anyone in the car.


Ham radio operators behind the wheel and engaged in a QSO exhibit no
greater care than the ordinary driver on the cell phone.


I would respectfully disagree there Richard. I'm nearly struck nearly
every day by someone operating mobile. I haven't kept count, but over
the years it's been possibly over a thousand times. You would think by
now, one or two of them would have been Hams operating mobile. We have a
very active Ham population around here, and the local repeaters are
constantly in use.

(note that my off the cuff "stats" are compiled for both personal
driving and pedestrian incidents and observed ones. Even if my figures
are exaggerated by faulty memory, I've never been in a collision or near
collision with a Ham during operation, or a truck driver while s/he was
using a CB. Same goes for law enforcement and various communication
vehicles.



- 73 de Mike N3LI -