Don’t commit DWIT this weekend

Is it just me, or is texting catching on with the grown ups?

It started with one friend that I was meeting for dinner. He texts me that he’s running a minute late. Cool. Didn’t even know how to use the function. Later that night, he texts me that it was fun. Next thing I know, four of my adult friends are texting me now, instead of calling. Convenient.

Talking on the phone is easy, texting is like writing a book on a deck of cards while operating heavy machinery. One reporter called driving a car while sending a text message: Driving While Intexticated. Turns out you are probably safer to drive with three drinks in you, than to send three text messages while navigating around a busy parking lot.

A Wall Street Journal covers how texting while driving should be considered criminally negligent.

For the last few years, the kids have been trying to drive and text at the same time. It’s not working for them. Check out this Philadelphia Inquirer story for the entire scoop.

Don’t fall for it. If you want to text, pull over and park. We are obnoxious enough as drivers with phones planted in our ears. At least when we are on the phone, we can see. Let’s not make driving a game of bumper cars this weekend because we’d rather text than talk live. Ignore the texts and eventually, if its important, you’ll get a phone call that you can take on hands free.

Your caller will ask, “did you get my texts?”

You can shrug your shoulders and say, “I was driving.”