Dial "M" for Moving Violation

First of all, shame on the dear reader who saw this headline and that picture and said to herself, "Public School Dad got a ticket today!" (You know who you are, k1p2.) One need only ask Public School Mom to learn that I have not received a ticket from Johnny Law in a couple of years; unfortunately, though, during that stretch I received two in three days.

Nay, that is not the reason for this post. Instead, I thought I'd combine compelling photojournalism (thank you Canon!) with my trademark blend of reporting and opinion.

Last year in the Dallas area, Highland Park and University Park started the trend of banning cell phones in school zones, which seems reasonable enough because it only affects drivers, not folks riding in the back of limos (buh-dum-bump, rimshot). Then Dallas, Duncanville, Flower Mound, Highland Village, Rowlett, Wylie, and Sachse followed suit. The Garland city council was the only outlier, deciding in July not to enact a ban. Proponents say it's a sensible way to help help protect students; opponents say that it's unnecessary regulation and a solution in search of a problem.

So what do I think? I'm glad you asked.

There's apparently no epidemic of students being run down by jibber-jabbering drivers. I get that. On the other hand, it's no surprise that drivers talking on cellphones can be less attentive and have shorter reaction times--just ask the woman in the Chevy Tahoe I honked at today as she veered into my lane. So how do you balance it? As I learned from my favorite political science professor, the debate comes down to freedom (I can talk on my phone whenever I want) versus order (the community limits individual choice for the greater good).

From a practical standpoint, this is a minor inconvenience with a potentially high pay-off. If one student is saved from an accident because drivers aren't allowed to talk for a brief period of time in a marked school zone, I think the benefit outweighs the cost. Even if critics say that there's no evidence that talking is a problem, I don't see the harm in an ordinance whose ultimate goal is to remind drivers to slow down and pay attention in a school zone.

And from a political standpoint, what elected official is going to vote against these proposals and risk an attack from a future opponent that she "doesn't care about the safety of the kids"? When Garland tabled the idea, the council did so unanimously. There was a reason for that: each member provided cover for the other. Besides, it's not as if we live in New York: in that state, you are never allowed to use a handheld device while driving. If your spouse tries to talk you into moving there, offer that as reason enough to stay in Texas.