Textology

There was a big story in the lifestyle section of yesterday’s Royal Gazette about how the average number of text messages sent by young Bermudians hovers around 300 per day. You read right, 300 texts a day. Although judging by what I’ve seen in almost four months here I’m not surprised. The worst of it is on the road. Not a day goes by when I don’t see a teenager or some kid in his twenties texting while driving—behind the wheel of a scooter no less. It’s mind-boggling and dangerously careless. With one hand on the accelerator and the other clutching a phone, they bob their heads up and down recklessly zipping down the road without a care in the world. No wonder 60 percent of road collisions in Bermuda are due to “inattention” (what the police department apparently considers vehicular phone consultation). When did sending text messages become so important? I’m all for cutesy consults, but doing it while driving a scooter seems foolhardy at best and impetuous at worst. The good news is I'm not alone. Recently United Bermuda Party senator Michael Fahy proposed a ban on handheld cell phones while driving and a family court magistrate called the practice "ludicrous." Here's hoping the powers that be make the roads a bit safer and pass a law that makes sense for Bermuda. I for one will be the first person to stand up and cheer.