Blue Meanies

My brother, bless him, just posted something on facebook and I'd like to spread it around some.

We all know that we shouldn't text and drive.  Right?
I mean, maybe some of us think we "can" because we haven't killed anyone yet or even so much as had a fender-bender while text-fully engaged.  Sure, I bet a lot of us actually feel like it's no big deal to take a few seconds on a long and boring drive to LOL this or thumbsup that.  You know?

I get it.  I do.

But do you get it?  Do you get how much you are relying on every single other person on the road with you to do nothing surprising?  Do you get how much you are banking on every other human to behave exactly the way you are expecting them to?  Maybe it's not about you.  I bet you CAN drive and text no worries.  But does everyone else know that?  And what about the single person having a bad day in front of you who knows you can drive while texting but doesn't know how good you are at avoiding an accident while texting?

How good are we at tire blowouts while texting?
Surprise pedestrians while texting?
Unexpected brake lights while texting?
Handling any, and every, possible emergency situation while texting?

I mean, we all have erasers on pencils right?  And we all wear seatbelts.
Why do we wear seatbelts?

And with that in mind, why would we take even a picosecond to read a text or check a website or open an email when we are in a situation that we think it's SAFE to wear a seatbelt in?

Accidents happen, right?

Wouldn't it be smart to have our text messages, emails and status updates happen in an environment where we're not encased in steel and glass and seven thousand other safety devices designed to keep us alive if something unexpected happens?

Motocyclists wear helmets for a reason. Not because they're bad at motorcycling or because they CAN motorcycle just fine without them.
We wear seatbelts for a reason.  Not because we're bad at driving or because we CAN drive just fine with out them.
There are seatbelts and roll cages and airbags and airhorns and little painted stripes on the roads...

...   all for a reason.

Won't you take a pledge with me against texting while driving?
Distracted driving, while usually fine, is always dangerous.  Like drunk driving.  Like putting on makeup while driving. Like having sex while driving.

Join me, won't you?

Promise never to text while driving.  And then to make it stick, pick a thumbnail and paint it blue.  It's solidarity with me, it's a reminder to you.

It tells everyone else who sees you (once you've explained yourself, if they ask) that you give a crap about if they make it home alive today.