When it comes to every day technology, a lot has changed in the past three decades.
There was a time when not everyone had a VCR let along a DVD or BlueRay player and having a microwave made you one of the “rich” families on the block. I can just hear the groans from the teenagers among our readership. Yes, apparently I am old but I do remember what a big deal it was when my cousins got a VCR and suddenly all the teenagers in the neighbourhood were hanging out at their place for movie nights.
I remember the first time  I tossed a bag in the microwave and popped up some popcorn. Quick and easy and you could even pick your flavour. Pretty remarkable when you consider I grew up popping popcorn on the stove in a pot with hot oil. It was a big deal when we got a hot air popper so you can imagine how popular microwave popcorn has been in my family. In fact a case of popcorn and a couple of movies as still a popular Christmas gift in my family.
One of the biggest changes in how we use technology has come about with our cell phones. While once considered to be a luxury item only a few rich people could afford, now a growing number of people have even done away with their home phones in favour of cell phones.
The convenience and portability of cell phones has changed so much, even in the last few years, that it has quickly over run our society’s ability to adjust to this new technology with any degree of common sense.
Hence the need for provincial and state governments across Canada and the United States to adopt laws that ban the use of cell phones while driving. Common sense would make these laws unnecessary if the vast majority of the population actually used common sense.
Anyone who does a quick study of how and where people use their cell phones will see just how far we’ve traveled away from the path of common sense. I’ve lost track of the number of people talking on their cell phones while holding a cup of coffee and trying to drive. I say “trying” to drive because driving seems to be the last thing on their mind.
In the past week I have counted no less than a dozen times where I had to use a little proactive driving in order to avoid a potential collision caused by someone talking on their cell while driving. Do well really need a law to tell us this isn’t a smart idea.
Just because you can do something, doesn’t mean you should. This also applies to people who think it’s a good idea to talk on their cell phone while using the bathroom. Really? I guess that wasn’t a problem when I was younger because the phone cord in our house just wouldn’t stretch that far.
And that’s not to say it is just the younger generation who are not using common sense when it comes to using their cell phones. In my observation the offenders are across the board. I have been almost be run over by a grandpa, a dad and a daughter all from the same family, just on different days. I recently watched one young man almost get flattened by a bus because he was so busy talking on his cell phone he stepped right out into traffic without even looking to see what was almost right on top of him. He must have a good cell plan and one hard working guardian angel.
So here’s the bottom line, cell phones are a convenience, not a necessity of life. So if you’re at the theatre, out to dinner, at a wedding, attending church or using the restroom, leave them behind. And remember, you may find every second of your day to be interesting and entertaining, the rest of the population doesn’t agree, keep your cell phone conversations private, please.