I remember the first actual "portable" phone I ever saw. I don't know if they even called it a 'cell' phone in those days. The whole unit came in a small suitcase.(If you can imagine). I suppose there was some kind of battery pack in the case.
I was in a restaurant when four gentlemen in suits came in and sat down at a nearby table. They were obviously some type of executives. They took this big phone out of the case and set it in the middle of the table. It was about the size of an electric blender.
They all stared at it expectantly, as if willing it to ring. It never did while I was there.
My, how things have changed. Cell phones have gotten smaller and smaller. They are so small they can get lost in the palm of your hand. Yet, they are loaded with high tech gadgetry.
ITS AN EPIDEMIC:
Almost anywhere and anytime, you can look around you and see someone on a cell phone. Cell phones ring everywhere.
At meetings, in stores, movie theatres, funerals and at church. Nothing is safe or sacred from the pesky ring or catchy tune eminating from those small wonders of technology. I just don't see what all the excitement is about. I would never let my life be controlled by a cell phone. I guess its different if you didn't happen to grow up with them.
THEY CAN BE EXTREMELY USEFUL IN EMERGENCY:
I remember virtually witnessing 911 on T.V. the day it happened. It was my day off and shortly after I turned on the T.V., the plane hit the second tower. All that day cell phones were put to good use. People could phone loved ones and let them know they were o.k. People who were trapped could notify emergency services. There were endless images of dust covered people fleeing the chaos with cell phones pressed to their ear.
There have been people lost at sea, out hiking or any number of places and having a cell phone has virtually saved their lives. I do own a cell phone. But nobody has the number. I couldn't even tell you the number, because I don't even have it memorized. Its in my car under the passenger seat. Its in a plastic bag with one of those $10 phone cards that can be activated when you need them. Every once in a while I check the phone and make sure it hasn't lost its charge. I have it there strictly for emergencies that might happen when I am out in the car.
THEY CAN ALSO BE SO DANGEROUS:
I have seen so any people do the strangest things while driving with a cell phone pressed to their ear. I was stopped at a red light and I could see the gentlemen in front of me was on his cell phone. All of a sudden, he drove right through the red light without warning. I can't imagine what he was thinking. He was just fortunate nobody was coming through their green light. I've seen people on cell phones driving 60 kph in a school zone when the speed is 30 and 50 kph on the freeway when the speed limit is 110. Its like they are in another world. I think its been proven that people just cannot talk on the phone and be paying proper attention to their driving at the same time. Its pretty well an impossibility.
That would explain why some countries have made it illegal. Probably every country should. Now even some companies have made it policy that their employees will not use cell phones while in company vehicles. They have just become that dangerous. It just is not worth it.
I really think people have to take a serious look at their cell phone addiction. I don't think 'addiction' is too strong a word in this case. It virtually is. Some people feel completely lost without their cell phones. Somehow they just feel out of touch.
It wasn't that long ago that cell phones never existed. The world revolved just as well back then. If we needed a phone, we went to a phone booth. If we went grocery shopping we used our imaginations and didn't have to check in for instructions on what variety of canned peas to buy.
Cell phones are great if used wisely, but it seems like the abuse of this wonder of modern science is world wide and shows no signs of slowing down any time soon.
