July 1, a couple of new laws go into effect in California. It becomes illegal for the driver of a motor vehicle to be using a handheld cell phone while driving. It also becomes illegal for drivers under the age of 18 to use any kind of cell phone while driving, including hands-free phones. If you're over 18, you can use a hands-free connection. Here's a link to a PDF that explains all about the law but I've pretty much told you everything you need to know.
I don't know why this hasn't been publicized more. We'll probably hear a lot about it around the end of June, whereupon there'll be a stampede to purchase hands-free kits and get them installed. Wise California drivers won't wait.
I got mine installed more than a year ago. My BlackBerry fits into a little cradle and makes a Bluetooth connection with the system in my car. I push a little button and a lady's voice says "Say a command." I carefully and distinctly say "Call Sergio Aragonés" and the phone immediately dials my plumber. If I want to talk to my plumber, I have to tell it to phone Sergio. For a while, it refused to dial my pal Scott Shaw!, who spells his surname with an exclamation point and was in my phonebook the same way. I finally figured out that the hands-free software was getting thrown off by the exclamation point.
The outlawing of handheld cell phones while driving is way overdue. Every one of us has had a few near-collisions because some clown was driving one-handed while ordering a pizza or engaging in some intense conversation. (I know some stats say that hands-free phone connections are just as likely to result in accidents but I'm skeptical about those numbers.)
That's about all I have to say on the subject except that I wonder if we're now going to hear stories of people contesting their fines on the following basis. You're allowed to use handheld phones while driving in the case of an emergency…and to some people, making an appointment to have your hair cut or finding out what time a movie starts is an emergency.