Commentary: Limiting the perils of gabbing while driving

Daily Record and the Kansas City Daily News-Press, Mar 19, 2006 by Rick Edvalson

I don't know what I would do without my personal cell phone. But I know what I would do with some of the others.

Even after the reminder that the theater gives you to shut off your phone, someone's phone will start ringing right in the middle of the movie, and it's probably not coincidental that the people who leave their phones on are the same ones who have the most obnoxious ring tones. Quite often, the owner won't shut it off, either; it just rings on until it goes to voicemail.

Based on an admittedly unscientific survey, I would say that at least a third of all drivers on the road are using cell phones. Some of the conversations I have even seen were so animated that I seriously wondered how the driver could concentrate on anything else, much less drive a three- ton SUV.

I used my cell phone once while I was driving - a long time ago, of course. I was talking to my wife while I was stopped in a line of traffic waiting for the light to change. Glancing in my mirror, I noticed a fellow driving toward me from behind. He was obviously trying to reach something on the seat or the floor, because he was leaning over toward the passenger side.

I knew he hadn't seen me so I started to steel myself for the impact. At the last minute, he looked up and jerked his car into the other lane just missing my bumper. As he went by, he shook his fist at me and yelled Get off the #!* phone! I knew then how dangerous cell phones could be.

Other people who use their phones while they drive have confessed to me that it is particularly hard to simultaneously dial a number and control the vehicle. This is especially true if you have to look up the number before you can dial it. A person I know quite well nearly came to grief once because he was trying to look up a phone number in his PDA, dial it into his phone and drive at the same time. He learned a lesson from that experience, too.

Of course, you can make things easier by entering all the names and phone numbers of your important contacts into the memory of your cell phone. This will greatly simplify the dialing process because your most commonly called numbers will be right in the phone's address book. My friend's phone will hold hundreds of names and phone numbers, but until recently, he had five numbers stored in its directory. He told me he was going to enter more, but he got tired. Have you ever tried to enter names and phone numbers into your phone using the keypad? After five, I bet you got tired, too.

I suggested to my friend that he explore the options that his cell phone manufacturer offers for syncing with his PC. Many cell phones come with this feature, although you may have to buy a kit, which typically includes software and a cable, from the manufacturer.

Another alternative is the Mobile Action's Handset Manager 9.0. For $39, you get a USB cable to connect the phone to the PC, or there are versions that support Bluetooth or infrared connectivity, if your phone supports those. You also get software that allows you to transfer names and phone numbers from the PC to the phone. Handset Manager also enables you to move pictures, videos, ring tones and other types of files between the two devices.

For links to Handset Manager and other software for synchronizing cell phones to computers, see the online version of this column at www.insllc.net.

This article was originally published in Idaho Business Review, Boise, Idaho, another Dolan Media publication.

Rick Edvalson is president of IntegriNet Solutions Inc., a computer and networking services company serving Southwest Idaho.