Ban looms; drivers seek hands-free phone sets

Ban looms; drivers seek hands-free phone sets By RAY HACKETT Norwich Bulletin

NORWICH (Thursday, September 01, 2005) - Judith Hamblen of Norwich admitted she found Christmas shopping easier than shopping for a hands-free cell phone set. "That's because I start Christmas shopping in January, so I have all year to get it done," she said Tuesday with a laugh as she looked at four varieties of hands-free pieces at the Cingular Wireless store in the Ames Plaza in Norwich. But, with only three days remaining before Connecticut's ban on using hand-held cell phones while driving takes effect, Hamblen had little choice but to decide which of the four she would buy. She settled for one of the more popular types, a plug-in headset with an earpiece that wraps around the back of the ear and a boom microphone extending down the side of her cheek. "It works nice," she said after calling a friend. "I like it." Third state Connecticut becomes the third state in the union to ban the use of hand-held cell phones while driving. On Saturday, the new law takes effect and carries a $100 fine for anyone caught behind the wheel of a moving vehicle holding a phone to their ear. "It's been busy," said Todd Postler, owner of The Wireless Zone, an authorized Verizon dealer in the Salem Plaza on West Main Street in Norwich. Postler said his store sold about 20 headsets Monday, four to five times more than normal in recent months. Rob Leonard at the Cingular store said they also sold about 20 Monday. And both said they anticipate sales to rise in the coming days as Saturday's deadline nears. On Tuesday, both stores were sold out of the more popular model -- the plug-in, wraparound with boom mike, which costs $25-$40. "We'll have more in this afternoon," Postler said Tuesday morning. With Connecticut's new law looming, nearly every major manufacturer is offering incentives on hands-free accessories, ranging from 10 to 20 percent discounts to cash rebates after purchase. The incentives continue through November. Ed Krupinski, who lives in Westerly and works in Norwich, took advantage of the special offers at Postler's store Tuesday. He bought a hands-free set and a whole new phone. "I've been wanting to update my phone for a while," he said. "I use it a lot while I'm driving, for business. It is a distraction, especially when you're behind someone driving and using a phone." There is a provision in Connecticut's law that allows a first-time offender to avoid the $100 fine if the violator provides proof of purchase of a hands-free set after a citation is issued and before the court date. "That's a good thing," Norwich Police Lt. Michael Blanchette said, "because it's going to take people time to get used to this and this way they won't be getting hit hard in the pocketbook right off the bat." Twenty-four states and the District of Columbia have enacted legislation restricting cell phone use while driving. But only New York, New Jersey and the District of Columbia prohibit the use of hand-held phones. Most of the legislation enacted across the country prohibits the use of cell phones -- hands-free or hand-held -- when operating a school bus or by younger drivers operating with only learner permits. Connecticut's law also includes those provisions. "Younger drivers are a hot issue," said Matt Sundeen, lead analyst on cell phones and highway safety with the National Conference of State Legislatures, "because there is a lot of concern about younger drivers' skills on the road. They're more of a risk and they have a higher crash rate. We've seen a trend where states are putting more restrictions on young drivers. This is just the next step." But Sundeen said Connecticut also went one step further by including a provision that prohibits drivers from "engaging in any activity unrelated to the operation of a motor vehicle." Unrelated activities can include anything from combing one's hair to reading a newspaper or map to drinking a cup of coffee -- if that activity results in a distraction that causes the driver to commit a moving violation, such as speeding, running a stop sign or red light or weaving on the roadway. "It's a good law," said Harold Bolton of Ledyard. "It is a distraction, and it's irritating if you're behind them on the road. I think they should bump up (the fine) and make people really think about it." Bolton admitted, however, he hasn't bought a hands-free set for his phone and doesn't plan to purchase one. "I don't talk and drive," he said, "I just don't believe in doing that."

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