Ah! The Albuquerque City Council has voted 5-4 to restrict cell phone usage while driving. (Albuquerque Journal, sub. req., you know the drill) Now, if Mayor Marty would just pull out his signin' pen, we'll be in business.

I'm for the ban. Could you tell?

I cannot abide people indulge in talking-while-driving. It moved beyond the realm of peeve when the game turned from "drunk driver?" to "drunk or on the phone?" I mean, in the last week, how many times did you nearly died because someone was trying to pilot a three ton hunk of metal with one hand and half a brain? (Sixteen! It was a good week!)

Ten years ago, there would be the rare traffic bobble. A technology forward woman with a brick pressed up to her ear would pilot her minivan into my lane without noticing, for example, or a guy would run a stop sign because it was just too hard to use the brake pedal and a proto flip phone. Now, it's constant, right?

And it drives me nuts.

If a friend calls me and it's obvious they're on their cell, the first question out of my mouth is, "are you in traffic?" If they blow it off with a "yeah, I'm bored," I will make up some excuse -- any excuse, including "my cat's bulimic" -- and hang up. It makes my skin crawl just thinking that I helped someone put themselves and others at risk just by talking to them.

Yeah, I did say "risk."

If someone feels like getting snarky about their driving-while-talking habit, I refer them to this episode of Mythbusters, because nobody can argue with basic cable infotainment.

Which is the offender's cue to say, "I know, but I get so bored."

Seriously? Bored? I realize this is the same logic behind in-dash DVD players, but seriously? Bored?

You wouldn't get behind the wheel of the car when you were tipsy, so c'mon. It's not that hard. Eyes forward. Both hands on the steering wheel. Attention on the road and traffic. Enjoy the drive.