All in favor of banning, outright, the use of cellphones on buses and trains and airplanes raise your hand.

You hand better be raised. Mine is touching the sky.

The AP has a short piece describing the backlash against people using cellphones in public places like trains and busses. It discusses attempts to ban their use in several European countries, which had only limited success. It seems that not even our usually more understanding Europeans have the decency to not TALK LOUDLY while on the way to work.

If you live in Small Town America, I can see why you might be against the idea of banning the use of cellphones. It’s a freedom of speech issue, blah blah. City dwellers, on the other hand, must know what I’m talking about. The closet subway to my apartment is the 7 train, which partially runs above ground. Meaning, yay!, that people can yap yap yap away on their phones if they so choose. And choose they do. “YO B WHERE YOU AT? NAH THAT BITCH CRAZY I DIDN’T DO NOTHIN’ TO HER.” Meanwhile, I’m just sitting there trying to do a little reading. But now everyone in the train car knows that guy is a total jerk. It’s simultaneously depressing and infuriating.

So, ban or no ban? I say ban. You’re not in the CIA, you don’t need to be talking to your “boys” or “girlfriends” on the way to and from work. Repeat offenders should have their phones incinerated on the spot, thank you.

via Drudge Report