(Originally posted May 2009) The voters of Bowling Green, Ohio, have spoken on mobile phones and driving -- kind of. The city of about 30,000 decided to put to voters the issue of whether to ban handheld cell phone use by motorists. On Tuesday, 56 percent voted no, killing the plan. “Fifty six percent of people aren’t against a ban, they are just against a local ban,” the legislation's sponsor, Robert McOmber said. But there's more. Turns out the ballot didn't actually state what a vote either way would accomplish. Here's the ballot text: "An ordinance proposing to create and adopt … [Read more...]

Almost on cue, a Philadelphia motorist with her mouth in gear slammed into a bus and dramatized the need for the city's brand-new ban on handheld cell phones. On the same day that Philadelphia's mayor signed the law, the cell-phoning woman caused a city bus to plow into several parked cars and a transport support beam, police say. Sixteen people, including a young child, were injured. The driver ran a red light while gabbing on her cell phone, police reported. Mayor Mike Nutter told the Daily News it was "a perfect example why we needed the law that I signed. When you're distracted holding … [Read more...]