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Be smart: Don't FBWD
I think I'm becoming one of those.
Recently I upgraded to an iPhone, which I guess falls into the "smart" category, although I'm not sure how small electronic devices can possess relative intelligence.
Anyway, one of the features on the iPhone allows you to touch an icon on the screen, and bingo! You're on the mobile version of Facebook.
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I make no secret about being a Facebook junkie. I have to keep checking on what everyone else is up to, so that I can make "witty" remarks. And I need to inform people about the "exciting" stuff I'm doing. (Note the quotation marks, as in, who are you kidding?)
So with the iPhone, I basically have access to Facebook whenever I want it, wherever I want it. Which isn't necessarily good.
I've always refrained from texting while driving, mainly because I never send texts and, probably as a result, rarely receive them.
Oh, yeah. It's also not particularly safe.
There's a fine line between texting while driving and Facebooking while driving, or FBWD. Actually, there isn't any line at all. They're the same darn thing.
The first time I tried FBWD, I was stuck in a traffic jam, so it didn't seem like a big deal to type into the iPhone that I was stuck in a traffic jam. I sure wasn't going anywhere in a hurry.
The next time, the traffic jam wasn't as severe, and I still was typing as I started moving full speed ahead. Uh-oh.
My daily commute takes me about 15 miles each way along Route 19, which has more traffic lights per linear inch than any other road in Washington County. By a mile.
So what have I ended up doing when I have to stop? I grab the iPhone and FBWD.
Optimally, I finish reading or composing before the wheels start rolling again. I'd like to report that's always the case. But ...
I need to type just a few more words, and if I'm holding the phone at a certain angle, I can see the road just fine.
Right.
By admitting to FBWD, I hope I'm taking the first step toward recovery. Now I just have to leave the phone alone every time one of those stinkin' lights turns red ahead of me.
That's going to be tough.
I also hope to warn of the potential dangers of FBWD to anyone who might face the temptation. You can wait until you've reached your destination to put in your two cents about Abby having to stand in line at the airport.
And don't forget: If you have a "smart" phone, there's no reason to act stupid.
Online editor Harry Funk can be reached at hfunk@
observer-reporter.com.
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