Today I signed Oprah’s “No Phone Zone” pledge:

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And The Verdict Is?

I no longer have conflict. I’ve decided while writing this article that I will go back to Oprah.Com right now, and (Upgrade) to number 3.

“I will no longer make or take any calls and I won’t send or receive any texts, while driving.” Done!

So to all of my friends, family and others who will call or text while I’m driving . . . I say, “Leave a message at the sound of the beep and I will get back to you . . . I Promise . . . after I stop driving.”

Now I have a new dilemma. Since I care for you, my friends and family, and you all read my articles, here is my question.

Should I refuse to talk at length with you, if you are on a cell phone and driving, maybe transporting a loved one?

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“Yeah, I said it! And that’s what I thought you’d say. You know my feelings. Friends Let Friends Drive Safely. You need to be concentrating on driving. We’ll talk. When we’re not driving.

“Sooooo, What Are You Waiting For?”

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Go here to sign up for the No Phone Zone Pledge today. The life you save may be yours, or mine.

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Driving is serious business and it deserves our full attention. I read that our reaction time is 38% slower when we are using cellphones while driving.

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Hands-free or speaker, makes no difference. We’re still distracted and we’re still slow. Can we afford to take the chance that we won’t react in time?

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Below is the No Phone Zone Pledge. Go ahead, pick one. Then go to Oprah.Com . . . and roll with it.

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No Phone Zone Pledge

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• I pledge to make my car a No Phone Zone.

• Beginning right now,  I will do my part to help put an end to distracted driving by pledging the safest driving behavior I can commit to:
  

• I will not text while I am driving.

• I will not text while driving, and will use only hands-free calling if I need to speak on the phone while I am driving.

• I will not text or use my phone while I am driving. If I need to use my phone, I will pull over to the side of the road.

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See No Phone Zone Pledge Series
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Join CreateVitality.Com’s “Better Health for Boomers” Free Newsletter by filling in the Sign Up Form on the right panel.
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“Good Health and Success are a Lifestyle . . . Live Well,”

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CK Dillon

Contact: Charles@CreateVitality.Com

On the Web: Http://CreateVitality.Com

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Today I signed Oprah’s “No Phone Zone” pledge:
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“Home boy, I’m looking important!”

We all need to feel or “look” important at some time I guess, and I’m sure we’ve all faked the “important” call. You know the one. Point the index finger up and announce, “I’ve gotta get this.”

How important, really, was my last cell phone call, or text, while I was driving? It wasn’t worth endangering those around me by a long shot.

What Helped Make Up My Mind, to Change?

Here’s what happened yesterday, back to back.

I was standing on a street-corner waiting to cross and heard tires screeching. A cell-phone driver didn’t notice  traffic stopped in front of him and had to slam on the brakes.

Of the twelve cars that drove by me:

• Four people, 3 male and 1 female, were talking
  
• Couldn’t see anyone texting

Then as I drove home a woman in a pretty big SUV swerved, braked, corrected and drove on. All in front of me. She eventually pulled into the left lane to turn into the school’s driveway, and of course, she was on the phone. Hmmm.

On the highway, I noticed quite a few drivers engaged in conversation. Hmmmmmm.

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At home I seldom watch the news, but it was on as I passed through the family room. The first story was about a cell-phone-caused accident where two people died, but not the person who hit them while texting.

Again . . . Hmmmmmmm . . . Was that three strikes or four?

So now my challenge is, after much consideration while writing this article, should I “step up to the plate” and sign No Phone Zone Pledge Option 3? “No Calling or Texting While Driving . . . Period.”

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My Pro’s: Why I will sign it

• I don’t mind pulling off the road, where I won’t look as important, to talk
  

• People who need my immediate attention can leave a message
  

• I might save a life

• I prefer not to endanger others

My Con’s: Why I needed another option

• There may be an emergency

See Part 4 And The Verdict Is?
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See Part 2 No Phone Zone Pledge Option #2
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Join CreateVitality.Com’s “Better Health for Boomers” Free Newsletter by filling in the Sign Up Form on the right panel.
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“Good Health and Success are a Lifestyle . . . Live Well,”
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CK Dillon

Contact: Charles@CreateVitality.Com

On the Web: Http://CreateVitality.Com

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Today I signed Oprah’s “No Phone Zone” pledge:

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No Phone Zone Pledge, Option #2

I Signed the No Phone Zone Pledge option 2, where it reads; “I will not text while driving and will use only hands-free calling if I need to speak on the phone while I am driving.” I left myself a way out in case I just had to use the phone.

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My excuse was, “I may have an emergency or something.” “So not wanting to lie up front, to Oprah, you know what I mean, knowing I’d use the phone in case of an emergency . . . I didn’t go with number three.” (”italics” are comments made by cell-phone drivers)

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Why Didn’t I Just Go cold turkey with, No Calls or Texting at all, while driving? Many reasons, none of which are valid.

However, in the last two weeks I have not made one phone call while driving, and only accepted one call out of habit. Even then I remembered, answering that call was a no-no. It won’t happen again.

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Ahhhh, The Good Ole’ 70s

Look At Me, Man!

Initially cell phones and car phones were unaffordable to most of us. They were huge, heavy, inconvenient and fashionable. And you know, if you were there, we were into our fashion. Looking back, it was straight comedy the way we dressed but hey, we were having fun!

One summer day in ‘76 a partner from work drove up to my home, blocked the driveway, blew his horn and signaled for me to come out. As I walked up to his car, I noticed he was very animated, gesturing and talking loudly on a phone.

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What’s Wrong With This Picture?

First, it wasn’t a cell phone. It was a residential phone, cord and everything. Secondly, it was an AT & T Trimline phone . . . pink. Some of us remember those phones. Ma Bell’s contribution to the home fashion industry was to add multiple color choices. But my boy chose pink? C’mon man, if you’re reading this, you could have held out for another color. Black, beige or something!

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What the Heck?

He was a funny brother! I had to ask, “Man, what are you doing now? You’re always clowning.” His reasoning for having attached a Trimline phone to his console was revealing. His answer was simply, “Homeboy, I’m lookin’ important.”

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Click here for access to an in-depth chart of various state’s cell phone and text messaging bans.

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See Part 3 “Home boy, I’m looking important!”

See Part 1 Will You Sign It?

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Join CreateVitality.Com’s “Better Health for Boomers” Free Newsletter by filling in the Sign Up Form on the right panel.

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“Good Health and Success are a Lifestyle . . . Live Well,”

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CK Dillon

Contact: Charles@CreateVitality.Com

On the Web: Http://CreateVitality.Com

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Today I signed Oprah’s “No Phone Zone” pledge:

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What Took Me So Long?

I don’t have a clue why I hesitated, after-all it’s something I’ve thought about doing for a long time.

“Oprah ain’t the only one who thought of this,” I was told by a young lady in line at the store. “I’ve been thinking about stopping too.”

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Thinking isn’t Doing

For many years, friends, family and I, have debated the reasons why we feel it is imperative to:

• immediately make or accept a cell phone call while driving
  

• accept/read/write and send a text while driving

• conduct business on a cell phone while driving
  

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I readily admit I’ve:

• crossed center lines that make a racket
  
• veered into oncoming lanes, slightly…
  
• driven off the right side of the road, somewhat…
  

Knowing what I know now, I have been extremely lucky that I didn’t hurt anyone else or myself. I’d like to feel it’s because, “I’ve got skills,” but it’s not. It’s foolish of me to feel I’m that good of a driver. Reaction time is critical and any distraction can become deadly in an instant.

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Yeah, I’ll Participate in the “No Phone Zone” Pledge But . . .

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(”italics” below are comments made to me by cell-phone drivers)

The first time I heard about the pledge, I knew immediately that I’d participate in the idea of the program, but, “I’m not necessarily gonna sign up, you know, specifically and all, for the program.”

After all, “I don’t have to prove anything to anybody else. I’ll just stop talking and texting while driving.”

I was really going to Quit – quit,“ to paraphrase, “but I thought I would “bend the rules slightly to add what I thought should have been a fourth option.”

“Personally, I thought Oprah could have given us a fourth option, where we could keep driving under certain circumstances, like emergencies, but keeping it real, she’s Oprah and I’m not.”

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See: No Phone Zone Pledge Option #2

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Join CreateVitality.Com’s “Better Health for Boomers” Free Newsletter by filling in the Sign Up Form on the right panel.

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“Good Health and Success are a Lifestyle . . . Live Well,”

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CK Dillon

Contact: Charles@CreateVitality.Com

On the Web: Http://CreateVitality.Com

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