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NYC Law Aims To Ban Cell Phones In Theatres
LunarFox writes: "This article on Wired says a New York City councilman is trying to ban cellphones in 'places of public performance'. It would be the first legislation of its kind, following the recent state-wide ban on cellphone use while driving. Wired mentions that actor Laurence Fishburne, in the middle of a Broadway performance, yelled to an audience member to "turn your f___ing phone off!" And here I thought I was the only one who didn't like hearing Flight of the Bumblebee as a ringtone."
>>it's because I'm from the bay area, but using a cell phone while driving is a god given right as far as I'm concerned, as long as you remember to pay full attention to the road.
Which is nearly impossible for the brain, as numerous scientific studies have shown.
>>If they're going to ban cell phones while driving, they need to ban radios
You listen to a radio only. Unless you're using a cell phone to call in. Listening to music (or even a talk/news show) is far different from carrying on a conversation.
>>conversations and other passengers altogether,
Conversations with other passengers aren't as dangerous, because if you for instance start to swirve, the other person can go "look out" while the guy at the other end of the phone will keep yakking away because he doesn't know any better, and your brain will try - and fail - to both concentrate on the phone call and correct the situation. Pretty much the only exception to this is small children.
This is a case where "the market" can regulate itself; theatres which strictly enforce bans on audible phones and beepers will do better than ones which don't.
You'd think so, wouldn't you?
I thought the very same thing about smoking in restaurants, before my city enacted a smoking ban. Why didn't some enterprising type open up a chain of non-smoking restaurants, seeing as (according to statistics) 75% of people don't smoke, and an overwhelming majority of people say they'd rather not have smoking in restaurants?
It never happened. A few places went non-smoking, did decent business, but I guess not enough to warrant more restaurants doing it on their own. The city ended up with the ban (so far you can still smoke in bars and lounges here, so it's sorta half-ass), and most people think it's been a roaring success.
As much as I hate to say it, sometimes it seems that legislation is the only way for people's behaviour to change. Most people wanted smoke-free eating, but without a law, it was never going to happen. Same goes for cell-phones, I'd imagine. Even though I think most people make way too big a deal out of it - I hear more screaming/crying infants in most places I go, and that lasts a lot more than the 10 seconds a phone ring does, but NO ONE in their right mind has proposed a ban on children at public performances - at least not yet.
Endless arguments over trivial contradictions in books written by ignorant savages to explain thunder in the dark.
I vote for a box to make cell phones ring as you enter an establishment, so that whoever is at the door can hand out a clue.
In movie theaters, you could put up a "have you turned off the ringer on your cell phone?" slide, and then make the things ring. Do this 4 or 5 times before the previews, etc., start.
Another alternative is to actually put a *cell* in the theater, and give it a $50 call termination/origination fee. 8-).
-- Terry