If we care about people's health, let's curtail cell phones as well as smoking
by Patrice O'Shaughnessy, New York Daily News
by Patrice O'Shaughnessy, New York Daily News
Photo by Paul Martin Lester
Especially in a park or at the beach.
I'd rather be subject to second-hand smoke that dissipates into the open air, than second-hand details about a medical exam, a messy divorce, a bad date or a sexual experience.
Rude cell phone users are more intrusive and annoying, and could be just as dangerous to your health. Which causes more elevated stress levels, which can lead to heart attacks and strokes? - Cigarette smoke that floats far from your nose and lungs, or someone next to you, yakking at the top of his or her lungs?
We go to a beach or park to relax. Cell phone loudmouths put us on edge, because you are torn between telling the person to stop being so rude, and not getting into a confrontation. So you sit there and silently argue with yourself.
I don't smoke, unless you count one afternoon when I was 13 and smoked a bunch of Marlboros and decided the habit was not for me.
But tobacco is still legal, and people still have rights.
Yes, they are slowly killing themselves. They shouldn't smoke. They are crazy to smoke.
But we can't let government rule every personal aspect of our lives.
The mayor and city lawmakers said last week that they will pursue a broad extension of the city's smoking ban to 1,700 parks and 14 miles of public beaches, plus boardwalks, marinas and pedestrian plazas; even Times Square.
One can only imagine what is next for Mayor Banberg, who wants to criminalize bad habits.
Sipping a non-Diet Pepsi in public will make you a perp.
Munching a Big Mac will get you a misdemeanor.
Will he try to bring back Prohibition?
Who will enforce this all-encompassing smoking ban? Will we need to use counterterrorism cops as countertobacco police? Will officers stop and frisk huge numbers of young men because they spot a small square bulge in their shirt pockets?
Perhaps the city will install more surveillance cameras, one every few feet or so, or deploy a satellite, to catch people lighting up within city limits.
Similar to red light cameras, you'll be caught in the act, and get a ticket in the mail.
The proposed law, which must go through the City Council, would give the Parks Department the power to hit violators with quality-of-life summonses. Those fines can go as high as $250; the city said smoking summonses likely would be around $50.
"The point of this bill isn't 'Gotcha,' " said City Council Speaker Christine Quinn. "Our goal is not to get a gentleman or a lady who's walking across the street."
Right. This is definitely not a revenue-raising plan.
Surely there won't be quotas for smoking summonses imposed on the poor Parks employees forced to act like hall monitors.
The mayor proudly announced this new measure at a news conference, surrounded by Quinn and other officials.
If only he would stand at the podium in City Hall showing the same concern for real crimes against citizens, as he does for smoking.
He prides himself on making the city more civilized. I have a suggestion for him, that would truly bring back courtesy, and make the city more livable and pleasant.
Let's ban cell phones at public parks, beaches and the precious pedestrian malls.
Ban them in restaurants and bars, where they have ruined socializing.
Don't let minors have them. They stunt their growth as considerate, personable people.
And there are theories about constant cell phone use causing cancer.
Anywhere that smoking is forbidden, cell phones should be as well.
So I guess that means everywhere, except, of course, one's own home.
Wait a minute - they're probably working on that right now.
And it's for your own good, of course.