1 Ağustos 2008 Cuma

Not everything needs a law

For years, airlines have banned in-flight cellular use because of concerns about interference with sensitive instrumentation. Now, finally, the airlines are ready to open up use of some cell phone technology, after hardening their hardware, and now Congress is ready to pass a law banning cellular use on planes because "polls show people don't want to hear people yakking on a long flight."

http://www.itworld.com/mobile-wireless/53980/flight-cell-call-ban-advances-congress

This is a case of Congress doing too much. While I agree that I don't want to listen to Mabel talking to Ingrid about what she had for lunch, I don't want Congress to ban the practice and suddenly also make it impossible for me to check the news via a data connection which bothers no one. Laws are inflexible, whereas people are not.

Please, Congress, do the logical thing and simply pass a law ALLOWING airlines to ban cellular use on airlines, even if the FAA allows it. Then let them figure out what serves their customers the best. Some will cater to talkers, some will cater to those who love silence.

4 yorum:

  1. Totally agree. It's a problem that seems to constantly come up... if there is a problem, the government (town on up) thinks the solution is more laws. In many ways, we need fewer laws, and we need to figure out a way to encourage personal responsibility and morality.

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  2. I don't like the idea of a law, but would welcome a continuation of the ban as an airline rule. People talk so loudly on their cell phones that it is impossible to think or read when they are near you on a plane. During our recent 6-hour delay, much of it sitting on a runway, several people around us were talking on thier cell phones. They were polite, and only conducted necessary business related to the delay, but they were loud. If they had been "chatters" and had stayed on for a long time, it would have been torture for me. And you know that many young people cannot be off of their cells for any length of time. ;-)

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  3. Just give all the cell phone users the cone of silence :)

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  4. Isn't that what the airplane bathroom is designated these days?

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