Don't Ask, Don't Text

Today, I did something I've never done before. Something incredibly drastic.

"Oh my gosh!  What was that?" you ask.

For the first time in my life, I didn't tip a cab driver.

I was late going to choir rehersal this morning, so I took a cab rather than walk the nine blocks. I hopped in the cab (which are always conveniently parked here at Marina Towers, just waiting for me when I'm running late) and announced my destination, "corner of Rush and Huron, please."

As we were pulling out of the plaza, I noticed he was texting away on his Blackberry-type device. (Really! Can you believe that?) Yes, texting.

After about a block of feeling incredulous, I realized how dangerous this was. Yes, I had my seatbelt on, but he could easily injure or kill a pedestrian. And then I would have really been late to rehersal. Besides, it's against the law in Chicago. So, I said, "Scuse me, but you really shouldn't be texting. Okay?"

He mumbled an apology and put it away. Then, he picked up a cell phone and began thumbing away on that. So, I said, "Hey, you know, it's really not safe to be texting while driving. REALLY."

He held up his cell phone as he was thumbing away on it and said he wasn't texting. But then, I could see him continue to poke away on it as he held it down on the seat beside him, trying to hide it from me.

By that time, we had arrived at my distination.

The cab fare was $4.85. I gave him a five.

I'm used to cab drivers continuously talking away on their hands-free cell phones. That's a given. I don't know who they're talking to or why there's a need for them to constantly be visiting with someone else (at least they're not trying to make small-talk with me -- I really don't like that.) But texting?
TEXTING???

Oh, and there was a sign in the back of the cab: "For complaints or to report unsafe driving, call 311. Cab number ####."

I SO called it.