Crackberry Warning: Driving While Texting Ban Moves Forward

The Joint Committee on Transportation has approved a bill that bans the use of using a handheld gadget while driving, and the Massachusetts House of Representatives will vote on the bill next, the Globe reports.

If the bill passes, drivers will be fined $100 if they are caught with a handheld gadget for the first time, $250 for the second, and $500 for the third. Theoretically, the police should confiscate the handheld gadget and make them suffer texting withdrawal if the perp doesn't get the message the third time.

For those who have a crackberry problem, you might want to look into that addiction if you don't want to cough up money left and right. Remember, the state has a huge gap to fill budget-wise, so the second you lift that thing to our ear or touch your finger to the pad while your other hand is on the wheel, the police will pull you over.

Crackberry.com offers a 13-step program for gadget addicts. Bostonist likes Rule 11: "Know that the world actually functioned before BlackBerries and that people managed to survive with ancient tools like phones and desktop computers." The Wall Street Journal has other solutions from supposed professionals, although one of them involves pouring yourself a cocktail, which seems like trading one addiction for another. If all else fails, make like some kid did with her mom and flush the thing down the toilet.

Image from the Blackberry website.