Philosophical Phriday

Yes, I know I spelled Friday incorrectly. I liked the way it looks.

So here is a philosophical quandary for you armchair philosophers, you captains of ethics:

Back in May, here in Boston an MBTA train crashed into another train because the driver was texting his girlfriend on his cell phone. On first glance it often does appear that these trains drive themselves, but they don't. While no one died, people were injured and the crash caused the Government Center station to be closed during a very busy time of the day.

As a result of this crash, the MBTA instituted a zero tolerance policy on not just the use of cell phones while on duty, but even CARRYING one on your person if you are a driver of any MBTA vehicle while on duty. Since the implementation of the policy at least one driver has been fired for having a cell phone in his possession. They are not fooling around. Lives are at stake.

I live a block up and over from an MBTA bus stop. This is a VERY popular bus line, as it goes into Watertown and stops at all the shopping and businesses. If I am not mistaken, the stop in question is the western most stop on this line. Many people in our neighborhood use it to get to work in downtown Boston.

This morning, for the second time in about a month, I have seen a driver, the same one both times, of one of the buses stroll up our street, talking on a cell phone. He is obviously doing this to avoid being seen with and talking on his phone while on duty. I don't know what the policy is on walking away from your vehicle, but he is definitely in flagrant violation of the MBTA's stand on cell phones.

If you were me, would you report this to the MBTA? Or would you take a "live and let live" stand on this? I am generally NOT that person who will stick her nose in places unless I, or someone else, whether I know them or not, is at risk of being injured, having something lost or stolen, that kind of thing. On the surface, who is it hurting if he is using his phone outside of vehicle, not while driving? BUT there is a very good reason that the MBTA instituted this policy, because people have shown an amazing lack of common sense regarding the use of cell phones and texting while on duty, while driving a vehicular homicide waiting to happen. If he is stupid enough to think he can violate their policy at all, is he stupid enough to use it sometime WHILE driving and possibly cause an accident? And he drives a bus. The likelihood that people would be seriously injured and possibly killed if he caused an accident are even higher than on the train. The train really can only collide with other trains. A bus can collide with people, cars, trucks, other buses, etc.

So what do you think? Do I make a call, report what I have seen, or let it go? Since I personally have witnessed this twice, he is likely doing it all the time.

In other news, while I am feeling better, I am putting off departing for Maine until tomorrow. I have done no packing, and was up on and off last night coughing and blowing my nose. The good news is I COULD blow my nose. It is when I am clogged and can't get anything to move along that I am most miserable. I imagine I shall feel much better tomorrow and will be up for the 4 hour drive to Frienship.

And the parakeet is still at large, in the big wild world. We shall see how things stand when I get back.