EDITORIAL:
THE COASTLAND TIMES
Manteo, Tuesday Sept. 1, 2009
Look Who’s Twittering
Always seeking to be helpful, the state Department of Transportation has begun to tweet. Yup. “Finding out if an accident will delay your morning commute,” it says, “is as easy as looking at your cell phone.” That is, of course, if you have one. “A quick check of Twitter can make for a quicker trip to work,” Gov. Beverly Perdue cheerfully adds. But wait. Didn‟t she recently sign a new law that makes it illegal to be reading or tapping out messages on a cell phone ─ or some other device ─ while driving? Yes, but the secretary of Transportation, which apparently has developed a taste for sloganeering (as well as the latest Internet craze) says, “The goal of this hightech initiative is to help people „know before you go.‟” That sounds like the age-old advice to plan ahead. But what DOT means is, according to its news release, “The department reminds motorists not to use mobile devices while driving. Instead, NCDOT encourages them to check the alerts before they leave home, work or school. This will not only enhance safety but also help motorists determine the best route to take.” Try to tweet that in 140 key strokes or less. Impossible. Anyway, even checking at home through all sorts of DOT tweets about road conditions in 100 counties could cause a longer delay in getting to work than an accident on US 64 or 158 on the beach. “Sorry I was late, boss, but DOT said to check Twitter before leaving home this morning.” If you happen to be on a longer trip, say to Raleigh or beyond, the tweets will be of no help because of the new law the governor signed ─ unless you happen to have a backseat driver reading them and constantly telling you what to do. Big government, like a backseat driver, can be overbearing at times; but at least it knows how to tweet and wants to be helpful. That‟s what the state Department of Transportation is trying to do by twittering. ~