I promise, I didn't phone this column in

Reports Monday said the Iowa House approved a measure to ban any cell phone use by drivers age 14-17. I slip by that age bracket ever so slightly.

The sentiment down in Des Moines is that teenagers are responsible for most electronic communication behind the wheel.

So, knock it off kids, because I use my cell phone. And, I drive. At the same time.

That confession may perturb a few of you, so give me a chance to offer an olive branch.

I miss that proposed young drivers cell phone ban window by a couple of decades. I'd make a crack about Blackberries still being a pie flavor to me, but I don't even know if Blackberries are still the communication device of status anymore. I still like a desk and a mouse to travel the Internet.

Put another way, I didn't fire up the car and begin the first draft of this column by tapping the number "7" three times on my phone (or however that works).

So, I don't text -- that's something left to the whippersnappers, I suppose. I don't even like to dial a phone number from my cell while the car is in motion if I can help it.

I do like the Libertarian streak displayed by the Iowa Legislature, compared to a year ago: Rep. Ako Abdul-Samad wanted drivers -- even us grown-ups who can actually vote -- fined $30 if an officer catches us with one hand on the wheel and the other hand on a phone making dinner plans.

At the time he said there's a difference "between convenience and safety and we have to come down on the side of safety."

I'm always leery when lawmakers tell us they (((ITALICS HAVE))) have to do anything. They don't. Not about cell phones. Not in this session. Iowans are a practical bunch and the streets are more quiet here than they are in Des Moines.

I'd argue the cell phone's only crime is that it can be seen above the dash board. Have you ever dumped a coffee? Changed a CD or radio station? Had some noisy passengers? Gobbled a messy cheeseburger?

Drivers will make careless mistakes, no matter how much you try to legislate against them. That's why the state mandates insured drivers -- by the way, I suspect insurance companies can or do promote the safe-driving cause by offering discounts to drivers with hands-free devices.

We also have fines -- law enforcement officers can pull the driver over if they cross a center line or run through a stop sign. "Failure to maintain control of a vehicle" is a citation with a pretty broad definition.

In this season of Lent, the folks down in Des Moines have bigger fish to fry. So, let's make a deal: I won't try to be the next Hemmingway from the dashboard if you try not to spend and legislate more than you should.

Now, excuse me. I've got to take this call.