I have been tossing and turning since about 6:30 this morning, because Mom was getting ready to go somewhere. I finally climbed out of bed at 8:30, and she rushed out of the house to go somewhere.

Dad was apparently outside when she went to leave. He just came storming into my room to say that Mom had backed her car into his Blazer and broken the bumper in the process. He was so pissed off about it that I have to increment the number of times I've heard him swear as long as I've been alive.

The problem is perception of time. Yes, people cram so much into their schedules that they get the feeling they're in a hurry, some to higher degrees than others. When this happens, they have the same problem everyone else always has when they're in a rush: They make mistakes. The bad thing about it is that when these mistakes are made, they attempt to point blame elsewhere, rather than taking responsibility for what they've done.

The cell phone culture is to blame for this, if you ask me. Have you ever seen someone getting into their vehicle while talking on a cell phone? They're distracted, and rushed, because they're paying such close attention to the person on the other end of their ear, yet neglecting that car that parked behind them. The cell phone also allows for people to multi-task, multi-task, multi-taaaask! They cram so much into every minute of their day, regardless of whether they're at home, in the office, or out on the road. This allows people to carry out seemingly better logistics, getting so much accomplished in such a short span of time, not wasting a single nanosecond.

When that happens, focus and concentration are thrown to the wayside. Not to mention people are so physically AND mentally exhausted, they have an even harder time juggling the thousands of tasks they've assigned to themselves, and the remaining shred of ability to efficiently multi-task is gone.

Now, I must say, my Mom doesn't own or use a cell phone, and it's for the better of the world. However, she still applies the 36-in-24-hours logistics to her day, and problems like this occur.

I own a cell phone, but I prefer not to use it, especially when I'm driving. If and when I get married and have kids, I'll prohibit the use of cellular telephones, unless it is for emergencies and quick communication.

We need to get back to the stone age. There were far fewer automobile accidents back then.