The Cell Phone Ban

The Barely Noticable Sign on Forsgate Drive.       Jamesburg has enacted a new Cell-Phone-While-Driving Ban Ordinance. This is a bold step on behalf of the Jamesburg Borough Council and Mayor. Jamesburg joins Edison, Marlboro, and Carteret to approve such a ban. However, most residents and commuters are not even aware of it. If residents do not read the newspapers, the only other way to recognize that Jamesburg has this ordinance is if you saw a small sign as you enter town. Thankfully, Jamesburg has placed these signs, but like most drivers, our attention should be on the road and not a minute sign underneath the Middlesex County Route signs.

      According to the Courier News, Marlboro placed 50 signs and gave warnings two months in advance before issuing summonses. Jamesburg, much smaller in size, has placed roughly seven signs that I have noticed when you enter the community and gave a two week warning. These signs, no larger than a "No Parking" sign, alert drivers that it is "illegal" to drive while using a "hand-held" device in town. However, for most commuters, it is not easy to spot these small warning signs. For instance in Marlboro, LARGE signs, similar to the size of construction notice signs, are placed on Route 18 to alert drivers. Marlboro's signs have large lettering and are easy to see. In Jamesburg, the signs have been generally posted underneath a County Route sign taking away from the significance of the sign. Another fault in this ban is that Jamesburg only warned residents through the newspaper about two weeks before it was adopted The Sign Going South on 615 (Helmetta Road). as an ordinance. That is not an appropriate amount of time to announce such a strict and imposing ordinance. The speed in which this ordinance was introduced was extremely quick and more appropriate ways of notifying the community can be introduced. More signs, in addition to a posting on the Jamesburg Borough web site, would be acceptable and pleasing for community members. It seems as if this ordinance was slipshod in the way it was enacted.

      I want to wish drivers in Jamesburg good luck in finding and being able to read the new Cell Phone Ban signs while entering town and watching the road at the same time (while holding your cell phone). If ticketed, it will cost you. Don't say we didn't warn you...we know that the signs did not.

Feel free to E-Mail jamesburg.net and share your opinion and comments!

as of July 28, 2003:

      After speaking with Borough representatives, it has been revealed that Jamesburg is anticipating the arrival of larger Cell Phone Ban signs. According to Borough Officials, "They have already been ordered in a larger size as we have had complaints that they were not visible. We will use the smaller ones at various locations throughout the Borough.We have received numerous complaints over the past few years of the dangerous driving patterns of those people using cell phones. They ignore stop signs and pedestrian crosswalks because they are not paying attention. We are extremely concerned with the safety of our residents."

The Cell Phone Ban Sign