When the provincial government introduced legislation last week that will ban the use of handheld cell phones my anguished response was Nooooooooo!

Not because I don’t support the legislation, but because it means I’ll have to get a new phone.

I’ve had mine for 10 years . . . it was “state-of-the-art” when I got it: Internet capable (never used), able to receive text messages (but not able to send them) and, a novelty then, it was silver when everyone else’s was black.

My phone is capable of being dropped from great heights (a not uncommon occurrence), holds a battery charge forever, and so far has never failed me. I love it!

However, when I learned some time ago that its legal days may be coming to an end, I considered upgrading. Then the teenager from next door got in my truck recently, noticed the phone on the dash and asked in horror, “OMG, is that your cell phone? It’s so big I thought it was your house phone!”

After much raucous laughter, as much from embarrassment from still using an antique as from her remark, I explained it worked, never let me down and I had pockets big enough to carry it.

Despite her amazement at its size, it is minute compared to the first cellular device I used, which was somewhat larger than a briefcase, with a long coiled cord attached to a regular phone handset. Then I moved up to the Motorola 8000, which was as big as a brick and weighed as much.

Mid-’90s provided smaller units, but in comparison to today’s units, were still monsters. Mine almost falls into that category.

I’ve keep asking myself … do I really need a Blackberry. Do I really want mobile access to the Internet, and to constantly receive e-mails?

None of the above, but I do find it invaluable in many cases, so reluctantly a new one will soon be on the way.

Part of the incentive was when this summer I drove up Vancouver Island with a friend in his new truck. His phone is hooked into the truck’s rearview mirror, and when a call comes in or he wants to send one, he just talks to the mirror.

Now, a new truck won’t fit into my pocket, but it would sure look nice in the garage, and hands-free phoning is a wonderful argument for a complete upscale – new phone, new truck and danger-free communications.

Not only that, it might be fun chatting with the sultry entity that recognizes my voice, responds to my requests and automatically dials numbers. Certainly takes the danger out of calling, but also means I’d have to spend an eternity reading the user manual and programming in all my frequently called numbers.

That, and budget considerations may mean I’ll just end up with a new phone and one of those dweebly things that stick in your ear to allow voice recognition calling and answering.

If nothing else, I won’t need to pull off the road each time I make or receive a call, and my image will increase dramatically in the eyes of the teen next door.

Mark Rushton is a reporter with The Abbotsford News.

markrushton@abbynews.com