About this time last year, the cab drivers of New York City were taking a stand against GPS installations. This year, they've taken to the streets of downtown Manhattan in order to rally for the right to use cellphones while on duty. For those unaware, NYC cabbies are currently disallowed from using hands-free apparatuses while on the clock, and those in the profession are arguing that having one would enable them to feel safer and more connected to the outside world. Unfortunately, the New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission doesn't seem ready to budge, as it reportedly replied to the lobbying by stating that "cellphone abuse has resulted in many instances of drivers leaving their passengers feeling improperly served and downright unsafe." What's a cab driver got to do to get his / her Snake on, huh?

[Via textually]

You'll naturally have to take a survey on cellphone use commissioned by a cellphone company with the usual healthy dose of skepticism -- or at least look past the spin to the actual numbers. That said, according to a survey conduct by Kelton Research at the behest of Samsung, 34% of Americans say that it's A-OK to talk on your cellphone while at a restaurant -- which, of course, means that 66% think it's most definitely not okay, but Samsung seems to be a glass-half-full kinda company. Things go downhill from there, however, with 11% saying it's alright to answer or make a call on a first date or during a private conversation, 7% saying it's okay to do so in a group setting, and just 6% saying it's fine to bust out your phone in a movie theater. Not surprisingly, the survey also found a growing divide between the young and old, with teenagers the most tolerant of cellphone use in public. Our West Coast readers can also take heart knowing that they're apparently the most considerate cellphone users in the United States, with 65% saying it's not appropriate to make or receive calls in any questionable situations, compared to 60% of Southerners, and 56% of Northeasterners and Midwesterners.