I enjoy using my cell phone on the wide open highway with a headset but I have difficulty with it around town. There is a 4-way stop sign near my house and I have noticed that almost everytime I see someone run it, which is nearly everyday, that person is talking on their cell phone without a headset.
I don't know why cell phones seem to be more distracting than any number of other things. I can only speak for myself. When I'm on my cell phone, it's like I go off somewhere in my head and get spacey, I'm not fully present. But if I'm changing CDs, for example, I am still very focused on driving because I know I'm doing something distracting so I make a conscious effort to be alert. When I'm on my cell phone with the headset it doesn't seem like I'm doing something that distracting--both eyes are on the road and both hands on the wheel, so I don't try as hard to remain alert yet I am not as present. Does that make sense?