Best to put cellphone to the side

Dear Mahatma: Every time I take the flyover at the end of Chenal Parkway onto Interstate 630 my cellphone drops a call or the other person can’t hear me until I’m on I-630. What gives? Is there a secret mission going on in that area that they are scrambling the cell signal? — Perplexed

Dear Perplexed: No secret mission. Sounds like a dead spot.

Now, let’s review Arkansas Code Annotated 2751-1504, “Use of a handheld wireless telephone when driving.”

“(A) driver of a motor vehicle shall not use a handheld wireless telephone for wireless interactive communication while operating a motor vehicle.”

Perhaps you use a hands-free system. Fair enough. Our truck has such a system.

Our advice is not to make any phone calls while driving, period, thus eliminating all dreaded dead spots.

Also note this law prohibits all texting while driving, as well as all use of social media.

Vanity plate: CUETPIE. Math majors translate as Cutie Pi.

Dear Mahatma: I was covering Judge Randy Morley’s North Little Rock traffic court years ago when a trend among young folks was to have their driver’s license on their phone rather than carrying an actual one. One young man was ordered to hand over his license. He replied he only had the copy on his phone. To which Judge Morley said, “Okay, hand over your phone.” The youngster dissolved into a puddle.

— Jake Sandlin

Dear Readers: We don’t often use full names here. Yeah, in order to protect both the innocent and the guilty.

Longtime readers will note this name of a fine reporter who spent decades in the newspaper business in this town. May his tribe increase.

The reference is to last week’s column in which it was reported that it’s now copacetic to have an electronic version of the itty-bitty proof of insurance card.

Dear Mahatma: My wife and I remember the Third Street overpass just northwest of the Capitol being completely closed in both directions for reconstruction 20 or 30 years ago. I was not savvy enough to successfully search for this online. Can you confirm our failing memories? — Memory Challenged

Dear Challenged: We asked the Fabulous Babe about this. She worked at Arkansas Children’s Hospital for a long time. The overpass effectively connects the hospital with the Capitol complex.

She remembers naught. So we now put it out there to our readers. Email address below.

Memory is a funny thing, and 20 to 30 years is a long time. So is 55 years. It so happens we had occasion last week to recall the number Uncle Sam gave us in Boot Camp in 1968.

We remember that number like it was issued this morning.

Vanity plate seen in Hot Springs: ABIZWMN. You go, girl.