"I use a marked cross walk. I nearly get hit by someone who fails to notice me, on the average once every ten days or two week. Maybe eight out of ten times that happens, the driver is talking on a cell phone."

Peter, I sympathize. I've also thought of a way to deal with such a situation. When I am about to cross a busy road, I move my arms and legs about, as if exercising. People are used to that, so I don't feel stupid about it. Nonetheless, the flailing arms and legs tend to attract the notice of drivers.

At night, I carry a white handle bag and swing it jauntily to and fro. It catches headlights nicely.
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I agree that people should not drive and use cell phones. A good friend of mine has a basketball coach who lost a baby because a driver using a cell phone ran into her car.

Another story: I used to work in a fabric store. One day I noticed a young woman who was trying to select buttons. She had a little baby in a stroller and a toddler who kept trying to run away from her. As she scanned the racks of buttons (it's so hard to find the perfect button), her cell phone rang. It was her husband, wanting this, that and the other.

Young mothers, you have enough to do - don't let them stick you with a cell phone so you can make an even better servant!

Another thing I noticed often was mothers who tried to use a cell phone to supervise children who were clearly too young to be left at home. Lazy, irresponsible behavior!