In fact -- check the date at the top of this page; are we still in the 21st century? -- he says he does not own a cell phone.

"Why should I, just because everybody else does?" says Luebke, 61, of Durham, now serving his ninth term in the state House of Representatives.

"Not to have a cell phone is a way to have relative peace in my life," he said. "Anyone who uses a cell phone will tell you that while it is convenient, it also is distracting. Even when you're on solid ground."

When you're on the road, of course, distracting means dangerous. That's why, for several years now, Luebke and Rep. Mary E. McAllister of Fayetteville have been pushing proposals to outlaw behind-the-wheel telephoning.

The General Assembly made a start in that direction last year when it told young drivers under 18 that, except for a long list of exceptions including Mom and Dad, they couldn't phone other folks while they were driving. This year, there's a push to take phones away from school bus drivers.

Luebke and McAllister again have introduced a bill to tackle the other 95 percent of the mobile phoning problem: the rest of us.

Several studies in the past couple of years have confirmed that cell-phone use, even the hands-free variety, distracts drivers and contributes to accidents.

Talking on the phone isn't as risky as making a sandwich or changing our socks while we cruise Capital Boulevard, but it causes more trouble because we spend more time doing it. Nationwide Mutual Insurance Co. surveyed 1,200 drivers and reported in January that 73 percent of them phone while they drive.

"I see people get in their car and, before they pull out of a parking space at the mall, they begin their phone conversation," Luebke said.

More than 40 countries from Australia to Zimbabwe have banned the use of hand-held phones while driving. So have the District of Columbia and four states including California, where the change will take effect in 2008.

In Raleigh this year, as in previous legislative sessions, most of the interest in curbing mobile phoning is limited to the House side of the Legislative Building. Luebke says he would like to see more interest in the Senate.

He is encouraged by the 11 House co-sponsors who have signed on to his bill, including Rep. Paul Stam of Apex, the Republican leader. But he isn't predicting an easy victory.

"It's so convenient for legislators that no one wants to vote against it," Luebke said. "But I think every legislator knows whether they themselves have been distracted or not [by phoning while driving]. They know that many people are distracted."

I-40 worrier

It's deja phooey all over again. Many-mile construction backups will return to Interstate 40 in Durham County next month, running nights and some weekends for at least the rest of 2007.

Let's help each other get through this.

A $21.7 million project to pave over the state Department of Transportation's mistakes on I-40 will get under way April 10, starting in the eastbound lanes at the U.S. 15-501 interchange.

Every night, part of I-40 will be reduced to a single lane of traffic while workers replace bad concrete pavement with asphalt. Daytime lane closings also are planned for about nine weekends this year.

The Road Worrier wants to give you a fighting chance to avoid getting mired in this mess. We'll keep you informed about work schedules and official detour maps. And we'll air the concerns and experiences of other folks like you.

For starters, we need your suggestions for I-40 alternatives.

Some of the official DOT detours add many miles to even a short trip on the Triangle's busiest freeway. What back-road options have worked for you in the past? Remember, this will not involve the worst weekday traffic. We're talking nights and weekends.

Share your tips and your concerns about the I-40 work on the Crosstown Traffic blog, at the address below. And watch this space.