Stood at Hillside and Douglas for four minutes yesterday, and counted 12 drivers cruising through the busy intersection with cellphones glued to their ears.

Fewer than expected, really, though I dang near dropped my beer when one of them had to stomp on the brakes to avoid rear-ending the car in front.

Which brings us to B.C.'s impending ban on using a cellphone while driving, and a very minor fuss over whether people who obey the law and pull over to take a call will be expected to plug city parking meters.

Yes, they will, says Victoria's parking boss, Victor Vandenboomen. Otherwise, a driver could camp in a spot forever while blabbing on the phone -- though the odds of a call, vacant downtown spot and meter maid all coming together at the same time are lottery-winner long. Besides, commissionaires are supposed to make eye contact with drivers parked at unfed meters, giving them a chance to fish a quarter out of the ashtray or move on before a ticket is written.

Some people still feel they shouldn't pay. "I've just pulled in for a minute," they argue, or "I'm just nipping into the store." They point out that they have left the motor running, as though idling is an excuse, as opposed to a reason to be dragged onto Yates and shot dead by the Global Warming Police.

This is how people behave in the Age of Entitlement, where laws are meant for someone else. We speed, drive while on the cellphone, abuse the Nine Items Or Less rule and try to board the plane with carry-on luggage the size of a coffee table.

Police are no longer surprised by drivers who demand to be allowed down streets blocked by flashing blue and red lights and yellow tape. "You don't understand. I need to use this road," the motorists tell the cops. The pricier the car, the greater the indignation.

"Why certainly," the cops reply. "I didn't realize you were as important as you think you are. Just let me just drag this body off the asphalt for you." Or not.

When a Connecticut senator was fined this week for his second infraction of the cellphone-driving law his government passed, the Hartford Courant wondered if he thought the law only applied to "the little people." Which makes you wonder about the reaction when B.C.'s ban on drivers using handheld devices takes effect Jan. 1. Plenty of people think the rules shouldn't apply to them. I need my phone for my business, they argue, as though this is an excuse for endangering your life or, more importantly, mine.

Which leads to another question: Will police actually begin writing $167 tickets when the grace period ends Feb. 1, or will this just be like the bicycle-helmet law which, like Canada's commitment to fighting global warming, exists only in theory?

Saskatchewan this week became the latest province to adopt a ban on using handheld devices while driving. As of Jan. 1, those caught talking, texting, e-mailing on the Internet will be subject to a $280 fine and four demerit points. Quebec, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador already have similar laws. Manitoba's will take effect some time in 2010. Even libertarian, anti-government Alberta plans to ban not just cellphones, but a whole range of dangerous, distracting driving activities (putting on lipstick? beating the kids? skeet-shooting empties thrown from the back seat?).

An Ontario poll showed 92 per cent of people intend to comply with that province's month-old phone-driving ban -- though we all know about good intentions. Many of us (and I cheerfully admit hypocrisy here) accept that driving and phoning don't mix, but do it anyway, the temptation to turn wasted commuting time into valuable communication time too great to resist.

Guess we'll have to change our ways before being driven to distraction.

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When we last left Cabin 12 last Saturday, the downtown restaurant had been shut down for a couple of weeks, and was opening its doors one last time for what was expected to be a day-long farewell party.

As it turns out, that day generated enough revenue to pay off the debts and fire up the griddle again. Then a silent partner stepped forward to join owner Corey Judd. The end result is Cabin 12 is back in business.