Why am I being forced to risk my life to answer the phone?

I've got a simple problem (simple enough in my mind).  I want to safely make and receive phone calls while I'm driving my car.

OK.  That's a simple problem to solve, you say.  "Use the wired headset that came with your phone."

I've tried that.  It doesn't seem to matter how careful I am in storing that wired headset.  As soon as I receive a call, I end up spending several seconds or minutes trying to untangle the web of wire that was created when I put the headset away for safe keeping.  When you're driving the tollways of Dallas, this extra effort to answer a call from your wife doesn't seem like an appropriate use of time for someone who is remotely safety conscious.  Do you really expect me to take my eyes off the road for any amount of time to use a stupid little wired earphone?  This really wasn't a good look to me.

OK. Then, get a bluetooth headset.  They are cheap, abundant, and come in various styles to fit anyone's taste.

Been there - done that.  You'd think it'd be easy to keep track of that thing.  Not so much (for me, anyway).  Half the time, I'd end up accidentally leaving it at home when it needed to be charged.  Or, I'd have it in my jacket pocket when I received a phone call.  I'd be fumbling around in my car trying to answer the phone, find my bluetooth headset, and put it in my ear.  While all this is happening, visions of me causing a 15 car pile up are materializing in my brain as I'm driving 70 mph and trying to take a call.

Just keep it in your ear - you say.  I see plenty of people who walk around with bluetooth headsets in their ear.

Look at my picture.  Do I look like a borg to you?  Not too mention the fact that I think it is plain rude to hold a conversation with the actual human who is standing in front of you while wearing a bluetooth earpiece.  Call me old fashioned, but I actually want the perception that I have a persons undivided attention when we are speaking in person.  When I run into someone who has a bluetooth headset in, I'm always wondering if there is some non-important call that is going to come in for that person which will immediately interrupt our face-to-face conversation.

"Hold on a sec", they say as they interrupt me in mid-sentence.  "I gotta take this"

Eff THAT!  Annoying and rude - bluetooth earpieces are.  These are not for me.

OK, OK....  Have you tried a bluetooth speakerphone?

A-HA!  That is a great idea.  A bluetooth speakerphone would meet my definition of a "DELIBERATE UTILITY".  It's a simple solution.  It solves my problem.  And - since bluetooth is a mature technology, it should be a productive tool for me (as long as it works).

Do they work?  From my experience the answer is - Yes and No.

I've tried 4 different models to date.  I've tried a Samsung model, a Sony-Ericsson model, a Tritton Technology model, and a BlueAnt model.  Each have their pros/cons.  But, none of them are worth recommending to family, friends, and neighbors.

What issues did I experience?  Here is the quick list:

• Samsung (HKT450): The speaker on the bluetooth model I tried was horrible.  The caller at the other end sounded as if they were talking to me in a tin can.

• Sony-Ericsson (HCB-150): This speaker phone worked great (when it actually worked).  My experience is that the battery life is horrible and the software is shotty (I'm being nice).  Most of the time I had issues connecting (after pairing my phone).  When it would connect, the speakerphone would just hang for minutes trying to upload my phones phonebook entrys.  The majority of the time I had this speaker phone in my car, I ended up taking calls using my handset instead of my speakerphone.

• Tritton (TRIBC200): This speakerphone works great for me.  The problem is, everyone I've talked to ends up asking me to repeat every other sentence or word when I'm trying to hold a conversation.  That gets old fast.

• BlueAnt (S1): I let my wife use this one.  She tried to give it back to me after 2 days.  The problem she has is that the ON/OFF switch isn't very intuitive.  If you've ever used a bluetooth device, then you'll appreciate the idea that you need to be able to disconnect the phone from the device when you're not planning on using BT.  If you don't - when a call comes in, you'll be faced with answering it from your phone but not hearing anyone on the phone's speaker.  Why?  Because the audio is being routed to the bluetooth speakerphone in your car (which is in the garage).

At the end of the day - I simply want to have a phone conversation in my car where both parties can understand the words coming from the other's mouth.  Anything other than that kind of defeats the purpose of being on the phone.

Currently, there is a lot of chatter about a federal law making the use of cellphones without a handsfree device while driving a moving vehicle illegal (OR has a law going into affect in Jan '10).  I'd be willing to bet that as soon as this law is passed, we'll see an influx of quality bluetooth speakerphones that actually work well.

So much for the argument that government can't spur innovation.

Anyway.  Let me know if you have had a positive experience with a bluetooth speakerphone.  I've read several reviews and tried several models.  Still, I've not been able to find one that meets my simple needs.  How about you?