Texting While Walking Should And Will Be Made Illegal

I'm sick of all these inconsiderate people, not paying any attention to their surroundings, and getting in my way all because they text while walking. Other people have had it with them too and could care less about the first amendment since they abuse their right to free speech, much like all the others who believe they can drive and text and chat on their cell phones at the same time too. http://www.wthr.com/story/18403886/cities-consider-laws-banning-texting-and-walking

 

Driving home today in the company work truck I needed to make a left turn onto a different street. A mother with 3 kids were on the sidewalk crossing the same intersection. Her- on the screen with her eyes. The kids halfway across the way before she barely glanced to my side. Then right back to the screen. During main day traffic! Should be considered neglect!

 

That's interesting, I've never seen a text while walking lane. The first thing that hits my head though is its possibly as useless as having a driving under influence lane. http://www.vwvortex.com/Anthony/Smilies/rolleyes.gif

 

I think Darwin is calling some of his people home, and we should not stand in the way of natural selection.

 

Personally, I think making it illegal to text while walking would an be unfair restriction against those among us who are perfectly capable of texting while staying aware of our surroundings during a pleasant stroll down the street. Who are you to tell me what I can and can't do with my own time?

Where I live, texting or talking on your cell phone while driving means you're not paying close attention to driving. That was already illegal. It's called 'inattentive driving' and is treated pretty harshly by the police around here.

 

I had to go look up the statute online, and this is what it says:

Of course, as you said, the difficulty is in enforcing it.

 

Right, we get that too. I forgot that part.

 

I see so many drivers cruising along on Cell phones in London that they obviously don't see much of a chance of getting caught. I once saw a Coach full of kids where the driver was on his cell phone. I called the Cops on my cell phone and gave them the coach registration number and offered a cell phone pic of it I took as it stopped at traffic lights, but they sounded like they couldn't care less. The penalty ought to be more severe - like an automatic 6 month driving ban.

 

There's no law against having an animated conversation with a person sitting in the passenger seat next to you while you're driving, so making it illegal to talk on a phone while you're driving makes no sense to me. In several states it's illegal to use the phone itself, you have to use a headset, as you said, and that I can see the logic behind. Driving for however long a conversation lasts with only one hand on the steering wheel has always struck me as a bit unsafe.

 

Yes here in the UK any use of hand-held mobile/cell is illegal. Hands free talking on one is allowed.
On motorways Traffic Police do travel in unmarked vehicles to catch people using them, especially Lorry drivers.
Texting when walking in a busy street is very annoying - they expect others to get out of their way.

EDIT: I think Mimsy that it's impossible to legislate (without clear evidence) about drivers chatting or arguing with passengers. But the evidence for the danger of mobile/cell use is overwhelming.
Personally, I think smoking lighted tobacco in a moving car can be very dangerous but where do you draw the line?

 

Not only is ('phone use whilst driving) enforcement hit and miss, so is getting a prosecution through the UK court system. Jury's seem to find it hard to make a guilty verdict even when the 'phone records show a call in progress right up until the minute of the incident or multiple texts sent and received in the moments right before the crash.

Perhaps too many jurists have family/friends (or themselves) who also text/make calls when driving that they are behaving selfishly?

 

I think you are right about juries (as the bulk will be car drivers themselves) as hand-held mobile phone use in moving cars is - according to research - much higher now than it was when made an offence. I'm not a car driver thankfully but I wont stay in one as a passenger or stay silent if the driver attempts to take or make a call. To me it's like drinking, I wont knowingly get in any more with a driver who has been drinking alcohol. I'd rather take a bus, train or cab.

 

My personal opinion is that you draw the line when the driver becomes a danger to the safety of others to the road, regardless of what said driver is doing, but I realize that is next to impossible to clearly define, not to mention it varies from driver to driver. That's a part of what makes it difficult.

 

This started off as -walking and using text- as far as driving and text or talk there is some school of thought that even hands-free is more dangerous than listening to the radio or having a conversation with a passenger. Hand held is some cases believed to slow a driver down since some think hands-free is safe. And with more electronics placed in cars these days even more distractions are being pushed onto the drivers. When siri and cortana finally land on the dash board what else will distract us from the traffic around us? Guess that's why we need the auto-braking technology built in now also. One electronic answer to balance out another electronic disturbance.

http://evidencebasedliving.human.co...-hands-free-cell-phone-devices-while-driving/

 

For me, testing while walking around especially in crowded areas must be prohibited and so with testing while driving. These habits are becoming dangerous and one of the common causes of accidents along the road.

 

Texting while driving is banned throughout Europe and in the USA:
Text Messaging ban: 46 states, D.C., Puerto Rico, Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands ban text messaging for all drivers.
2 states prohibit text messaging by novice or teen drivers.
3 states restrict school bus drivers from texting.
http://www.ncsl.org/research/transportation/cellular-phone-use-and-texting-while-driving-laws.aspx
http://www.cellular-news.com/car_bans/

Texting while walking is not, from what I can find, banned BUT every country has laws about behaviour that leads to injury or distress that can include all kinds of unreasonable behaviour including something that patently results in damage, injury etc.

 

texting while walking aint so bad, but while driving is ridiculous

 

It's bad if people have to keep getting out of their way every time, or CARS have to swerve if they are crossing the road.
Texting while walking in a busy thoroughfare is inconsiderate and stupid.

 

Meh. could be worse

 

Yes, the texter could end up ass upwards on the sidewalk with a broken phone

 

In NYC? Should be a criminal offense.

In the middle of a mass-transit bottleneck, such as subway stairs, the point of payment at the front of a bus, etc., should be punishable by summary tasering.

 

I find this a dangerous practice.

Highest road accidents Down Under are due to pedestrians, majorities being those being those texting!

When I have beeped someone who hasn't bothered to look up from texting while crossing a road, I've been taken aback by their rude response (verbal and/or fingered) because I beeped them as a caution!

 

While walking can be dangerous particularly if crossing roads.

Down Under, Texting while driving carries hefty fines!

 

I'm not saying I'm in favour or against the proposed legislation, but I found this an interesting perspective on the whole thing:

Data show that distracted walking is a non-issue and isn't growing

 

Without reading the article, that makes sense. After all, newspapers, day dreams, and attractive strangers have been around a lot longer than smart phones.

 

Pedestrians and drivers alike are responsible when it comes to road safety.

It is the irresponsible pedestrians I refer to who are busy texting while walking on the curb (whom I find amusing when I see them walk into posts, tripping over things, etc due to being distracted).

Of concern are those texting while crossing roads oblivious to their surroundings and traffic...as a pedestrian I have pulled persons back so they avoid getting hit.

As a driver, I've tooted, swerved and braked to avoid hitting a texting pedestrian unexpectedly stepping off the curb walking against the lights while I'm trying to avoid the driver behind me running up the back of my car. These are the type of texters I toot, some rudely responding.

The law here is clear re mobile users and has set restrictions when used in a car:
While driving or riding you CAN use your mobile phone:

• To make or answer a call and/or
• To use the audio playing function (e.g. music)

ONLY if the phone is either:​

• In a cradle fixed to the vehicle and doesn't obscure your view of the road
• can be operated without touching any part of the phone, such as via Bluetooth or voice activation.

Break the Road Rules and there is a $319 fine with four demerit points (doubled to eight during holiday periods). Reach 13 points in our State and the driver usually has the choice to have their licence immediately suspended, or they can nominate to have a 12 month good behaviour period. Any demerit points accumulated during the good behaviour period will attract double the penalties imposed.

They've come down hard here and Road figures show it has had a positive effect.

 

If you see a bus driver any type on a cell it is an important call most of the time.I never got in trouble for being a school bus driver mainly due to the fact is that my cb radio never worked well in the area's i drove in.I drove out of range of cb range.I could here them but they could not here me.I only used it when i was stopped and not driving though.I was all way's aware of my surroundings.

But since then i have stopped working as a van driver be cause it be came too much of a pain with the schools.They all ways made me late for my stops.Other than that i never use my cell while driving.I will get there when i get there.I am no longer in a hurry any more.I rather be safe driver than not so safe.I have not had any car accident's in over 16 years.

But i hardley ever text either very rare i know ton's of people but i keep in contact by face to face.

 

Bus Drivers in the UK - of all types - have automated call equipment meaning they don't have to physically hold anything or dial anything as no handset is involved and it is all voice activated. No one else - of any kind whatsoever whether private individuals, taxi drivers, delivery drivers - is allowed to use any hand-held device. It must be hands-free.