Saving Text-Walkers from Themselves

Posted on July 29, 2008
Filed Under News, The Daily Prereq | By Jessica Dye

Texting is fun. Walking is fun. But, like driving (fun) and drinking (way fun), these two things just don’t mix, say University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign safety officials. They’ll be adding a special warning about “ped-texting” to this year’s frosh orientation, according to the Chicago Tribune. It turns out numerous teens have been hospitalized recently for being too busy thumb-typing text messages to look where they’re going (across a busy intersection, into the middle of traffic, onto railroad tracks, etc.). You may call it “natural selection” or “what you get for being one of those people who will never stop texting people, ever, GOD,” but it’s become such a hazard that the Illinois state legislature is considering a bill that would fine people $25 for using a wireless device while crossing the street. If it keeps those Crackberry addicts from slamming into me on the sidewalk, I say bring it on.

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4 Responses to “Saving Text-Walkers from Themselves”

  1. Sean McSeanysean on July 29th, 2008 3:52 pm

    Not to disagree with the blog’s author here, but this bill is actually pretty stupid. It’s just not looking at things deep enough. Were the people who got hit jaywalking while they were texting or did they have the right of way? If they were jaywalking, well then that’s already a fine-able offense, it just needs to actually be enforced if that’s actually the problem. If they weren’t jaywalking, then the problem isn’t that they didn’t see the car coming, but that the car evidently decided not to stop for them. Yes, it would be nice if they had been paying attention, but lets try not to play blame the victim, the person driving the CAR should have been paying attention.

    Plus, the law won’t be effective at stopping people from walking out into the middle of traffic or the path of an oncoming train or into the shoulder of this blog posts’ author, because it doesn’t prevent you from walking and texting, only from crossing the street and texting. And if they couldn’t see the end of the sidewalk to stop for traffic, what makes you think they’re going to see the end of the sidewalk to stop for a fine?

  2. todd on July 29th, 2008 4:30 pm

    yes, i agree with seanymcseansean. “ped-texting”, as the authors of the world’s gayest bill of all time term it, is a victimless crime, hurting only those who are too retarded to do two relatively-simple activities at the same time. basically i hate where this country is going sometimes and this blog only made me grumpier. thanks guys.

  3. Jessica Dye on July 29th, 2008 5:25 pm

    The Prereq claims no responsibility for legislation introduced in Illinois–I suggest you take this up with your fave state rep from the Land of Lincoln/Obama.

  4. Tom on July 31st, 2008 8:02 am

    I heard about this the other day and what I don’t get is WHO gets injured while walking? Texting and walking isn’t that hard, don’t people glance up every once in awhile? If not, maybe these people deserve a lesson ;)

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