The
advancement in communicative technology has created a complete change in human
behaviour and allowed us to build barriers to face-to-face and verbal
dialogue. Therefore, our
preferences to communication and interaction have rapidly changed. We are all guilty of relying on the
text message, rather than taking the time to actually telephone and talk to
someone, which was the notion behind the invention of the telephone in the
first instance; mobile or otherwise.
“Britain’s 48 million mobile users together send
4.7 million texts an hour” (Source: www.dailymail.co.uk).
I’m
very guilty of relying on text messages myself. I sometimes use the excuse that I am too busy to call and
have a conversation, so I would rather send a message that takes a couple of
seconds, just as a way of ‘keeping in touch’. Yet, if we’re on the move, it’s actually a danger to our
health. Lets forget about the
obvious dangers of texting and driving and instead concentrate on walking. I’ve already lost count of the number
of people I have had to swerve in the street this week because they were
texting on their mobile whilst continuing, like a heat seeking missile, on a
direct line collision course with yours truly. One joker was even texting whilst riding his bike and was
inches away from denying me the future opportunity to reproduce. The problem has become so
pronounced in London, it’s led to preventive action by one London Street;
“Britain's first 'Safe Text' street has been
created complete with padded lampposts to protect millions of mobile phone
users from getting hurt in street accidents while walking and texting.
Around one in ten careless Brits
has suffered a "walk 'n text" street injury in the past year through
collisions with lampposts, bins and other pedestrians.
The 6.6million accidents have caused
injuries ranging from mild knocks and embarrassing cuts and bruises through to
broken noses, cheekbones and even a fractured skull.
Collision course: Padding around a lamppost
in Brick Lane, London. The move is part of the 'safe text' drive to cut the
number of phone users injured in street accidents
Almost two thirds - 62 per cent - of Brits
concentrate so hard while texting that they lose their peripheral vision,
researchers found.
Given the apparent dangers of
"unprotected text", over a quarter of Brits - 27 per cent - are in
favour of creating a 'mobile motorway' on Britain's pavements.
Texters could follow a brightly coloured
line, which would act like a cycle lane, steering them away from obstacles.
And 44 per cent of those surveyed wanted
pads placed on lampposts to protect them while texting. The study found that
busy city streets were the worst for "walk 'n text" accidents.
The research showed that Brick Lane in East
London was the top spot for texting injuries. Now Brick Lane has been made the country's first “Safe Text”
street, with brightly coloured padding, similar to that used on rugby posts,
placed on lampposts to test if it helps protect dozy mobile users.
If the trial is successful, the idea could be
rolled out to other London black spots, including Charing Cross Road, Old Bond
Street, Oxford Street and Church Street, Stoke Newington.
Across London, it is claimed there were
more than 68,000 such accidents last year, with victims' injuries ranging from
minor bruises to fractured skulls.”(Source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-525785/Brick-Lane-Britains-Safe-Text-street-padded-lampposts-prevent-mobile-phone-injuries.html#ixzz1JgSd5RvB)
Apparently, campaign groups believe the blame is with
growing levels of street clutter, citing the increase in the number of
lampposts, bins and recycling points as the reason for the large scale of
accidents. Tony Armstrong of
‘Living Streets’ described Britain’s streets as becoming increasingly like
obstacle courses. I can’t say
that’s been my experience Tony.
I’ve not once thought, ‘Jeez, this walk into work is getting trickier by
the day, I’m going to have to perfect my hurdling technique if it continues
like this’. Sorry, but what a load
of shite!
The first thing that strikes me, other than the walker
texters’ knee, is why on earth are their campaign groups set up to assist these
clowns who insist on texting and walking.
You wouldn’t choose to go out into the street blind folded would
you? No. So why would you persistently continue
to do something such as texting and walking, that causes you and others
danger? These
clowns should be made to wear a bicycle helmet and big rubber armbands rather
than our taxes being flittered away on stupid council initiatives such as the
one described. Sorry, but the
world has gone fucking mad if that’s the solution.
