Walking & Texting

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.  

Secondly, we need lampposts to see when it’s nighttime. Improvements in lighting are in general more likely to have a positive impact on the public’s fear of crime.  More bins ensure that we have less litter on the streets, which should have a positive influence upon the Capitals’ battle against the rat population.  And finally, an increase in recycling points provides greater opportunities to recycle waste and help with regeneration, thus saving the future of the planet.  So, in short, I’m not sure how any of those ‘positive’ introductions have any bearing on idiotic human behaviour, and should be the subject of any ‘campaign’ to reduce or eradicate them.