Do We Really Need Laws Banning Texting While Walking?
from the there-oughta-be-a-law dept
Over at CNET, a blogger is decrying the latest epidemic to hit New York City: people walking while texting on their phone. One imagines this has been happening in the city (and plenty of other places) for some time and people have been managing to survive, but this blogger apparently just arrived there on a business trip and noticed. It's the typical "man-these-people-are-annoying" type of thing, but his final suggestion is that "some fine district attorneys might find it in themselves to create a little misdemeanor out of this peculiar habit." Sure, it's annoying to get run into by somebody walking down the street and paying more attention to their phone than the sidewalk, but it's not too much more annoying than getting run into by somebody lost in a newspaper, or daydreaming. Perhaps we should codify laws making that stuff a crime, too, if we're looking for suggestions on how to waste police time. As has been pointed out before, this phenomenon really isn't anything new, but rather the latest iteration of the intersection of pedestrians and technology. Jaywalking laws haven't stopped people from jaywalking; pointless bans on doing certain activities while walking aren't likely to stamp out that behavior, either.Thank you for reading this Techdirt post. With so many things competing for everyone’s attention these days, we really appreciate you giving us your time. We work hard every day to put quality content out there for our community.
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Prehaps..
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must be new
TXTing and walking can lead to Taxi/truck/bus accidents.
Would increase the Morgue's daily work load though, not good for the cities finances.
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What next?
These days, courtesy and, as it seems, commonsense are no longer in our society, but trying to pass laws that obligate people to be what they are not is just plain stupid.
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Re:
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I know .....
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Re: I know .....
tho it appears to be easy for you.. typing and thinking dont appear to be happening together in you case.
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Re: I know .....
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No need for a law banning but what about a law protecting the people who beat these idiots
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Re: No need for a law banning but what about a law protecting the people who beat these idiots
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Natural selection is great...
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Re:
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Boy these people sure are annoying when they can't see their own hypocrisy.
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Otherwise, we will soon have all kinds of these laws such as forcing you to wear a seat belt while driving or forcing you to wear a helmet to ride a motorcycle or to stop you from smoking while walking on the street or to stop you from smoking in your own car!
And who knows some ambitious politicians might just decide to regulate what kinds of food restaurants can serve or will raise taxes on foods that they don't like.
Intolerable!!!
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texting
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Re: texting
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I'm not disagreeing with you but if the pedestrian has the right of way, then they have the right of way. If you start factoring in what they were doing at the time, you're just confusing the issue.
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Re: texting
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are you kidding me?
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sure it's a problem
No law can fix this so called problem.
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Next Up ...
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Let me ask...
You hit this person. You are now responsible for this person's situation. Even though he disobeyed a "Don't Walk" sign. Why did he do this? He was texting someone while listening to music and was not paying attention.
This pedestrian now has the right to sue you for damages and very well might.
You still feel that a law like this is unjustified?
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Let me ask you
"A state is better governed which has few laws, and those laws strictly observed".
Rene Descartes.
.
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Re: Let me ask you
all of the thing everyone is saying that texters are doing are already against the law. a new law will not help in any way... its just stupid.
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texting while walking
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