New Jersey town bans texting while walking - Canadian TV, Computing and Home Theatre Forums

VSAdmin · 2012-05-16, 02:13 PM

Avid texters beware: Fort Lee, N.J. police said they will begin issuing $85 jaywalking tickets to pedestrians who are caught texting while walking.

“It’s a big distraction. Pedestrians aren’t watching where they are going and they are not aware,” said Thomas Ripoli, chief of the Fort Lee Police Department.

Ripoli said the borough, which is home to approximately 35,000 residents, has suffered three fatal pedestrian-involved accidents this year. He hopes his crackdown on people who display dangerous behavior while walking will make his town safer, but not everyone is on board with the idea of issuing $85 tickets.

Full story:
http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/headline...w-jersey-town/

redzone · 2012-05-16, 04:38 PM

what about the people who are distracted by all the short skirts in the summer?

Will they get a "gawking while walking" ticket?

Jake · 2012-05-16, 05:05 PM

The article was not clear but they are giving out jaywalking tickets. Which is a perfectly normal thing to do. But they are singling out texters. I hope they add reading maps and books as banned activities as well!

VSAdmin · 2012-05-17, 09:22 AM

It's not very often that people get into accidents from reading books or maps while walking. Too often I see people walking around downtown, head down texting on the phone, walking into other people or into an intersection. I see it quite often myself, as I work in downtown Toronto and am a short walk from St.Andrew subway station (in the heart of the financial district).

Woman falls while texting on live news broadcast:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g3jOlQqDPzQ

The famous viral video of the woman who fell into a mall fountain while texting/reading her phone:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mK_LssVEJEo

Pregnant, Jaywalking and Texting in downtown Vancouver
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g84UH0Eg5mg

How soon before we start seeing news reports of pedestrians killed due to them ignoring traffic signals that are verified to be caused by them not paying attention due to texting? Or a driver swerving to avoid an errant pedestrian and then ends up crashing into a bus shelter full of people?

redzone · 2012-05-17, 10:04 AM

trying to protect people from there own stupidity can only be accomplished to a certain degree.

ticketing them is a bit silly and looks more like a way to make money then to prevent the problem.

Its just like the cell ban while driving. look around and you still see tons of people doing it even though you can be ticketed.

You can't stop people from making stupid choices.

Jake · 2012-05-17, 10:28 AM

Quote:

It's not very often that people get into accidents from reading books or maps while walking

True but that is because there are more people with smart phones. Plus I was being sarcastic.

Just like there are more people with cars there will be more incidents of speeding. Speeding is illegal no need to add another law when one already exists. Same for jaywalking.

They might as well say "New Jersey town bans speeding while driving".

The reason the title is not "New Jersey town bans texting while jaywalking" is because ... well ... it is a silly statement.

JamesK · 2012-05-17, 10:31 AM

Next, it'll be walking and chewing gum. ;-)

Actually, some people are clueless about personal safety. A couple of years ago, someone stepped onto the road in front of me, in the middle of the block. He was reading something and clearly not paying attention to where he was going or the traffic that he was walking into. There have also been times when people reading have bumped into me, as I walked on a sidewalk. I have also seen many ignore traffic signals, as they walk while reading.

dirtroad · 2012-05-17, 04:11 PM

Just thought I bring this to everyone's attention as I go for a hike, see aahhh!

2012-05-16, 02:13 PM	#1
VSAdmin Administrator Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 238	New Jersey town bans texting while walking Avid texters beware: Fort Lee, N.J. police said they will begin issuing $85 jaywalking tickets to pedestrians who are caught texting while walking. “It’s a big distraction. Pedestrians aren’t watching where they are going and they are not aware,” said Thomas Ripoli, chief of the Fort Lee Police Department. Ripoli said the borough, which is home to approximately 35,000 residents, has suffered three fatal pedestrian-involved accidents this year. He hopes his crackdown on people who display dangerous behavior while walking will make his town safer, but not everyone is on board with the idea of issuing $85 tickets. Full story: http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/headline...w-jersey-town/

2012-05-16, 05:05 PM	#3
Jake Moderator Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Gatineau and Ottawa Posts: 10,171	The article was not clear but they are giving out jaywalking tickets. Which is a perfectly normal thing to do. But they are singling out texters. I hope they add reading maps and books as banned activities as well! __________________ Tip: See an offending post? Don't reply, report it by clicking on the 'Report Post' icon.

2012-05-17, 04:11 PM	#8
dirtroad Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 890	Just thought I bring this to everyone's attention as I go for a hike, see aahhh! __________________ If Life is a Highway,...then why is there no end to this dirtroad?

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2012-05-16, 04:38 PM	#2
redzone Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 1,026	what about the people who are distracted by all the short skirts in the summer? Will they get a "gawking while walking" ticket?

2012-05-17, 09:22 AM	#4
VSAdmin Administrator Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 238	It's not very often that people get into accidents from reading books or maps while walking. Too often I see people walking around downtown, head down texting on the phone, walking into other people or into an intersection. I see it quite often myself, as I work in downtown Toronto and am a short walk from St.Andrew subway station (in the heart of the financial district). Woman falls while texting on live news broadcast: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g3jOlQqDPzQ The famous viral video of the woman who fell into a mall fountain while texting/reading her phone: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mK_LssVEJEo Pregnant, Jaywalking and Texting in downtown Vancouver http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g84UH0Eg5mg How soon before we start seeing news reports of pedestrians killed due to them ignoring traffic signals that are verified to be caused by them not paying attention due to texting? Or a driver swerving to avoid an errant pedestrian and then ends up crashing into a bus shelter full of people?

2012-05-17, 10:04 AM	#5
redzone Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 1,026	trying to protect people from there own stupidity can only be accomplished to a certain degree. ticketing them is a bit silly and looks more like a way to make money then to prevent the problem. Its just like the cell ban while driving. look around and you still see tons of people doing it even though you can be ticketed. You can't stop people from making stupid choices.

2012-05-17, 10:31 AM	#7
JamesK Veteran Join Date: May 2009 Location: Mississauga Posts: 5,039	Next, it'll be walking and chewing gum. ;-) Actually, some people are clueless about personal safety. A couple of years ago, someone stepped onto the road in front of me, in the middle of the block. He was reading something and clearly not paying attention to where he was going or the traffic that he was walking into. There have also been times when people reading have bumped into me, as I walked on a sidewalk. I have also seen many ignore traffic signals, as they walk while reading.