Distracted Walkers Pose Threat to Self and Others

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A new study suggests that, not only are distracted walkers a danger to themselves, they are a threat to others as well. The sad thing is that, even though this is constantly in the news, it seems like the problem is only getting worse.

We’ve all seen it, and often felt it, as people looking down to text, tweet, read or play games on their smartphones crash into us, typically as we walk in a straight line and they don’t. A study by Eric M. Lamberg and Lisa M. Muratori at Stony Brook University found that distracted walkers veer off course by as much as 61 percent while texting and walking.
 
Couldn't we just simply this to "doing anything immersive while you are not stationary is dangerous" (driving, walking, biking, skydiving, etc)
 
We don't need more laws.

We need more people to fall into Water Fountains and shit. They will eventually learn. You can't legislate stupidity out of existence. It must take it's own course.
 
Of course you can legislate stupidity out of existence, but not really in the way you're thinking. If there were laws that like required having mandatory birth control and only allowed people to have children if they were able to meet like a buncha genetic, lifestyle, income, and intelligence requirements then you could totally at least cut out the lower end of stupid people by getting rid of pot addicts, drunk drivers, gun people, and other undesirable members of current society in a matter of like a few generations of selective breeding. Though I guess there should be some exceptions made since, until automation really takes off, we need like a pool of labor that isn't too intelligent so they don't get bored doing assembly line things or lifting heavy stuff onto trucks for delivery.
 
I imagine we will only do what we have always done when faced with such questions. We will either do nothing and Murphy will take his toll, or we will re-engineer our environment around the behavior. There will be those that insist on swimming upstream and try to change the behavior, but it rarely is successful. It's much easier to simply adapt our environment in order to minimize risk.

As an example, as long as people are focused on their phones, why not let the phone help guide them?

Like a Pedestrian HUD :D
 
This with warning indicators.


iphone-5-transparent-1.jpg
 
Watched a guy walk into the path of a moving train last night. A serious, no shit full sized train... with full size ear bleedingly loud train horns... and a flashing gate that was down with red lights and bells.

Add to it that he had just got off that train and you see he will soon join Kahless in Stovohkor.

But hell, gotta send that lolcat to mah buddy.
 
These people are scary. Yesterday I left work - it was dark outside. I thought I saw someone ahead at a crosswalk by the parking garage. I decided to slow down just in case.
This person was dressed in dark clothes, barely visible. Reading his freaking phone and not paying attention at the crosswalk.
Had I not noticed him, I could have easily ran into the person. I remember him looking up at my idling car with a "deer in the headlights look". Idiot. (Did I mention he was walking slow as well - I should have honked my horn at him and made him drop his phone)
In our office, a lady walked into a glass wall - it shattered - while she was reading her phone. The wall was several thousands of dollars to replace. I hope she had to pay for it.
 
CreepyUncleGoogle said:
Of course you can legislate stupidity out of existence, but not really in the way you're thinking. If there were laws that like required having mandatory birth control and only allowed people to have children if they were able to meet like a buncha genetic, lifestyle, income, and intelligence requirements then you could totally at least cut out the lower end of stupid people by getting rid of pot addicts, drunk drivers, gun people, and other undesirable members of current society in a matter of like a few generations of selective breeding. Though I guess there should be some exceptions made since, until automation really takes off, we need like a pool of labor that isn't too intelligent so they don't get bored doing assembly line things or lifting heavy stuff onto trucks for delivery.
Click to expand...

You just dove head first into the Soap Box, and I'm not biting :)
 
It's ok, tomorrow our cars will drive for us. Perhaps before that, our shoes will walk for us and solve this dilemma.
 
so before cell phones there were no stupid people doing stupid things? No one walked into cars or trains or into holes in the ground? Or was stuff like that just not interesting or newsworthy before we were able to just hop on the 'cell phone hate' band wagon and get peoples clicks? I started driving before cell phones and then you just had everyone turning around in the drivers seat to talk to someone while moving forward.
 
Back when I lived near Calgary, you'd get at least a couple instances a year of people getting hit by the LRT (light rail transit).
The LRT intersects with sidewalks (they do have loud warnings/flashing lights). They also have a barrier of sorts you need to navigate (linky) you'd think that would be enough to make you stop and take a 5 second glance :) (or not)
 
Darunion said:
so before cell phones there were no stupid people doing stupid things? No one walked into cars or trains or into holes in the ground? Or was stuff like that just not interesting or newsworthy before we were able to just hop on the 'cell phone hate' band wagon and get peoples clicks? I started driving before cell phones and then you just had everyone turning around in the drivers seat to talk to someone while moving forward.
Click to expand...

These things have been happening since people began walking, driving, talking, etc. You're exactly right it's all because of the huge degradation we've been facing from news outlets over the last 25 years. It's whatever gets clicks, causes fear of safety, or makes people feel good about themselves.
 
SpartaTodd said:
At first I thought this was referring to the walking dead. admit it, you did too. Guilty pleasure: watching some doofus on his doodad walk into a sign or hydrant.
Click to expand...

Yes,I did. I figured a distracted Walker is actually a good thing,it means they're not focused on eating your brain.
 
Looks like the world needs a 270 degree camera adaptor for smartphones and sophisticated recognition software to warn the user of impending danger.

The premium version could even monitor surrounding sounds for impending danger.

You read it here first.

/sarcasmoff
 
TechLarry said:
We don't need more laws.

We need more people to fall into Water Fountains and shit. They will eventually learn. You can't legislate stupidity out of existence. It must take it's own course.
Click to expand...

Problem is that people do that then sue because YOU didn't make it safer for them. Girl on phone walked passed blockade and fell into an open man hole. Her family sued. Woman fell down stairs at a mall, she sued.

Darunion said:
so before cell phones there were no stupid people doing stupid things? No one walked into cars or trains or into holes in the ground? Or was stuff like that just not interesting or newsworthy before we were able to just hop on the 'cell phone hate' band wagon and get peoples clicks? I started driving before cell phones and then you just had everyone turning around in the drivers seat to talk to someone while moving forward.
Click to expand...

Cell phones have created more distractions. Before yes there were still distractions for drivers but not as much. Then add in people on the street. you didn't see the street covered with people walking down the road with news papers raised in front of their faces, boom box on the shoulder of every person with them changing tapes as they walked down the road.
 
The Darwin Awards welcomes all the new nominees and winners. ;)
 
I thought this thread was about Walking Dead and zombies. Is it bad that "Walkers" now brings to mind zombies instead of humans?
 
Sadly, these people don't learn. They expect everyone else to look out for THEM. It's a lack of personal responsibility (and lack of survival instinct). While laws and such can change some, others need a change of environment.

It really sucks that it's not to be more convenient or to help people. It's to allow them to continue to do stupid shit with little health risk. I'd rather see things get strict for those that have their head in the phone, but it doesn't work that way, unfortunately.
 
Well not walking related, but I had a guy in a big pickup who was backing up while in front of me in a parking lot. So I stopped expecting him to back into an empty space on either side of him. Instead he keeps backing straight up into lane right at me (I was probably 15 feet behind him). So when he gets about a foot behind me I slam on my horn cause I'm not sure if he sees me.

Thankfully he stops right before hitting me, then sits there right in front of me for 20 seconds, then pulls up a few feet, gets out and looks at his rear bumper like he's checking for damage (this guy is just clueless). Meanwhile I pull into a parking spot and then he looks at me and comes right up to my door like he wants to fight me. The dude not surprisingly was some overweight 55 yr old redneck.

Anyways we got into some stupid argument for 5 minutes, someone passing by asked if they wanted me to call the cops so I said sure, as soon as I said that, he gets back into his truck and drives off. Then he has the nerve to follow me stalker style after I leave...I was trying so hard to stay calm and not knock the guy out...I swear some ppl lol...
 
Booyaah said:
Well not walking related, but I had a guy in a big pickup who was backing up while in front of me in a parking lot. So I stopped expecting him to back into an empty space on either side of him. Instead he keeps backing straight up into lane right at me (I was probably 15 feet behind him). So when he gets about a foot behind me I slam on my horn cause I'm not sure if he sees me.

Thankfully he stops right before hitting me, then sits there right in front of me for 20 seconds, then pulls up a few feet, gets out and looks at his rear bumper like he's checking for damage (this guy is just clueless). Meanwhile I pull into a parking spot and then he looks at me and comes right up to my door like he wants to fight me. The dude not surprisingly was some overweight 55 yr old redneck.

Anyways we got into some stupid argument for 5 minutes, someone passing by asked if they wanted me to call the cops so I said sure, as soon as I said that, he gets back into his truck and drives off. Then he has the nerve to follow me stalker style after I leave...I was trying so hard to stay calm and not knock the guy out...I swear some ppl lol...
Click to expand...

should have still called the cops, given them as much info as you could.
 
Yakk said:
Looks like the world needs a 270 degree camera adaptor for smartphones and sophisticated recognition software to warn the user of impending danger.

The premium version could even monitor surrounding sounds for impending danger.

You read it here first.

/sarcasmoff
Click to expand...

Just wearable tech man, your clothes will become an active platform for monitoring your environment as you navigate your way through your day plugged in even more then ever before. Your clothes will tell your phone that you are about to have a bad day.
 
That is the reason why I had to buy the dash cam. Driving to work through DC every day is a challenge. There are many times that someone walks right in front of your car while their face in the phone.
 
TechLarry said:
You just dove head first into the Soap Box, and I'm not biting :)
Click to expand...


I was thinking, "What a ridiculous comment" then immediately realized who the person was that made the comment and thought, "Oh, that makes perfect sense". :D
 
ppl in the north are dressing in all black and driving while its dark and raining is a fucking nightmare. And just barely not killing them I see them looking at their phones....wtf.
 
Booyaah said:
Well not walking related, but I had a guy in a big pickup who was backing up while in front of me in a parking lot. So I stopped expecting him to back into an empty space on either side of him. Instead he keeps backing straight up into lane right at me (I was probably 15 feet behind him). So when he gets about a foot behind me I slam on my horn cause I'm not sure if he sees me.

Thankfully he stops right before hitting me, then sits there right in front of me for 20 seconds, then pulls up a few feet, gets out and looks at his rear bumper like he's checking for damage (this guy is just clueless). Meanwhile I pull into a parking spot and then he looks at me and comes right up to my door like he wants to fight me. The dude not surprisingly was some overweight 55 yr old redneck.

Anyways we got into some stupid argument for 5 minutes, someone passing by asked if they wanted me to call the cops so I said sure, as soon as I said that, he gets back into his truck and drives off. Then he has the nerve to follow me stalker style after I leave...I was trying so hard to stay calm and not knock the guy out...I swear some ppl lol...
Click to expand...

Wow, that's scary and crazy, but not surprising. Rednecks are like the worst examples of humanity to ever exist. I'd be really happy to see that subculture die off with the next couple of generations, but it'll probably persist in trailer courts across the US as long as people insist on speaking with those awful southern accents at each other. (Not to say that it's not any better where I live. There's these stump-jumper-jethro hicks where I live that say stuff like "you'uns" to mean "you" or nonsense like "it's spritzin' out there" when they mean it's raining. Oh gosh, the worst one is "it's all" when they're trying to explain that a container is empty. I don't know how some of them can function in society after they've been raised in such a travesty of cultural and linguistic idiocy.
 
CreepyUncleGoogle said:
Wow, that's scary and crazy, but not surprising. Rednecks are like the worst examples of humanity to ever exist. I'd be really happy to see that subculture die off with the next couple of generations, but it'll probably persist in trailer courts across the US as long as people insist on speaking with those awful southern accents at each other. (Not to say that it's not any better where I live. There's these stump-jumper-jethro hicks where I live that say stuff like "you'uns" to mean "you" or nonsense like "it's spritzin' out there" when they mean it's raining. Oh gosh, the worst one is "it's all" when they're trying to explain that a container is empty. I don't know how some of them can function in society after they've been raised in such a travesty of cultural and linguistic idiocy.
Click to expand...

Fun story. I read this not seeing who posted it and thought "this is a position I could see CUG taking on this".
 
Ur_Mom said:
Sadly, these people don't learn. They expect everyone else to look out for THEM. It's a lack of personal responsibility (and lack of survival instinct). While laws and such can change some, others need a change of environment.

It really sucks that it's not to be more convenient or to help people. It's to allow them to continue to do stupid shit with little health risk. I'd rather see things get strict for those that have their head in the phone, but it doesn't work that way, unfortunately.
Click to expand...

Yes, because the extension of this same thinking leads to another development pattern related to this issue. That because changing the environment is neccessary and will cost some money, it's the zombie phone walkers who should pay for it mostly. So the phones will have to fink on their owners and these people's insurance rates will be increased because the rest of us don't engage in this behavior. And although this looks good at first, the result is that we are all being monitored all the time and eventually every life choice we make will be weighted and valued.

Who needs to make machines that are like people when we can just turn people into machines.
 
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