City Bans Texting While Walking: Good or Bad Idea?

[Brian Fein]

  i'm definitely going there soon and going to walk back and forth in front of the police station while texting and see what they do.

You MUST have someone video tape you from a hidden location.  I want to see this.

[masterfins]

Next up: no talking on the phone while checking out at the grocery store.  Arrest them!

No Soup For You!!   

[suck for luck]

I say we train bears to deal with this situation http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wgKlXl76Wy4

But seriously, this is idiotic. And why all the hand wringing over the deaths? That's called thinning out the herd.

[Phishfan]

^^^ What hand wringing? I simply brought it up because it was mentioned as a possible reason by another poster.

[CF DolFan]

Ok. Now 5 people have said it's a good idea. Who's voting that way? 

I did just because it's annoying but I agree with this...

Enforcement is not the only reason for a law.  It also establishes civil liablity and generates awareness.

Awareness:  Before this law was passed I thought doing so was just rude.  I had no idea that 3 people died because of it. 

Laws requiring kids to wear helmets when biking are very effective in my town even though the police NEVER enforce it for the few who do break the law.  Before the law was passed almost nobody wore a helmet.  Now even if the law was repealed I bet almost every parent would continue to require their own kid to wear a helmet.  What changed was awareness of the safety risks. 

Civil Liability
Example:  Person A is texting while walking, bumps into person B.  Person B falls breaking leg, missing 3 days of work and generating $10,000 in medical bills.

No Law:  Person B must prove that person A was acting negligent or person B is responsible for the medical bills not person A.

W/ Law: It is presumed that person A was acting negligent because of the law breaking, making it much easier for person b (victim) to shift the cost of the accident to the responsible party. 

[Cathal]

^^^ So if something is annoying, and you want it banned, where would you stop?

Maybe you shouldn't answer that as that'll probably derail this topic.

[suck for luck]

^^^ What hand wringing? I simply brought it up because it was mentioned as a possible reason by another poster.

Not directed at you. Hoodie maybe? I would imagine there was some hand wringing amongst the brain trust that came up with the law.

Also, creating law for the sake of public awareness is horrifying. That's not the purpose of the judicial system.

[Phishfan]

I'm not sure if public awareness is really the best description of why this law was created. It was made to protect people from self harm and there are many, many laws on the books that fall into that category.

FYI, I voted this laws was a bad idea.

[Brian Fein]

Make sure you wear your seatbelt.  click it or ticket.

Don't do drugs. drugs are bad, mmmkay?

Always wear a helmet when riding a motorcycle.

Don't text while walking

All sound advice, also all laws to protect people from self-harm.

[BigDaddyFin]

Ever since that stupid bitch walked into a fountain while texting and sued the mall for $20 million, I guess these are the kinds of laws we'll have to live with.

[Cathal]

^^^ Seriously? That's why it's a problem? I think I remember something about that but thought it was so stupid and frivolous it would have been thrown out of court. This country can be so stupid with lawsuits.

[CF DolFan]

^^^ So if something is annoying, and you want it banned, where would you stop?

Maybe you shouldn't answer that as that'll probably derail this topic.

Just the mood I was in when I logged on. I really don't care. People can be dumb with or without a law. I am a people.

[MyGodWearsAHoodie]

I am not sure which is worse: silly laws or the fact people can't use common sense absent the laws.

There should be no need for seat belt laws or laws requiring helmets.  Because anyone with a half a brain uses them not because of the law but the danger of not using them.

I oppose our drug laws and would oppose a ban on tobbaco.  But anyone who uses such items if a fucking moron.

There should be absolutely no reason for a law banning walking while texting.  It is an utterly stupid thing to do.  

The law is silly.  But the bigger problem is that there is so many morons that can't act reasonably absent a law.  

[Brian Fein]

I wouldn't call it irresponsible to walk and text.

I would call it irresponsible to drive without a seatbelt.

Its about the consequences.  there is little to no damage that can be done by texting while walking.

[MyGodWearsAHoodie]

I wouldn't call it irresponsible to walk and text.

I would call it irresponsible to drive without a seatbelt.

Its about the consequences.  there is little to no damage that can be done by texting while walking.

While the damage is less, the difference is that with a seatbelt the only one you harm is yourself, walking and texting you can bump into someone else.  Granted that is not as dangerous as driving while texting.

But still I was limping for a week because an inconsiterate asshole thought she could steer a shopping cart AND read a magazine at the same time. 

There shouldn't need to be a law for people to know that they are responsible to look where they are going.