Ped-texting, text-walking... illegal?

[Prrkitty]

http://www.chicagotribune.com/features/lifestyle/chi-textwalking-0729_jul29,0,5807707.story

Quote: The Illinois General Assembly bill, also known as HB 4520, was introduced in January by Rep. Ken Dunkin (D- Chicago), who then insisted: "This legislation is not laughable. On the surface it's like, 'Oh wow, what is this?' But it's becoming more and more of a common problem with people haplessly crossing an intersection and almost killing themselves."

Under the proposed law, Illinois residents would get slapped with a misdemeanor and a $25 fine if caught using a cell phone or other wireless device while traversing streets.

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Are our lawmakers going too far in their attempts at "trying to make our world safer"?

I have to agree that driving a vehicle and texting/talking on the cell phone that is held to the ear... is VERY dangerous and needs to be curtailed and stopped.

And I will also agree that walking and not paying attention to where you're going... is also dangerous... for you AND everyone around you.

But... where does the lawmaking rules and regulations end? If this trend continues we'll have so many rules and regulations to follow that it'll end up being against the law to breath in and out.

Thoughts?

[Russ]

I think they went too far this time. Cars I can understand, but walking and texting!? Just leave us alone now Mr. Government.

[The_Amaster]

Walking and texting? Dangerous, because your eyes are on the screen. Walking and talking? Totally fine, as long as you keep looking ahead of you.

[Beldaran]

It's nanny-state garbage.

I say, if you die because you can't stop text messaging, then let Darwin rejoice and be done with it.

Like society really needs anyone who can't stop texting long enough to walk from one location to another.

[phattonez]

If you text and drive, you may kill someone else. Understandable why it should be banned.

If you text and walk, you only kill yourself. It's not putting someone else in danger, keep it legal.

[SUCCESSOR]

If you text and drive, you may kill someone else. Understandable why it should be banned.

If you text and walk, you only kill yourself. It's not putting someone else in danger, keep it legal.

If an idiot steps out in front of a car and that car swerves hitting another car or another pedestrian or some other object that puts other people in danger. Not that I believe this text-walking thing is a good idea just pointing out a big flaw in your logic. There are plenty of current laws that an officer can slap on a stupid pedestrian.

[phattonez]

If you're on a road, how often will it actually be fatal? I can see why it's different for freeways where there is a big chance that it will be fatal and there are no pedestrians.

[Beldaran]

If I'm in a car, and I see a pedestrian walking into my lane, texting away on his fucking blackberry, I'm licking my chops and giving the engine more gas. :evil:

[Yoshiman]

I say, if you die because you can't stop text messaging, then let Darwin rejoice and be done with it.
Pretty much what I was thinking. I mean, one should have enough common sense to tear their eyes away from their cellphone when crossing a busy intersection.

[MasterSwordUltima]

This totally reminds me of that one article about how they put padding on the poles in london or whatever because of people blindly walking into them.

[ZTC]

The Illinois government is full of assholes who want control of everything and more money. This is bullshit and if it gets passed, I hope the people that support it get shot in the ass. Ok, not really, but this communist bull pisses me off

[Breaker]

The Illinois government is full of assholes who want control of everything and more money. This is bullshit and if it gets passed, I hope the people that support it get shot in the ass. Ok, not really, but this communist bull pisses me off

wow.

[Brasel]

I can't do it on post back at Ft. Stewart. Not that I'd do it if I could, because I honestly think texting is stupid as hell if you're not just putting out some sort of message to everyone saying "hey, beer at 530" or something like that. Um...yeah, I got nothing. I really don't care one way or another.