Councillor wants to fine people who walk and text

[spikerS]

CALGARY- A Calgary city councillor says people who text while walking are dangerously distracted and he’s hoping to make the practice a ticketable offence.

Ward 1 Councillor Ward Sutherland says he plans to bring up the issue with police to see what can be done about it.

“What happened in the old days where you looked both ways when you cross the street,” said Sutherland. “Now it’s ‘I have a right and I’m in my electronics, I think it’s all right now and I’m just walking.’”

Sutherland says distracted pedestrians should receive the same fines handed out to distracted drivers.

The issue of people being absorbed by their smartphones while walking isn’t unique to Calgary. Public awareness campaigns have been launched in Edmonton and Toronto to address the issue. The subject is also being studied by a number of universities and insurance companies. The Alberta Urban Municipalities Association has also expressed its concerns over the practice, saying distracted pedestrians are a growing danger for drivers.

A recent U.S.-wide study from Ohio State University revealed some startling numbers on texting and walking. It found that in 2010, an estimated 1,500 pedestrians were treated in emergency rooms for injuries related to using a cellphone while walking.

Some say they’re concerned when they see people walking while distracted by their smartphones.

“A lot of them kind of just wander,” said Amanda Ziegler. “It’s scary because you could walk right into someone to right across the road or whatever.”

But others say they don’t think it’s a problem.

“We can’t do anything anymore,” said a woman walking downtown. “Too many rules, no freedom.”

Councillor Sutherland says while he has yet to meet with police about his proposal, officers already tell him texting and walking is a growing problem.

“Our police department is saying that they are noticing people bumping into people,” said Sutherland. “They don’t know how much time is left in the cross walk etc…just saying, get some awareness.”

http://globalnews.ca/news/1728376/time-to-fine-people-for-texting-and-walking-says-city-councillor/

Wow. Just wow.

There are not enough facepalms in the world for this idiot.

[max_boost]

Calgary is becoming very ridiculous lol
This and yellow flags to cross the street lol

[FraserB]

Need to justify your wage somehow. I guess making up ridiculous laws is one way.

I'm pretty sure if a cop tried to ticket me for this, I'd just walk away.

[lilmira]

moar bike lanes

[sexualbanana]

Is it a problem? Yes. Is it a fineable/fixable offence? Probably not.

[Sugarphreak]

...

[blitz]

I'd be fine with roadside executions for this.

[Nitro5]

sounds like a self correcting problem to me.

[JRSC00LUDE]

How long till this hits US late-night TV?

[baygirl]

I think spikerS shoulder checking people who aren't paying attention is punishment enough.

[Robin Goodfellow]

Ward Sutherland is an archetypal old fart.

During the race in which he was elected, he outed another candidate for being gay.

What a cheap ass.



http://gregginyyc.com/2013/10/22/147/

[JustinMCS]

I agree about people generally not paying attention now because of phones. So many people looking down at their phone walking, jaywalking, crossing slowly, etc. I can see where they are coming from.

[16hypen3sp]

Haha... I seen this come across my facebook feed and honestly thought it was some type of hoax.

[Sugarphreak]

...

[88CRX]

Maybe they could generate enough revenue from ticketing for this to not have to raise property taxes so much in the coming years :dunno:

What a fucking joke.

[JRSC00LUDE]

This guy is as smart as our City Councillor who, right after changing garbage pickup service to bi-weekly instead of weekly for two more months of the year to save 100k, asks how much extra money it would cost to leave the Christmas lights up all winter because "it would be nice". :banghead:

[Lex350]

The more this guy speaks the less I like him.

[Seth1968]

No comment on the fining part, but I don't think I'm alone in silently cursing out people who slow right down or stop dead in the middle of a sidewalk / store while texting.

[ZenOps]

White rich people view - its never your fault.

http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/06/padded-lampposts-for-distracted-texters-being-tested-in-london/

Its the damn lampposts fault for not being padded.

[syscal]

Have you googled distracted walking? He didn't come up with this idea on his own, he's just the first to bring it up for Calgary.

I lean more toward natural selection. I've seen guys *nearly* walk in front of the c-train while texting and my only thought was "damn, wish I was recording this".

[killramos]

I think we should fine Councillors for talking without thinking.

:dunno:

[jwslam]

I was just in New Orleans and first thing I noticed: 90% of the intersections don't even have crosswalk signals. Never saw anyone get hit... :dunno:

[whiskas]

Next thing you know Nenshi will be taking away precious car lanes and replacing them with "pedestrian lanes" to protect those liberal scum when they try to walk around recklessly. Who even walks in winter? Losers.

[C_Dave45]

Originally posted by Sugarphreak
I honestly can say I saw this coming, it was only a matter of time :rofl:


Just like I see the eventual law that will require mandatory use of helmets for people walking outside

^ This. It seems everytime someone is hurt doing ANYTHING, it's then followed up by a law that will somehow prevent it from ever happening again.

Some idiot walks in front of a C-train while texting/surfing...lets make a law to prevent that.

Fall down and go boom on the sidewalk...mandatory helmet law for any pedestrian. This society will soon need a law to tell them to breathe.

[speedog]

Originally posted by whiskas
Next thing you know Nenshi will be taking away precious car lanes and replacing them with "pedestrian lanes" to protect those liberal scum when they try to walk around recklessly. Who even walks in winter? Losers.
Not one mention of Nenshi in the quoted news article and some how you managed to make a connection to him?

By the way, how do you get around in the winter - do you actually drive right up and park next to your desk at work or whatever or do you actually have to get out of your vehicle and walk? Look around - lots of people walk during the winter.

Back on topic, spotted three pedestrians walking EB on the south side of 64th Ave towards Deerfoot mall this past week and all were heads down paying attention to the devices in their hands. Just as I got close to them in the curb lane, I gave them a good honk and I am quite sure they all must have shit their pants. Now of course, this would've probably startled a regular pedestrian as well but a distracted pedestrian probably gets a bit more of a scare. Anyhow, it was good for a chuckle and before anyone says it, these three pedestrians were behind a concrete jersey barrier so there was no chance of them jumping out in front of traffic.

[kertejud2]

Originally posted by lilmira
moar bike lanes

Sutherland isn't much of a bike lane guy. He even sat and counted cyclists on 7th St because he didn't trust the numbers they were getting.

He did allow the Bowness bike lane because the people who elected him wanted traffic calming on the street so nobody fought it.

[Disoblige]

Mandatory winter boots! :rofl:

[Tik-Tok]

Originally posted by Disoblige
Mandatory winter boots!

:werd: I've managed to move out of the way of so many people texting while walking because of mine. I can even climb up stairs and laugh at the idiots falling down them who are still wearing their summer shoes.

[killramos]

Originally posted by Tik-Tok


:werd: I've managed to move out of the way of so many people texting while walking because of mine. I can even climb up stairs and laugh at the idiots falling down them who are still wearing their summer shoes.

http://law123.ca/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/snow-covered-sidewalk-slip-fall.jpg

Buthurt in 3..2..1 :devil:

[syscal]

See, it's not about the Winter Boots, it's about training people how to fall properly. Mandatory Judo lessons and re certification yearly! I wear all seasons myself...

[Tik-Tok]

Originally posted by syscal
See, it's not about the Winter Boots, it's about training people how to fall properly. Mandatory Judo lessons and re certification yearly! I wear all seasons myself...

You're an idiot, sure you might be able to control yourself from falling, but what if someone beside you falls because they're wearing all-season shoes, and then they grab you and you fall down with them in a way judo hasn't trained you... As said, mandatory winter boots.

[syscal]

Originally posted by Tik-Tok


You're an idiot, sure you might be able to control yourself from falling, but what if someone beside you falls because they're wearing all-season shoes, and then they grab you and you fall down with them in a way judo hasn't trained you... As said, mandatory winter boots.

Listen, I've been walking for 38 years on all seasons and have managed to recover from any slipping just fine. I find the people with Winter boots walk slower due to inexperience and cause me to dodge around them. That's far more dangerous than me not wearing winters...


lol, and on and on.

I actually bought winter boots last year for the first time since I was a teenager. Hard to drive in them but I regret not getting them sooner...toasty feet FTW! Thinking back to snowblowing the acreage driveway a few years ago and can't figure out why I never bought a pair.

Snagged these, they are sweet http://www.marks.com/shop/en/marks-marksdefaultsalescatalog/evolution-70-winter-boot-31546

[killramos]

Originally posted by syscal


Hard to drive in them


Mandatory Driving Shoes!

Think of the children!

[Tik-Tok]

Originally posted by syscal


lol, and on and on.



Aww, don't stop now, I was about to brag about wearing cleats for the best traction :rofl:

[clem24]

Originally posted by Sugarphreak
I am just wondering how this might go down:

COP: License, Insurance and Registration Please

GUY: Uh.... I am just walking to the store, I don't have any of those things on me

COP: Sir... step out of the crosswalk please, slowly

Well no different than stopping a guy jaywalking.

[ercchry]

Originally posted by Tik-Tok


Aww, don't stop now, I was about to brag about wearing cleats for the best traction :rofl:

m/t cleats or winter cleats? m/t cleats turn to hockey pucks in this weather!

[M.alex]

As much as I'm all for survival of the fittest I kind of like that idea. When I'm downtown waiting to cross a street, 90% of the lemmings have their heads buried in their phones. I'm absolutely convinced if I faked like I was going to cross the street the heard would just mindlessly step out into traffic and I could easily get at least a half-dozen of them squished by an oncoming bus.

[ercchry]

Originally posted by M.alex
As much as I'm all for survival of the fittest I kind of like that idea. When I'm downtown waiting to cross a street, 90% of the lemmings have their heads buried in their phones. I'm absolutely convinced if I faked like I was going to cross the street the heard would just mindlessly step out into traffic and I could easily get at least a half-dozen of them squished by an oncoming bus.

do it! prevent layoffs, kill the stupid!

[M.alex]

Originally posted by ercchry


do it! prevent layoffs, kill the stupid!

huehuheuheuhue

http://www.cogperspective.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Lemmings-Game.gif

[AzNxHyDrA]

Originally posted by M.alex
As much as I'm all for survival of the fittest I kind of like that idea. When I'm downtown waiting to cross a street, 90% of the lemmings have their heads buried in their phones. I'm absolutely convinced if I faked like I was going to cross the street the heard would just mindlessly step out into traffic and I could easily get at least a half-dozen of them squished by an oncoming bus.

lol.. a month ago I saw someone run a red light then 3 more cars in the same lane followed until someone realized it was still red.

We were all stopped to begin with so the first guy must have reacted to another light changing green.

[Sugarphreak]

...

[Nismorphed]

Originally posted by M.alex
As much as I'm all for survival of the fittest I kind of like that idea. When I'm downtown waiting to cross a street, 90% of the lemmings have their heads buried in their phones. I'm absolutely convinced if I faked like I was going to cross the street the heard would just mindlessly step out into traffic and I could easily get at least a half-dozen of them squished by an oncoming bus.

I usually do this at lights but to people texting while waiting at the light. I had a guy almost go but stopped 3/4 through the cross walk. Now if someone was texting and walking there might have been a problem

[Nitro5]

Originally posted by M.alex
As much as I'm all for survival of the fittest I kind of like that idea. When I'm downtown waiting to cross a street, 90% of the lemmings have their heads buried in their phones. I'm absolutely convinced if I faked like I was going to cross the street the heard would just mindlessly step out into traffic and I could easily get at least a half-dozen of them squished by an oncoming bus.

Another thing that amazes me is all the pedestrians DT that stand waiting for the light off of the curb and a foot or so in the road. What are they really gaining? Personally I stand back so when the car looses control and goes off the street it will wipe these people out while I stay back. It's not like they are getting anywhere faster.

[CapnCrunch]

Originally posted by spikerS


http://globalnews.ca/news/1728376/time-to-fine-people-for-texting-and-walking-says-city-councillor/

Wow. Just wow.

There are not enough facepalms in the world for this idiot.

He's a complete idiot.

[FraserB]

Originally posted by Nismorphed


I usually do this at lights but to people texting while waiting at the light. I had a guy almost go but stopped 3/4 through the cross walk. Now if someone was texting and walking there might have been a problem

This is insanely fun.:rofl: