Fines For Texting While Walking In US Town

Sky News ^

[Sub-Driver]

Fines For Texting While Walking In US Town

1:13pm UK, Saturday May 12, 2012 People caught texting on their mobile phones while walking face being fined by police in a US town.

The clampdown comes after a rise in the number of jaywalking incidents, where pedestrians cross roads illegally or recklessly, instead of using marked routes.

Officers in Fort Lee, New Jersey, have said some people are constantly putting themselves at risk of being hit by vehicles because they do not pay attention.

Police are stepping up patrols looking for "dangerous" walkers who are not obeying the rules of the road.

They have been handing out leaflets warning pedestrians about the crackdown.

So far this year, more than 20 people have been hit by cars in Fort Lee.

"It's a big distraction. Pedestrians aren't watching where they're going. They're not aware," said Fort Lee Police chief Thomas Ripoli at a news conference.

[Sub-Driver]

Nanny state.......

[Hegemony Cricket]

Sheesh, we must be devolving and getting rapidly & progressively dumber. The old joke about not being able to walk and chew gum at the same time is getting less funny all the time...

[chuck_the_tv_out]

Yeah nanny state. Still, idiots who nearly bump into me while playing with their stupid beeping toys is very annoying.

[SandRat]

Wonder what majority of criminal texters was?
__% male
__% female

[Exit148]

I don’t like what it has come to in Ft.Lee, but I don’t want to be the driver who has to watch for these idiots — who could then plead ‘right of way’ because THEY are the pedestrian.

[mnehring]

I’m thinking of doing something for that new freeper editorial category. From waking in the morning to going to sleep at night, document how many things I encounter that require big brother permission or regulation to complete.

I’m afraid though, there isn’t enough bandwidth.

[cripplecreek]

Actually I suspect its a bit more complicated and they’re taking the route of least resistance as a means of protecting themselves from liabilities.

The better option requires forcing people to accept responsibility for their own actions by throwing them out of court when they inevitably sue.

[muir_redwoods]

Home of the free sheep, land of the brave herd

[Gaffer]

Purely REVENUE ENHANCEMENT....new source of suckers. They don’t want anyone to stop bad behavior; they just want to find another way to fleece the sheep.

[Cicero]

The article is not clear whether people are also being warned if walking on the sidewalk while texting.

It’s already against the law to cross the road outside a crosswalk and especially if you aren’t looking where you are going. Given the number of accidents in this idiot town, it makes sense to do something.

Texting while walking on the sidewalk is also a considerable annoyance. Either you dodge those jerks, or they walk right into you. But that’s more of an annoyance than a danger to life & limb.

Maybe the reporter might have made it clear exactly where the boundaries are, but of course no MSM reporter would ever venture to do so these days, if he can get a better story and headline by obfuscating.

[dfwgator]

Officers in Fort Lee, New Jersey, have said some people are constantly putting themselves at risk of being hit by vehicles because they do not pay attention.

I guess now Mr. Richard Fader texts his questions to Roseanne Roseannadanna....it just goes to show...it's always something.

[WKUHilltopper]

BS! Nothing more than a revenue generating scheme using “texting” as an excuse. Hell, breathing can be dangerous—emitting evil carbon. Why not fine people for that too? Then you can generate even more money. Just being on the street can be dangerous—you could trip on a sidewalk. Fine people for being outside. Keep them all safe (the bogus excuse for tyranny).

Keep taking it, America.

[AnotherUnixGeek]

The clampdown comes after a rise in the number of jaywalking incidents, where pedestrians cross roads illegally or recklessly, instead of using marked routes.

There are already laws against jay-walking. Now there's a new law to prohibit a specific activity that might lead to jay-walking. Calling this nanny-statism is being too kind - this is busy-bodyism carried to obsessive levels. This is the kind of thing lonely cranks who sit around fuming over their pet peeves dream of when they have their "master of the world" fantasies.

The entire campaign against cellphone/smart-device usage in cars and now on foot has probably not resulted in a single life saved or accident prevented - there are too many other ways for people to become distracted: talking to someone physically present, listening to radios, daydreaming, thinking up idiotic laws - all just as dangerous as texting or talking on the phone.

[Hegemony Cricket]

Fort Lee Police chief Thomas Ripoli

[dfwgator]

Next they’ll outlaw walking and chewing gum at the same time.

Crap, I shouldn’t give ‘em any ideas.

[Zeppo]

People need to return the nanny-state favor by recording and posting videos of Ft. Lee government officials and police officers (including and especially the brass) doing dangerous things such as walking while talking into a portable radio or cellphone, parking more than 12” from the curb, or eating a donut while being fat.

[Humble Servant]

UUnnecessary. Seems like the ultimate self-punishing crime to me.

[Figment]

Fort Lee NJ? Did this come from a letter to Rosane Rosanna Danna by chance

[TXnMA]

"So far this year, more than 20 people have been hit by cars in Fort Lee."

Darwin thinning the herd...