Most of us are familiar with driving laws which prohibit drivers from talking on the phone while behind the wheel and texting while behind the wheel. These laws are understandable of course– an overwhelming amount of car collisions occur due to drivers who are distracted with their phones. Now, apparently, the distractions of smart phones have gone beyond driving.
Last week, a city in China named Chongqing surprised their pedestrians by splitting the walkway in two. There appeared to be a designated cellphone lane for those who couldn’t keep their eyes off their phone and wanted to text, check social media or play games while walking. This lane read, “Cellphones, walk in this lane at your own risk.” The other lane specifically banned all cell phone use. Clearly, the lanes are meant to create a walking experience with less collisions.
So has it really gotten that bad? Are people so glued to their phone that they can’t walk without causing potential harm to others? Well, not quite.
As it turns out, this new cellphone lane is not the work of government officials. It’s actually painted by a Chinese property manager. Aside from showing off his sense of humor, the property owner did this to remind people of the dangers of walking while having their eyes glued to their phone.
Will people actually follow the rules of these lanes? Will these lanes be such eye-openers that more cities will think of integrating them into their walkways? Time can only tell. But for any of you who have accidentally run into a pole, trashcan, door or person while texting, this one’s for you.
Photo courtesy of NBC News and Rocket News 24.
