Texting while walking... Is it a crime?

[HorrorshowPtitsa]

http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2012/05/26...-multitasking/

Apparently it is already a law in New Jersey. Offenders pay a hefty fine of $85 dollars if caught as a perpetrator in this horrendous act.

[I_Am_Once_Was]

That's just a retard fee.

[amandddaaa]

I heard on the news that in my cousin's town, she lives in Fort Lee, New Jersey, there was a law which banned texting while walking, but she told me she knew nothing about it. So even if legislation makes it a law anywhere I doubt it's going to be taken very seriously

[NightDemon666]

WHAT THE FUCK R U SERIOUS!?!?!!?!?!?!
OK LETS BE HONEST HERE....THE GOVERNMENT JUST WANTS MONEY AND MAKES STUPID LAWS THAT WILL OBLIVIOUSLY GET PEOPLE IN TROUBLE.

[MyNameIsNotBrad]

Good.

Too many people have damn near killed themselves, and others, while walkin'/drivin' and textin' at the same time.

[Mr_Quick]

Good.

Too many people have damn near killed themselves, and others, while walkin'/drivin' and textin' at the same time.

Comparing walking and driving seems a bit excessive. There are laws against driving while drunk, but not walking while drunk. Likewise, there are laws against texting while driving but not texting while walking (the New Jersey law has been exaggerated). Both increase your response time significantly, but the consequences of impaired reflexes (especially to bystanders) are substantially lessened when a person is traveling at walking speed in their own relatively small, frail body as opposed to hurtling across the landscape at several times that speed while encased in half a ton of metal.

Now, you could argue that, for the benefit of the people who walk off piers and into metal poles and such, we should punish all of them for taking risks with their health in order to protect them from themselves, but this would be kind of an odd argument coming from the guy working toward his doctorate in Bluntistry.

[Kiralicious]

$85 fee seems kind of ridiculous, but I'm having a hard time being against it being punishable because there are so many dipshits who can't take their eyes off their phone for ten seconds to check traffic before they cross the road.

I've witnessed it many times and even been the person that had to slam on the brakes because someone stepped out in front of me while texting.

[Mr_Quick]

$85 fee seems kind of ridiculous, but I'm having a hard time being against it being punishable because there are so many dipshits who can't take their eyes off their phone for ten seconds to check traffic before they cross the road.

I've witnessed it many times and even been the person that had to slam on the brakes because someone stepped out in front of me while texting.

Fyi jaywalking is illegal already, regardless of whether the person is on their cell phone or not.

[Will006]

sounds like a good way to generate revenue for the state

[nerdyguy015]

Idiot law - these people represent Darwinism at its finest. Let them walk into traffic

[MyNameIsNotBrad]

Comparing walking and driving seems a bit excessive. There are laws against driving while drunk, but not walking while drunk. Likewise, there are laws against texting while driving but not texting while walking (the New Jersey law has been exaggerated). Both increase your response time significantly, but the consequences of impaired reflexes (especially to bystanders) are substantially lessened when a person is traveling at walking speed in their own relatively small, frail body as opposed to hurtling across the landscape at several times that speed while encased in half a ton of metal.

Well, nah. Walkin' while textin' isn't as destructive as drivin' while textin'. Neither is drunk walkin', as opposed to drunk drivin'. With that said, there is a law about bein' intoxicated in public. So if you're caught walkin' around drunk, you can end up spendin' a night in jail, and walk out with a fine.

Now, you could argue that, for the benefit of the people who walk off piers and into metal poles and such, we should punish all of them for taking risks with their health in order to protect them from themselves, but this would be kind of an odd argument coming from the guy working toward his doctorate in Bluntistry.

I've seen people walk into poles, water fountains, and sink holes. But never a pier.

[Kiralicious]

Fyi jaywalking is illegal already, regardless of whether the person is on their cell phone or not.

You're right but that was really the only scenario where I've seen the walking texters be a danger to anyone other than themselves, and I think in a lot of those cases the cell phone is partially responsible for their carelessness, given the "oh shit" look they have on their faces when they realise that someone just had to swerve around them.

If they want to walk themselves off a pier then as far as I'm concerned, whatever.

But all that aside, I've never seen anyone get in trouble for jaywalking, so I really doubt the police are going to bother with walking texters extensively.

[CheesyFries_]

I rarely see that around where I live. But for people who do it outside of where I live( if they do that) they really should have the common sense to not be texting while walking. And also while driving. I understand the need for wanting attention from your friend or wanting to give attention to someone else, but you shouldn't put your life or anyone else's for that matter over that.

[snickerdoodled]

I'm glad. I don't care if you're an expert racecar driver, you can't text and drive at the same time without putting yourself and others in danger. Just pull over at a gas station/parking lot if the text is an "emergency"

[Hector_of_Troy]

So, there is no new law at all. Jaywalking is still jaywalking, cellphone in hand or technologically antiquated.

OP, there's a opening at Fox News for you.

[Ali-31]

So, there is no new law at all. Jaywalking is still jaywalking, cellphone in hand or technologically antiquated.

OP, there's a opening at Fox News for you.

there's not enough faux outrage, what we need is an angle on what this means for the children and why lefties are to blame
if he could work some celebrity tits into there there's a job at the Mail

[thenerdybrownie]

It's understandable in some cases .