Your mother probably told you, multiple times, that you should look both ways before crossing the street. Apparently that skill, more like common sense if you ask me, isn’t being used by the people of New York City, who have been dying in increasing numbers due to being distracted by their mobile phone and/or portable music players. Jason King, a 21 year old who used to work at E.A.T. restaurant on Madison Avenue, was killed last month after being hit by a truck while crossing the street and listening to his Apple iPod. Our sympathy goes towards his family, but sympathy isn’t enough these days. Brooklyn Senator Karl Kruger is trying to get the city to pass a law that would fine pedestrians who cross the street while being distracted by their portable devices. The fine would amount to $100, quite a lot, but it’s intended to save lives. “When people are doing things that are detrimental to their own well being, then government should step in,” Kruger said.
Not everyone is accepting of the proposed law. “I mean I, myself, I walk around in the street hearing music because I don’t want to hear nobody around me or nothing,” said Josephina Medina, one of King’s coworkers. “I think it’s terrible. Come on. We need something to keep our mind occupied while we’re walking to work,” said Luevonia Simmons from New Jersey. An unnamed lawmaker from Arkansas tried to pass a similar sort of law, but then gave up because he knew the chances of it getting approved would be somewhere between slim and none. That being said, he managed to attract serious attention to the issue, and we’re hoping that Senator Kruger manages to do the same thing.
People, grown adults, should know better, and while accidents do happen, just don’t be stupid.
[Via: Phone Scoop]