01-04-2019, 07:14 PM
(01-04-2019, 06:29 PM)danbrotherston Wrote: You'll find that you can in fact operate a mobile phone while walking quite easily. When you're only traveling 1-2 meters per second, it isn't challenge to also be aware of your surroundings, as they change very slowly, this means it isn't even dangerous most of the time.
I'm afraid to say, quite frankly, that is your opinion of your abilities. I could also have the opinion (I don't, for what it's worth), that I think I can drive a car and operate a mobile phone at the same time. But it does not make it right.
Most pedestrians I have negative interfaces with on my bicycle are so engrossed in their devices they are absolutely oblivious to everything around them - maybe 0.5 m radius at most, but often less. One time I actually completely stopped my bike just to see what would happen, and just stood there. I waited.... until they walked... right... into... me. Then they looked up with the most horrified look you could imagine, completely shocked and surprised.
But, back to the topic at hand.
How have other countries handled similar bans? Did they start right after mobile devices (smartphones, really) took off, so there was always a culture of not using them while driving? When in Florida in November I was very surprised at the number of people carelessly chatting away or typing, while driving - I guess they don't have any laws there about it (or the penalty/enforcement is low).