Texting While Walking Banned in New Jersey Town

[Eugene]

Source: ABC News

May 13, 2012 11:26am
Texting While Walking Banned in New Jersey Town

Avid texters beware: Fort Lee, N.J. police said they will begin issuing $85 jaywalking tickets to pedestrians who are caught texting while walking.

“It’s a big distraction. Pedestrians aren’t watching where they are going and they are not aware,” said Thomas Ripoli, chief of the Fort Lee Police Department.

Ripoli said the borough, which is home to approximately 35,000 residents, has suffered three fatal pedestrian-involved accidents this year. He hopes his crackdown on people who display dangerous behavior while walking will make his town safer, but not everyone is on board with the idea of issuing $85 tickets.

“When I walk I still look around. I’m not like constantly looking down the whole time,” said resident Sue Choe.

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Read more: http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/headlines/2012/05/texting-while-walking-banned-in-new-jersey-town/

[woodsprite]

1. In Newark, Delaware, around the UD

they have stenciled signs on the sidewalk at intersections
that say "look up before proceeding across".

Duh!

[phylny]

4. I'm a Blue Hen, and am glad to see they're doing it.

A student at our daughter's university was killed - hit by a bus she didn't see rounding the corner as she talked on her cell phone.

[woodsprite]

10. My whole Blue Hen family says "Hi!"

[phylny]

11. My Blue Hen husband and I say hi right back! n/t

[MadHound]

2. Good.

About a year ago I was making a right at an intersection, with the light, when some idiot who had his head down and was texting just walked right out in front of me. Didn't know where he was going, what was going on around him, nothing. I managed a screeching stop, didn't hit him. He didn't even bother to look up and see what was going on.

[customerserviceguy]

3. Good

My lady and I went off to NYC today to see an off-Broadway play, and the number of idiots who would stagger into the crosswalk (when the light was green for us) without looking was incredible. Most people who jaywalk at least try to make some eye contact with the driver to get them to slow down.

[Honeycombe8]

5. We can chew gum and walk. But we can't read a book, much less write one,

while walking.

[rug]

6. Texting While Walking PSA

[ZombieHorde]

7. That has to be one of the best PSAs ever made.

So awesome!

[rug]

8. I hope it saves lives.

[Beacool]

9. They should ban it in my town in NJ, Hoboken.

Whether riding on the bus or driving, I've seen more than one dope crossing the street against the light and either on the phone or texting. I was on the bus once when a guy crossed the main drag never looking up and the bus almost ran him over. He had to break abruptly and people went flying. The stupid jerk who was texting never looked up once. Next time, I hope a bus does run him over. Another time a girl crossing the street was too busy on the phone to notice the bus looming over her. Another abrupt break and a pissed off driver.

Hoboken is full of self involved, yuppie jerks.