Every day something new is invented that enriches and enhances our lives. These exciting discoveries are immediately placed in our hands with the sincere believe that we, as highly intelligent creatures, will conquer the use of the objects rather than allowing the objects to conquer us. Some of us actually use a thing called "common sense" to control our decisions about how to use things like...uh, let's say...cell phones.
The last time we attended an auction, a woman text-walking plowed straight into me and hit me me so hard that I lost my balance. I was in total shock as she mumbled an "excuse me" and simply continued on walking and texting.
Only this morning, while reading another blog, did I become aware of deaths and injuries that have occurred from persons text-walking off buildings, bridges and piers. Heartbreaking, tragic and sad....and avoidable. People become oblivious to surroundings and create true danger for themselves and others when they fail to just stop for a minute or two to concentrate.
We have experienced the hazards of "texting while driving" and now we
are becoming aware of the hazards of "texting while walking". Some
cities have already put laws in place to control this activity and levy
huge fines on persons caught walking their streets with their faces
glued to their cell phone screens.
last week a lady stepped right out in front of the car ahead of me..
ReplyDeleteit is amazing that people cant just walk and enjoy the moment of that and what a miracle it is.. there's always that chance they might be able to say HI and Smile at a real person- but - NOOOOOOOOOOOO, they are texting..
happy hugs to ya
Sonny
I don't have a mobile phone, and it cracks me up to see my kids totally hooked to theirs the whole time, and when we get off a long plane flight the first thing you see is everyone reach for their phones to check their messages. It's a bit sad to me.
ReplyDeleteSonny -- We had a young man who was working for Ron. He could not communicate with us without texting which meant he needed to make all contact to my phone. I told Ron that the boy needed to talk to Ron and stop texting me because it was costly since I didn't have unlimited texts. He could not stop and could not verbally communicate with us. It was easier to say "I can't make it today" by text. He was a good worker when he was here but we finally stopped responding to his texts and he just quit coming to work.
ReplyDeleteLL Cool Joe -- It is a bit sad to me also. I worry about my grandchildren especially.
Sadly, this is such a true post Granny Annie....
ReplyDeleteOne of Doc's biggest complaints is people that take their dog to the dog park and ignore the dog while they stare at their phone and he plays with their dog.
ReplyDeleteChanges in the wind -- I am absent minded enough that I run into things without a cell phone so imagine what would happen if I would text at the same time. Sad, sad and scary.
ReplyDeleteJeanie -- It's a conspiracy that they bring their dogs to see Doc so they can be on their phones. They know he's a good dog sitter:)
I do think a lot of people hide behind texting. It is much easier to say something without worrying about somebody reading your face. The Darwin principle may work out nicely here!
ReplyDeleteTexting can cause so many problems. My friend & her daughter text each other all the time. They get into arguments because the text can be blunt & also misunderstood because they abbreviate everything.
ReplyDeleteI mis read my daughter's daft text speak recently & was waiting at her house whilst she waited at mine. I've told her "I don't do text speak so write properly or ring me".
I hadn't noticed how much people were using their mobiles in the streets until we went to Barcelona. Like you I had people bumping into me, it drove me batty. It's so dangerous and people have become so obsessed with mobiles they feel naked without them. People pushing children in buggies & using their phones is my pet hate.
Like Joey says it's very sad.
Some people must have a psychological need to be connected to other people at all times. Psychiatrists probably have a field day with it. I prefer to be aware of my surroundings. Life is more interesting that way.
ReplyDeleteTabor -- I don't mind a quick text so I will know my kids have made it home from a trip or something like that,but lengthy communication is not meant to be sent by text. We need those expressive eyes, facial gestures and tone of voice.
ReplyDeleteWinifred -- Oh yes, the abbreviations are totally Greek to me and the only symbol I know is the smiley face:)
Pat MacKenzie -- I thought about all this when I was reading your post on the Grand Canyon trail. Can you imagine how many people would plunge into the canyon if they were texting as they hiked! It gave me chills. You are so right about psychiatrists having a field day with cell phone addicts.
It points out how very sad Marilyn's and my life are. We've been known to sit through a whole meal together and never text each other one time. I'm embarrassed.
ReplyDeleteWow, how amazingly rude. No texting, but a guy jumped in front of me at the store to get...wait for it...five huge chocolate slabs!
ReplyDeleteWhen I went back to college in 2003 as a middle aged adult - I was constantly having to walk behind slow walking texting students. One girl came in the classroom and announced that a street thug had snatched her phone out of her hand while she was walking and texting and run off with it. I was thinking that she should have been more aware of her surroundings.
ReplyDeleteI think that people should be responsible for themselves. You can't make rules for everything - sandie
ReplyDeleteWe do have laws in place (Hawaii) about texting while driving, but I suspect there are still young folk who think they are above the law. I have difficulty texting when I'm sitting in a chair, for goodness sake!
ReplyDeleteI'm fortunate enough not to be surrounded by people who perpetually text.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I do find that I'm able to communicate better via the written word (e-mail) or via the phone, than doing it face-to-face.
To end this comment on a sad note, in a book I'd read called "The Encyclopedia of Death" (about the myriad of ways that people have died throughout the centuries), there was an example of death by texting in which a Miss Deaf USA was killed by a train because she was texting while walking on the train tracks.
Great post We have our share of accidents here that happen when people can't put it down for even a bit. our neighbors son killed by a texting driver!
ReplyDeleteCliff -- Ron and I don't text each other but he does call me on his cell phone to bring him his ice cream, etc.
ReplyDeleteRiot Kitty -- I'm sorry, but what are "chocolate slabs"? Sounds like I might jump in front of you for those too.
Lynn --How fortunate that the guy just grabbed her phone. We are all taught that we should pay attention to our surroundings and walk with confidence to keep away muggers. Texters are perfect target.
Chatty Crone -- Sandie there indeed was such a time that we did have to take responsibility or our own actions. Don't know where that went.
Kay -- I could not agree more. Texting is very difficult for me. I just don't have the thumbs for it.
G.B. Miller -- I am especially surprised that a deaf person would not be more alert to their surroundings out of habit.
JeanMac -- You are so right and we all know someone which means it is truly rampant. It would be so absolutely easy to control if people would just wait for the appropriate time to talk and text.
But geese keep flying into large airplanes!?!
ReplyDelete