While this week is certainly bringing to the forefront unusual potential legislation in the world of cell phones, the measures signal the concept of bucking what has been the status quo.
The legislation to ban and then fine people in Illinois when texting while crossing the street was added to the books on Jan. 17, 2008 by Illinois Rep. Ken Dunkin. This Illinois General Assembly bill is known as HB 4520. Following the introduction in January, news outlets this week finally started noticing and debating the measure.
Dunkin says “there have already been two deaths of two New York City pedestrians who were said to have been walking and texting”. In general, he says the act has inflicted a great deal of injuries on people who weren’t paying proper attention.
The Chicago Tribune reports: “The brain’s ability to take on several activities at once makes text-walking possible, researchers say, but it’s a delicate balancing act. All it takes is one unexpected disruption to turn a text-walk into a garble-stumble.”
A bill along the lines of Dunkin’s bill, which is currently in committee, has already been introduced in the Illinois House. Following is an excellent FOX News segment debating the measure with Dunkin.
I ironically learned about this story today because I was doing exactly this while crossing a street. I thought to myself how dangerous it could be, and when I made it to the other side and mentioned it to a fellow Chicagoan, I learned that this legislation is actually pending on the books.
But would a $25 fine be enough? Is the law outright ridiculous? How well would it be enforced? Sound off by leaving your comments and voting in the poll atop this post.
Update: After publishing this post, I learned that Wendy Bumgardner – the About.com guide to walking – also wrote about this story on her walking site.
Comments
That’s just dumb. What is a ce phone for ??? So you have to hang up or cannot answer a call while you walk across the road. How many pedestrians even cause accidents. This is worse than ticketing jaywalking. Our country is over regulated and looking for ways to make money to fund beuracracy. This is an attempt to pay for a needless public servant -the one handing out the tickets.
Better idea, the guy who is not watching where he’s going get’s struck down. I think he’s learned his lesson!
As a “tax on stupidity” goes, $25 is actually quite low. Lots cheaper, for example, than gassing up your SUV.
There are lots of things that are stupid to do while crossing the street–listening to an IPod,for example, or having a intense conversation with your boyfriend or girlfriend. Are we going to ban them all?
Susan,
Exactly. This same discussion has happened for years in the conversation about banning cell phones in cars.
While there has been significant movement on requiring earbuds in cars, this text-walking debate sounds exactly the same.
What I find most interesting is that this politician says people need the threat of a fine in order for them to do something that’s clearly common sense.
~ Adam Fendelman
About.com Cell Phones Guide
By the way, I just noticed that Jennifer Roche (the About.com guide to Chicago) e-mailed me on Friday and mentioned that Wendy Bumgardner (the About.com guide to walking) recently blogged about this same story. Wendy’s post is another interesting read on the subject.
Is there nothing else more important to legislate? And have there really been two deaths in NY from texting while walking?
It’s not a ban on texting while crossing the street, it’s tax. You’re not being prevented from doing it, you’re just being charged for the privilege.
But unlike many other taxes, this one is purely voluntary. Think it’s silly? Don’t want to pay it? No problem — just don’t text for the 30 seconds it takes you to get to the other side of the street.
How about adding length to the time that rapists, child molesters and pedophiles have to spend in jail instead of allowing them to walk around freely around our children? How about legislating something that actually matters?
FLUNKIN DUNKIN! After reading the article I’m alarmed that a State Representative who’s district is facing so many serious problems is spending his time introducing such unnecessary legisltaion. It’s not laughable, it’s just plain irresponsible. Ken Dunkin should be more concerned with the children being killed on his streets and the state’s buget crisis rather than the texting habbits of Chicago’s walkers. What’s he going to take on next, J walking?!
-Dan Balanoff
I can’t say that this type of legislation surprises me. I, for one, am highly clumsy, and could totally imagine myself texting, crossing the street, and running smack into a hole in the ground! That doesn’t mean that I won’t continue to do such texting activities…. I like to push the envelope.