We are all in agreement that texting while screaming down the 405 is a bad idea. Even the ones who continue to do it know it’s a bad idea, but they do it anyway, but that’s a subject for another post. Let’s talk about texting while walking.

Now, you’re thinking, “Texting while walking? How hard can THAT be?” Believe it or not, pretty hard. Don’t think so? Try it. Place a straight line on your floor with a piece of tape (4 or 5 feet should be fine) and walk either on it or next to it (without stepping or crossing over it).

Simple enough, right?

Now, whip open your cell phone and try the same task while sending a text message. No worries, we’ll wait…

<whistling the Jeopardy Theme>

Not as easy as you thought, huh?

This is becoming the next serious issue with cell phones, now that states are passing no-texting while driving laws. People have suffered serious injuries because they are texting and not watching where they are walking. A woman in Michigan walked off the edge of a pier and had to be rescued. And according to a study conducted by Ohio State, over 1,000 pedestrians have been injured due to accidents caused by texting and walking.

Don’t know how you feel about it, but we can’t imagine a text being so important you walk in front of a bus.

Now towns and cities are taking action. A Ft. Lee, New Jersey is imposing a $85 for walking while distracted. A town in Delaware is taking a different approach: They have placed signs on the ground to remind people to look up and be aware of their surroundings. It is dangerous to not know what is going on around you. Bad things can happen.

Like walking off the edge of a pier. How do you not notice the pier is ending?

But enough about that. New York and Arkansas lawmakers are working on legislation that will restrict the use of cell phones and personal music players, because they are convinced that distracted pedestrians are dangerous pedestrians. Judging from the people who are texting and walking into poles, tripping over things on the street, falling down stairs and walking out into oncoming traffic, it’s hard to argue their point.

So, if you walk and text, stop. Either stop walking and read and respond to the text message, or wait until you are seated somewhere and then read and send the text. In other words, do the same thing on your feet that you are supposed to do in your car. This will cut down on the chances of you walking into or off of things…

Like piers.