Well it would seem that walking and chatting or texting on cell phones is more hazardous than one would believe.
A study conducted by 118 118, a phone directory service, found that one in 10 people has been hurt while focusing on their cell phone instead of where they were walking, ITN reports.
The study claims that 68,000 people were injured in the U.K. last year while chatting or texting on their cell phone, Infomatics reports.
I don't know what to think about this, I have done this as well, although not run into anything or anyone, nor have I hurt myself. I agree that once you start texting you lose your sense of what is around you, but put pads on every lamp post? Not only will that look horrible, who will be cleaning them? Who will maintain them? What a can of worms that will be.
Maybe cell phone manufacturers could put a sensor into the phone that will not allow the text/chat feature to be used when it senses a walking motion, that way you have to stop to text? Or they could put sensors on the lampposts, trash cans, vending machines, so that your phone will dim or beep, or shock you when you are approaching one of these injury inflicting obstacles. Or heaven forbid, maybe people with cell phones could be a little more responsible and pay attention to where they are walking!
