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'Text Walking Lanes': Antwerp Sets Up Temporary Scheme

posted by janrinok on Tuesday June 23 2015, @12:08PM   Printer-friendly
from the look-up,-problem-solved dept.

Phoenix666 writes:

People sending text messages in the centre of the Belgian city of Antwerp have been provided with dedicated temporary "text walking lanes" so that they do not collide with pedestrians.

The initiative - some would say publicity stunt - is the brainchild of a smartphone store based in the city. It says that a significant number of mobile phone breakages happen because of "text walking" collisions. There are now believed to be more mobile phones in the world than people.

Figures released by mobile operators and associated companies show that there are about 7.5 billion mobiles in the world, compared to a world population estimated to be 7.2 billion by the US Census Bureau. The "text walking lanes" may become permanent fixtures

"You probably walk through the streets while texting or sending Whatsapp messages to your friends and don't really pay attention to your surroundings - only to whatever is happening on your screen," a spokesman for Mlab, a smart phone laboratory based in Antwerp, was quoted by Yahoo News as saying.

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  • (Score: 2) by theluggage on Tuesday June 23 2015, @03:11PM

    by theluggage (1797) on Tuesday June 23 2015, @03:11PM (#199914)

    If you're a meanderthal walking along with your eyes fixed to the phone, how will you see the "Text walking lane" sign?

    I'd suggest 6-foot-deep pits - its the only way to be sure. For best results, place in the geometric centre of the path (most humans will instinctively keep to the left or right anyway, but text walkers always proceed along a sinusoidal track down the middle of the path).

    OK, you can put something soft at the bottom if you like. Well, after a few hours there will be something soft at the bottom.

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  • (Score: 2) by francois.barbier on Tuesday June 23 2015, @05:24PM

    by francois.barbier (651) on Tuesday June 23 2015, @05:24PM (#199991)

    OK, you can put something soft at the bottom if you like.

    I suggest snakes or alligators.

    • (Score: 2) by darkfeline on Tuesday June 23 2015, @11:41PM

      by darkfeline (1030) on Tuesday June 23 2015, @11:41PM (#200149) Homepage

      I think water is better. Cushions the fall so no harm comes to the person (less legal issues), destroys the offending electrical device, and creates a loud splash sound to serve as an audible warning to other text-walkers.

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