Walk, talk, text ... BAM! CRUNCH! DEAD! (photo: abcnews)

This is one time “walk the talk” is a bad idea

I am not sure we need a study or poll to tell us this but there is one that says, “ Texting while walking can be a distraction.”  Reality tells us even more: It can get you killed.

In the town of Fort Lee, New Jersey (across the Hudson from NY), population 35,000, the police now issue $85 tickets if you are caught texting while walking. Because they have had three fatal pedestrian accidents this year. Thomas Ripoli, chief of the Fort Lee Police hopes the crackdown on people who display dangerous behavior while walking and texting will make his town safer.  According to the New Jersey Record, over a 117 tickets have been issued so far. Eric Lamberg, co-author of the study, told Long Island Business News, “We want to raise awareness that a real disruption occurs because of texting. Texting disrupts your ability much more than talking.”

Hey you! Look up ... the light is red, the bus is big (photo: libn.com)

Of course, in our social media crazed culture not everyone is on board with the idea of $85 tickets. One woman, Sue Choe, said, “When I walk I still look around. I’m not like constantly looking down the whole time.” Yeah, that’s what the more than 5,500 people said last year before they were killed while driving, texting and talking on their phone (see earlier blog: “Hey Mom, I’ll be home soon … I think”). Another woman complained that the tickets were “a lot of money.” So stop walking and texting. Sit down, take a break, enjoy life. Besides, $85 is not too much to pay if it helps you overcome your addiction.