Printable View
I'm a Wall Street Journal reporter working on a story about the hazards of texting while walking. I'd love to hear your funny stories about encounters with lampposts or potholes while you've hit the streets with your nose in your Blackberry.
Please post them here with as much detail as possible or email me at [email protected].
FYI to members - I spoke to dionne about this (so no worries that it's a first time poster... totally legit!!)....
I was in London earlier in the year walking down Oxford street and texting my friend back home(expensive but fun)I was laughing when i receved a reply and the next thing I know I fell off the curb into a construction barricade, on my bum as they say and feet in the air. At least I had pants on and not a skirt! It must be quite a daily occurance there as no one even flinched except for me and the construction workers (quite cute as well). That same trip I was in Paris on the Eiffel Tower taking pics to Email home and it was so windy that it pushed me sideways and I almost dropped my BB over the side! Adrenaline kicked in, I saved the BB but fell into one of the big post or girders or whatever it's called as my friend laughed so hard he almost wet his pants!Not a walking texting hazard but a standing one.
My morning routine includes checking Viigo RSS reads while I feed the dogs on the back patio. I was engrossed in a particular article and wanted to forward it to my brother. I was walking along, texting a note while headed to the back gate. I must have miscalculated where I was in my peripheral vision and accidentally stepped off the back patio - it was only a six inch step-off, but enough to throw me off balance (hey - it was early!). I tumbled forward like I was Rob Petrie in the opening scene of the D.ick Van Dyke show where he trips over the ottoman. Here's where I'm proud of myself - I tucked my BlackBerry in and did a rather impressive (if I do say so myself) tuck & roll. I sprang back to my feet with only the dogs as my witnesses.
I needed an audience so bad - I swear I would have gotten perfect 10's across the board [even from the pesky Soviet Union judge who grades everyone down].
I was at a friend's wedding Saturday.......was texting on my pilgrimage to the keg (frequent visitor I was indeed) when I about ran over the Bride.......Worse........Someone ELSE kept her from falling as I was interested first in making sure my Berry did not get harmed...........
this actually happened to me this morning. i was on my way to the kitchen to pour my first cup of coffee. i was text my ex-girlfriend, and as i'm walking to the kitchen, barefoot, looking at my BB, i hit my pinky toe on a table foot. i was flipping out. good thing i didn't drop my berry though.
Was in Walmart two weeks ago, it was Saturday so it was really busy. I was on messenger with a friend, turned the corner down an isle and knocked down some little kid but he wasn't watching where he was going, lol. He just looked at me, then my BB and shook his head. So little kids beware of the power of the BB.
A few days ago I was txting a friend and talking on my bluetooth while walking out of a local coffee shop to my car. Crossed the street no problem without lifting my head but ended up opening and trying to start someone elses car parked next to mine. Haha, the poor old lady that owned the car freaked out on me.
My girlfriend was walking abd texting(not on a berry:( ) and she walked into a parking meter on the side of the street. I had a good laugh at her.
Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com
Lol my story is not so much of my own misfortune but a testament to how badly addicted I am and how much my peripheral vision has improved since I got it. . . I was walking with a group of friends in Wal-Mart and being engrossed in my BB was at the head of our little group. It was late and there were only a few people around but I noticed a bunch of movement and using my peripherals saw it was some kids playing with those big bouncy balls they have trying to shoot them to the top... Still texting and IM'ing away I stepped aside as one of the balls went astray from bouncing off the rim... only for it to peg my friend behind me in the face who was aside from chatting with the others attentive to his surroundings... :p
i was walking into work this morning and i not only ran into someone i was in a totally different direction LOL! pitiful! yes i was on BBM lol!
Now thats funny!!!! and very alert lol!:)
Lol I thought it was great they were all astounded that I had even seen it!
This is a great story idea, and I'm also working on an angle for a radio station in Seattle, Washington - KOMO 1000 Newsradio. If anyone from the Puget Sound area has a story, or is annoyed by people texting and walking, please shoot me an email! Thanks!
[email protected]
I am not sure if this is still a "work in progress" or if the report has already been made... but I will throw in my $.02 ;)
It always amazes me how many people you see walking around with their noses "buried in their Berries". Many people do not have the slightest idea what is going on in the real world around them... not even a clue. Countless times I have seen people run smack into objects that are stationary because their eyes do not pick up on any moving object to dodge. This ranges from fire hydrants to park benches. :D On my way to class each day I usually see this occur at least once... and counting the times when two "text walkers" run into each other would be pointless! (there are way too many!) The time when this all gets scary is when you have someone texting endlessly while tailgating you on the highway or swerving through busy streets :eek:
Haha.....entertaining thread......
Never try crossing a 4 lane highway and texting at the same time is all I have to say.
Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com
R U ambu-textrous? -- chicagotribune.com
I posted the link of an article about a bill that has been proposed in Illinois "that would ban using a wireless device while crossing streets." The bill mainly targets those who text-walk. Interesting read.
Good thing I'm in Cali otherwise I'd be in trouble! Sometimes I catch myself text-walking as I cross the street which is a big no no. I get so into texting I don't always pay attention to my surroundings. :confused: