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City Installs Traffic Lights In Sidewalks For Smartphone Users (washingtonpost.com)
tlhIngan writes: It's finally happened -- the smartphone zombies are here. The German city of Augsburg installed traffic lights in the sidewalks so smartphone users don't have to look up. Apparently people are so addicted to their smartphones they can't be bothered to look up at traffic signals, so embedding them in the ground they don't have to. According to the Washington Post report, the city spokeswoman Stephanie Lermen thinks the money used to install the lights is well spent. A recent survey conducted in several European cities including Berlin, found that almost 20 percent of pedestrians were distracted by their smartphones. Of course, younger people are at higher risk as they're willing to risk their safety to look at their Facebook profiles or WhatsApp messages, the survey found. The problem may be even worse in the U.S: A survey by the University of Washington found that 1 in 3 Americans is busy texting or working on a smartphone at dangerous road crossings. City officials say installing the traffic lights is justified: The idea is to install such traffic lights came after a 15-year-old girl was killed by a tram. According to police reports, she was distracted by her smartphone as she crossed the tracks.
because the phone zombies want to live too
At this point, why rely on visual cues outside of the phone at all? If they're looking at the phone and have location enabled, on-screen notifications could tell them when the light is green. This avoids them having to notice the periphery at all, which is less likely if they're into a particularly intense sexting session or game of Farmville.
We could always use more apps! Where's that app guy..........
>> the collateral damage...caused...these idiots would be unfortunate
Yes, there's nothing more annoying than a two-hour train delay because there are shredded millennials all over the tracks again.
Fortunately, we can look forward to next week's SlashDot story: "New APP warns dumbasses they are currently crossing rails with train approaching." (It could use the phone's microphone to listen for LOUD FUCKING HORNS and DING DING DING DING DING.)
That hits on one that's just had me bamboozled lately. I go to a gym during the winter months for the indoor track. And on different days the track goes different directions, with a big sign right as you enter the track which direction is on which days. I believe this is fairly standard. And it never ceases to amaze me how many people go the wrong way. And it's not like, get on the track and go the wrong way, see people going the other way, go back to check and correct, but like yesterday. Girl was literally weaving through traffic going the wrong way. Like probably 20 people on the track at the time, but stuck to her guns and kept going. She was on there for like half an hour. I was just desperately hoping she doesn't have a drivers license as I'd be terrified that if she went down a one way street the wrong way she'd stick to her guns and keep going. And it typically happens about twice a week. Different people every time. You'd think the swarm of people going the other direction would be a hint, but apparently not.
#RetardHipstersThatFeelTheNeedToHashtagEverything