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Using your iPhone in the city? Be careful!

by Mike Schramm Jan 18th 2010 at 9:00PM

I've lived in big cities for almost ten years now, first in Chicago and now in Los Angeles, and I could have told you exactly what this New York Times piece does: that you've got to be careful while using your iPhone while walking the city streets. We've heard about this before with the iPod, but an iPhone offers up even more distraction while walking around -- in between checking email, jumping on Twitter, and/or playing any number of games, it's practically impossible to spend enough attention on where you're walking and what you're doing even on a relatively clear street.

Think it's a joke? Over 1000 people found themselves in emergency rooms in 2008 because they were distracted while walking, says the article, which is twice the number from 2007, which itself was almost double the number from 2006 (and it's probably gotten higher in the last year). That's not to say that we need actual legislation to deal with this (although legislation has been discussed in New York, and there is already legislation on the books in many places against using your phone while driving), but it's something to keep in mind: I put my iPhone away whenever I cross a street, and just plain stop whenever I need to do anything more attention-deserving than switch a song or up the volume.

And it only took me one close call with a moving truck to figure that one out. If you're walking around with your iPhone or iPod in a busy urban environment, be careful out there.

Note: Clarified the statistics above; the 2008 number is approximately four times the 2006 number.


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I've lived in big cities for almost ten years now, first in Chicago and now in Los Angeles, and I could have told you exactly what this New...
 

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28 Comments

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Caspian

Final destination...? Anyway good reminder.

January 31 2010 at 5:22 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
VM

Oh for fuck’s sake.. you can’t legislate the idiots away. Although there in the US you do seem to try very hard. “Content may be hot” eh… :).

January 22 2010 at 4:12 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Dan Mosqueda

I was in Manhattan last week, my iPhone barely worked. In fact, we were on the observation deck in the Empire State Building and I had no signal. None. Sigh.

January 19 2010 at 9:07 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
smokey

**Breaking News**

Using your Mac whilst operating a death machine? Be careful!


I've been using death machines for 10 years now, the first 6 on bone crushing machines and then 4 on person squashing machines and I could have told you exactly what Don't Lose a Limb Monthly does: using a personal computer while using a machine invented to cause as painful a death as possible is running the risk of losing an arm or worse!
We all know Twatting and Facebooking are addictive, but carrying out these activities makes it practically impossible to pay enough attention to where the rotating flails of death are in relation to your own body parts.

Think it's a joke? Over ninety-twelve people found themselves in emergency rooms in 2009 because they were distracted by inane crap on Twatter and not watching where they put their hands!

Don't let it happen to you!

*Public service message brought to you by the Department of the F'in Obvious*

January 19 2010 at 9:58 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
macduke

I thought it was exactly the opposite?

January 19 2010 at 9:03 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Quine

Why did we go and effectively halt evolution.....why?

January 19 2010 at 5:00 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
J

File this under "No Sh** Sherlock"

January 18 2010 at 11:49 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Farid Fadaie

You cannot talk on the phone while driving in many cities in North America but listening to music is something else. I guess it varies for different people. A friend of mine can actually talk, write and listen at the same time while another friend of mine cannot walk when he sneezes (no joke).

January 18 2010 at 11:40 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to Farid Fadaie's comment
Level 5

So.. if he sneezes while walking, does he fall over?

January 19 2010 at 5:17 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Jimbo

Oh please! 1000 people were injured because they were distracted by their phone? I bet more people die from falling off ladders in a single year. Besides, 1000 people in the grand scheme of things isn't worth mentioning. This isn't a problem, but the media would like to make you think it is...

January 18 2010 at 10:27 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to Jimbo's comment
calebhays

I think the author was saying 2007 doubled 2006's numbers, and 2008 doubled 2007's numbers...

January 18 2010 at 10:25 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
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