Pavement Traffic Lights for Mobile Phone Users

izzop

izzop

izzop

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Is this a step too far (no pun intended)...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-38992653

They're running a trial in Holland where they've installed pavement lights for mobile phone users you are too busy/distracted to look up from their screens to see if it's safe to cross the road.

I can see the good intention in having such a thing installed, but I also feel that it's more of a negative thing and catering to the needs of these so called "Zombies". A view shared by a spokes person from the Dutch Traffic Safety Association: -

"It's not a good idea to help mobile phone users look at their phones," said Jose de Jong of VVN, the Dutch Traffic Safety Association.

"We don't want people to use phones when they're dealing with traffic, even when walking around.

"People must always look around them, to check if cars are actually stopping at the red signals."
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Or we could get the phone coding boffins to use step data in reverse, as in if it senses footsteps, the phone will not display anything to the zombies that should be looking where they are going.

Could even be extended to detect driving and riding, winner winner chicken dinner, I claim my 10% worldwide intellectual property commission.;)
 
would this be good for visually impaired? seems a lot bigger and brighter than normal lights, although pretty much all now beep as well.
 
Glaucus said:
would this be good for visually impaired? seems a lot bigger and brighter than normal lights, although pretty much all now beep as well.
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Majority of crossings have beepers and tactile cones for visually impaired. They are "trained" to feel the cone under the button that spins when the green man is up when diagnosed. Its how blind people cross the road.
 
I would be tempted to call it evolution in action.

But then I can manage to tear my eyes away from a phone for long enough to deal with the real world in relative safety.
It amazes me that one of the local cyclists hasn't been killed yet, I keep seeing the same idiot riding hands free on a busy road texting (or playing pokemon go or something).
 
NoobCannon said:
Majority of crossings have beepers and tactile cones for visually impaired. They are "trained" to feel the cone under the button that spins when the green man is up when diagnosed. Its how blind people cross the road.
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along with the bumps on the pavement that indicate a crossing.

i've had 2 people walk into me in the last week while on their phones. Granted, that is because I see them coming and just stand there, hoping it will teach them a lesson. Although I did laugh at the 70 year old the other week chasing pokemon :D
 
NoobCannon said:
If people are dumb enough to walk into traffic whilst engrossed in thier phones. I consider it natural selection
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Which is all well and good until I'm the one lying on the tarmac with a broken bike while they're stood there like nothing happened.

I actually had a girl walk straight out into my path a couple of months back, luckily I'd spotted her just blankly staring down at her phone on her approach so had an idea what was going to happen.

I was still surprised when she didn't glance up or look around in any way before walking into the middle of the road and even more surprised when I dropped anchor stopping about 4ft from her and red lined my bike in the hope she'd at least look and think "**** that was close" yet again not a flicker of any recognition her head did not move and her eyes never left her phone screen.

Absolutely ****ing mental.
 
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