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Time to Ban Those in 'iPod Oblivion'?? |
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Thursday, 08 February 2007 |
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Some feel pedestrians that listen to music or chat on cell phones while walking into traffic pose a public safety threat.
Boston Herald New York They call it “iPod oblivion,” that fugue state music-loving pedestrians achieve that causes them all too often to shuffle heedlessly into oncoming traffic.
Now a New York State senator wants to ban the walking classes from using their MP3 players, cell phones, Blackberrys and any other distracting electronic devices while crossing the street.
The pol, Carl Kruger of Brooklyn, says he’s heard too many tales of strollers winding up struck by moving vehicles, but Bostonians said yesterday they think his idea sounds off key.’
“There is no MP3 player loud enough that you wouldn’t be able to hear a car honking its horn at you,” said Shawana Jackson, 23, of the South End, who was plugged into her MP3 player while strolling in Downtown Crossing yesterday.
Still, it may be more common for distracted pedestrians to be struck while crossing the streets than iPod devotees would think.
“Today I almost go hit by a bus,” David Adrien of Dorchester declared yesterday, adding, “Someone said ‘stop.’ ”
The 19-year-old, who has everything from rap to reggae to Japanese pop on his pocket-size iPod, said it is irresponsible to have music turned up too loud while crossing streets, but that the proposed law, which would affect only Buffalo, N.Y., and New York City, would likely be inaffective.
“Most people wouldn’t listen,” Adrien said.
Boston City Councilor John Tobin agreed, but added that music lovers and cell phone chatters walking into traffic has become a public safety problem.
“I would hazard a guess that New York City police are too busy to bother with people walking down the street with white buds in their ears,” he said. “You can’t just legislate common sense.”
Shameka Johnson, 15, of Dorchester, believes Kruger’s proposal lacks the right beat.
“Why should you have to turn your music off and put your iPod in your pocket just to cross the street?” she said.
Tobin also questioned the logic behind the legislation, joking that Boston will soon ban walking and chewing gum at the same time.
“Now they’re going to legislate walking single file,” he said.
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