# If you're Texting, don't Walk. Texting and Walking Don't Mix **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 24, 2012, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-texting-dont-walk-texting-and-walking-dont-mix/616668 "2012-03-24T03:34:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2012, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-texting-dont-walk-texting-and-walking-dont-mix/616668/1 "2012-03-24T03:34:45Z")
Be alert. Watch out for the other Texter. Pepper Mill was texting while walking and put her foot down in a place where there was no step. She took a fall and has a possible bone break. Text Responsibly! ---
**Author:** ![swampbear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/swampbear/32/467_2.png) [@swampbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/swampbear)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2012, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-texting-dont-walk-texting-and-walking-dont-mix/616668/2 "2012-03-24T03:42:07Z")
AWWWWWWWWW! Hope she’s okay. ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2012, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-texting-dont-walk-texting-and-walking-dont-mix/616668/3 "2012-03-24T03:44:00Z")
hope she’s not hurt bad. lady in St. Joseph, MI just went off a pier into Lake Michigan doing texting. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2012, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-texting-dont-walk-texting-and-walking-dont-mix/616668/4 "2012-03-24T03:55:53Z")
Pepper’s OK, but she has to wear a Brace for the next six weeks. Hearing about the lady in MI made her laugh out loud. ---
**Author:** ![Washoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ecae2f/32.png) [@Washoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Washoe)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2012, 6:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-texting-dont-walk-texting-and-walking-dont-mix/616668/5 "2012-03-24T06:00:15Z")
A woman in Paris met the same fate recently. She was texting while crossing a bridge, tripped, and fell headfirst over an unusually low point in the railing. Fortunately, she was a strong swimmer and escaped drowning, but the resulting fall left her temporarily in Seine. ---
**Author:** ![BlankSlate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blankslate/32/80_2.png) [@BlankSlate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlankSlate)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2012, 6:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-texting-dont-walk-texting-and-walking-dont-mix/616668/6 "2012-03-24T06:48:36Z")
In NYC, I think of it as dodging the texting-zombies. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2012, 7:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-texting-dont-walk-texting-and-walking-dont-mix/616668/7 "2012-03-24T07:10:45Z")
I realize your OP is meant humourously, but it really can be dangerous (also talking on the cellphone while walking). I don’t know how many times I’ve seen someone walking while distracted and not noticing traffic or other people around them. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2012, 7:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-texting-dont-walk-texting-and-walking-dont-mix/616668/8 "2012-03-24T07:22:45Z")
I recall a thread a while back about a girl who was texting and fell down a manhole. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2012, 7:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-texting-dont-walk-texting-and-walking-dont-mix/616668/9 "2012-03-24T07:47:43Z")
Nitpick: when I fell flat on my face, smashed my Galaxy and injured my toe two weeks ago, I was reading an email. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2012, 7:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-texting-dont-walk-texting-and-walking-dont-mix/616668/10 "2012-03-24T07:59:31Z")
I enjoyed the video of a woman [texting while walking through the mall, and falling into a fountain](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TmTili3NwCk). (And despite the security people watching on camera and laughing at her, the lowly janitor guy with his mop and bucket goes up to her to make sure she’s alright.) ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2012, 11:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-texting-dont-walk-texting-and-walking-dont-mix/616668/11 "2012-03-24T11:56:26Z")
This is how students at the local junior high continue to text despite the ban on cellphones. You walk and text at the same time, with your phone in your pocket, and, somehow the teachers don’t notice. I guess the idea that they might trip and fall is not worth abandoning the thrill of sticking it to the man. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2012, 12:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-texting-dont-walk-texting-and-walking-dont-mix/616668/12 "2012-03-24T12:23:28Z")
> [@Washoe](#): > > A woman in Paris met the same fate recently. She was texting while crossing a bridge, tripped, and fell headfirst over an unusually low point in the railing. Fortunately, she was a strong swimmer and escaped drowning, but the resulting fall left her temporarily in Seine. _throws bananas at **Washoe** _ ---
**Author:** ![postcards](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8e8cbc/32.png) [@postcards](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/postcards)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2012, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-texting-dont-walk-texting-and-walking-dont-mix/616668/13 "2012-03-24T13:03:55Z")
> [@BlankSlate](#): > > In NYC, I think of it as dodging the texting-zombies. [You’re not](http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/mental-mishaps/201007/texting-zombies-the-scourge-text-messaging-in-public) the [only one](http://www.thegrumbler.net/2012/03/zombie-spring.html). [Possible new street sign.](http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-E9A2v200KrE/TlWlFjuwbiI/AAAAAAAAN50/Oyzx6hqPbcU/s1600/screen-capture-1.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Ibanez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/a4c791/32.png) [@Ibanez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ibanez)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2012, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-texting-dont-walk-texting-and-walking-dont-mix/616668/14 "2012-03-24T13:17:07Z")
Don’t text and walk period. I don’t know how many times I have to yell “heads up” to people that are about to walk into me. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2012, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-texting-dont-walk-texting-and-walking-dont-mix/616668/15 "2012-03-24T13:20:13Z")
I just can’t do it. I have to stand still to text. Stupid multitasking people!!! _Shakes fist_ ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2012, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-texting-dont-walk-texting-and-walking-dont-mix/616668/16 "2012-03-24T13:25:08Z")
A while back, I witnessed two head-down texters collide head-on in a city centre pedestrian area - they were both genuinely perplexed as to what had just happened to them (I think they both thought the other person was attacking them because they both kinda cowered/cringed back). ---
**Author:** ![TokyoBayer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tokyobayer/32/13989_2.png) [@TokyoBayer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TokyoBayer)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2012, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-texting-dont-walk-texting-and-walking-dont-mix/616668/17 "2012-03-24T13:29:31Z")
Just today, I was on my bike and a walking texter steppped out into the street right in front of me. Fortunately I could stop in time, but had it been in a car. . . ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2012, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-texting-dont-walk-texting-and-walking-dont-mix/616668/18 "2012-03-24T13:29:43Z")
I think it would make quite a good hidden camera skit to construct a frame and foam fancy dress costume that looks like a section of brick wall, then position yourself in the path of oblivious text-zombies ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2012, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-texting-dont-walk-texting-and-walking-dont-mix/616668/19 "2012-03-24T13:30:56Z")
How do we send this thread to every teenager on Earth? ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2012, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-texting-dont-walk-texting-and-walking-dont-mix/616668/20 "2012-03-24T13:38:41Z")
> [@FoieGrasIsEvil](#): > > How do we send this thread to every teenager on Earth? SMS [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-texting-dont-walk-texting-and-walking-dont-mix/616668.md?page=2)