My “Textard” Rant
Generally I enjoying walking around downtown, especially with White Dog, but sometimes the other pedestrians can get on my nerves, and I feel like I am ready to explode.
Lately, I’ve been running into, literally, more “Textards”- folks that are wondering around in a zig-zag path while reading or typing text messages on their phones. I feel like I am a magnet sometimes as these people always seem to angle towards me as we approach each other, and they have their head down looking at their phone, not noticing that they are “off course” and about to run into me. These folks get my bloodpressure up as I try to avoid a head-on collision.
In the UK, I heard that they are installing padding on immovable objects on the sidewalks to protect textards who run into them. This seems like a complete waste of money, but I’d bet the pads were implemented after a lawsuit or two. We know that driving while texting is dangerous, if not illegal; when will people realize that texting while walking on busy sidewalks is dangerous too.
Cell phone addicts in public really bother me too. However, it’s at the gym where they really drive me insane. I’ve seen some guys lounge away on weight benches which chatting on the phone.
…and check this out: last Wednesday one guy even came into the sauna with his cell phone! I told him that if he talked on that phone I’d probably blow up. I guess he knew I meant it, because he immediately left the sauna. Good riddance!
At least two downtown gyms ban cell phone use on the workout floor. The YMCA is one of them and I’m not sure about the other. I do know, however, that there is a law against cell phone in the locker room area because of the potential for photography.
March 16th, 2008 at 5:28 pmHey Joe- cell phones are banned at LAAC but there are still some jack-a**es that are too important to turn them off. In the sauna though??? That would irritate me too.
I hope all is good for you and Ruby… keep on blogging!
Eric
March 16th, 2008 at 6:56 pm