Walking and Texting- Laws to Protect Those Who Cant Look Up

I recently heard a story on Good Morning America (that's another post) that talked about how two states (guess which two) are considering laws banning texting while WALKING. In the event that you were one of the very lucky few that havent seen the ridiculous video of the woman falling in the fountain while walking let me give you the highlights- a woman is walking and texting in a mall, she gets close to a fountain, doesnt notice it (even though i am sure it makes noise) and then falls in, she looks around and climbs out. I was unlucky enough to hear the woman talking about it on Good Morning America- and it just confirmed to me that if you fall into a fountain while walking and texting there is a chance you might deserve it. Anyway enough of the heartless ramblings, okay so this woman fell into the fountain, and wouldnt you guess it sparked a debate about wheither or not people should be allowed to walk and text. I agree that there should be laws regulating texting and driving (because realistically there are lives at stake), but walking and texting? I heard one "expert" say that walking and texting is a serious concern in the US, that every year people are maimed (yes maimed) and even killed as a result of this action, and that we need to protect the public's health. I took a step back, seriously? Protect the health of the public? If you are dumb enough to walk and text and fall into a fountain, fall in a manhole (that was an example), or walk in front of a moving vehicle is there really much a law is going to do for you? If the laws attempting to regulate texting and driving have seen minimal success, what makes anyone think the laws regulating walking and texting are going to do anything but spark blog posts like this one? I feel like this topic belongs in a Jeff Foxworthy or Bill Engvall skit- something with a title like "the stupid tax" 0r an addition to Engvall's "here's your sign" bit. Really? Really? writing and passing a law that deals with this issue sounds like a waste of time, ink, and paper.

I am in full agreement that texting has gotten out of hand. Have you met the people addicted to texting? I want to take their irritating little phones and smash them under my 3 inch heels. I think there is a point where people need to come out of their bubbles, where the iPods and phones need to find a home in a pocket or purse and not in the open, but I dont think we need laws regualting their usage while WALKING.

So this story made me decide one thing- I want to be the texting police. I want to be the one that takes the phones from the teens and 20 somethings and chuck them into the road. I want to write irritating people tickets for being too self absorbed to look up, and most importantly, I want to be the one to push texters into fountains- because let's face it- who doesnt want that job?