Self Accountability, Part Troix

Here we go again, the government is trying to protect us from ourselves. And earn a few extra dollars. The latest plan is to fine New Yorkers $100 for listening to music, talking on a phone, looking at a blackberry, or thumb twiddling while crossing the street, because of three recent deaths related to dumbasses not looking before stepping into the road. Yes, dumbasses.

I'm sorry if they were your friends or relatives, but that doesn't excuse the fact that they leapt before looking. Even in a dominantly pedestrian city, it is customary to look before stepping into the road. Cars are still bigger than we are. They move faster, weigh more, are less fragile and more fixable. Even if we walkers do outnumber them. Let's not get into buses and trucks. Those Hess trucks you see here are full size, none of that kind that fit in your stocking.

And how do the cops know that just because you're wearing an ear bud or two that your device is turned on? I suppose they could check your cell phone log, but an ipod is easily turned off. And what will they do with one cop and 20 pedestrians, who all crossed the street using some kind of device? Now here's something worth giving up music for: the police stun the group with bright lights (thx Jenny :)) then shoot out a giant net to catch everyone in the act, because pretty much everyone who lives here isn't paying attention while walking those 10 blocks to/from the subway, train or bus. Hope you weren't the one oddball not using anything, or you've got a front row seat for this debacle.

I've seen more people almost get hit while chatting with a friend face to face than any other time. It's also possible to be in la-la land and mistake the road for a fluffy cloud. And what about the deaf, who wouldn't hear a truck horn blow either? Can the blind continue to cross the street? After all, they can't exactly look before crossing either.

Here's a thought - let's let idiots go the way of the dodo, because it's going to be the smart users of us all that end up paying extra for them, just the way our tax dollars pay for their cleanup now.

Banned: Gadgets and Street Crossing