Belgium City Sets Up a Special Lane for Pedestrians Who Can’t Stop Texting

It is quite common for people to bump into each other because they are too preoccupied with their smartphones. Another typical scenario, instead of looking left or right before crossing the street, people are steadily studying their mobile screens. Both the cases may lead to unnecessary collisions and can be a cause for serious injury. 

Following its success in China, the forward-thinking European country, Belgium, has launched the perfect solution for this problem and is already proving a hit among texting fanatics.

The solution is Text Walking Lanes. Antwerp, Belgium, has given its smartphone users their own designated lanes, where they can walk while texting or looking at their mobiles, without the risk of bumping into someone and dropping their phones. The path is marked as ‘Text Walking Lane’ and is marked with a bright, highly visible white paint.

Dietrich Jehle, professor of emergency medicine at the University at Buffalo, said,

When texting, you’re not as in control with the complex actions of walking. While talking on the phone is a distraction, texting is much more dangerous because you can’t see the path in front of you.

This temporary arrangement was the brainchild of a smartphone company based in the city. They say that a significant number of mobile phone breakage is due to ‘text walking’ collisions. This idea received equal criticism, some welcoming the idea while others wonder to what level of dependency has the human race stooped down to.

Let us try to apply such a change here in India. Our country has the second largest population in the world, and more than half of it owns a mobile phone. Among this is a good amount of people who just duck their heads into their mobile screen. So, yes, the probability of bumping onto another commuter while walking is very high. Because of this reason, Texting Lanes could be welcomed here in India. But, for achieving this, space and infrastructure are imperative factors. With almost 40% of India living in urban cities, is it possible to make space for people to text-and-walk, when there isn’t even enough area demarcated for walking? 

Comment and let us know about your thoughts on ‘Texting Lanes’.