City Creates Sidewalk Lanes for "Cellphone Zombies"

[The New California Republic]

A city in China has created special "lanes" on the sidewalk for the so called "Cellphone Zombies" that can be seen almost everywhere nowadays. If you are one of the few lucky people that has never encountered one, here is my own description of them: a cellphone zombie is an inconsiderate person that uses their cellphone while walking along the sidewalk, in a manner that makes them oblivious to the world around them, causing them to collide with other people using the sidewalk. Usually the person is looking down at the phone screen. Their inability to reasonably comprehend and react to the world around them, but still carry on moving, is why the term "zombie" is applied to them. When other sidewalk users protest at collisions with a cellphone zombie, the zombie will typically only respond with grunts and groans (much like a zombie), and carry on regardless.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-news-f ... e-44383449

The cellphone/smartphone/mobile phone zombie phenomenon is one of my biggest annoyances with modern living. Even the sight of them is now enough to make me grind my teeth with rage, regardless of whether their behavior is actually directly affecting me or not.

What say you, NSGeneral? Does this scourge of modern living annoy you in the same way? Is it even a problem at all? Is the phenomenon more prominent in some cultures more than others, or is it a universal trend in any country with extensive cellphone usage?

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And, just as a final word if you are outside, viewing this thread on a phone or other portable device: please have some consideration for other sidewalk users. It really isn't too much to ask...

[Herrebrugh]

I refer to them as "unguided projectiles".

But I don't really mind. I've also not collided with anyone yet because of this, though I think I've had some near-misses

It's just striking to see such a rapid change (with the amount of people you see using a mobile phone when looking around on the street).

[The Empire of Pretantia]

I propose they instead have an elite team of police officers who instead go around and slap cellphone zombies in the back of the head.

[Oil exporting People]

I propose they instead have an elite team of police officers who instead go around and slap cellphone zombies in the back of the head.

Preferentially with Poleaxes.

[The Empire of Pretantia]

I propose they instead have an elite team of police officers who instead go around and slap cellphone zombies in the back of the head.

Preferentially with Poleaxes.

This is China, they use monk shovels.

[Hammer Britannia]

I propose they instead have an elite team of police officers who instead go around and slap cellphone zombies in the back of the head.

Preferentially with Poleaxes.

I concur

[Ifreann]

Yes, people who probably actually are paying attention to where they're going should be summarily executed. That's not insane.

[The Empire of Pretantia]

Yes, people who probably actually are paying attention to where they're going should be summarily executed. That's not insane.

Agreed.

[An Alan Smithee Nation]

Are they expecting people oblivious to the world around them, to notice the lanes, and use them? Seems unlikely.

[Farnhamia]

Has anyone thought that perhaps these people are escapees from Qin Shi Huang's Terracotta Army? The Emperor's tomb is near Shanxi, where these lanes have been created, as is his capital Xianyang and the later Han capital, Chang'an.

[Xmara]

It’s real? It almost sounds like something you’d read on the Onion.

I’ve had my encounters with them back in high school in the hallways. Practically have to shove them out of the way to get to class on time.

[Petrasylvania]

So Stephen King was right?

[Shamhnan Insir]

Witnessed plenty of people walking out in front of cars and trams. Perhaps natural selection will play a role and push evolution towards not looking a your screen all day, or perhaps additional eyes.

[Anywhere Else But Here]

Most passive-aggressive city planners ever. I can approve of that, at least.

[Kramanica]

Somehow even when I'm on my phone while walking I'm still capable of avoiding obstacles in my path, not bumping into people and knowing where I'm going.

[Barboneia]

We live in a society.

[Coolao]

Witnessed plenty of people walking out in front of cars and trams. Perhaps natural selection will play a role and push evolution towards not looking a your screen all day, or perhaps additional eyes.

Pretty much how I've always seen it.

Let the zombies weed themselves out.

[Purpelia]

I propose they instead have an elite team of police officers who instead go around and slap cellphone zombies in the back of the head.

Just make it legal to run them down dead if they happen to cross into the roadway in an illegal way.

[Joriker]

This is a bad idea. They pretty much think that phones are bad for our world.

[The New California Republic]

This is a bad idea. They pretty much think that phones are bad for our world.

In the current context, who is "they"?

[Joriker]

This is a bad idea. They pretty much think that phones are bad for our world.

In the current context, who is "they"?

The city that was mentioned in the article.

[The Lone Alliance]

Witnessed plenty of people walking out in front of cars and trams. Perhaps natural selection will play a role and push evolution towards not looking a your screen all day, or perhaps additional eyes.

Pretty much how I've always seen it.

Let the zombies weed themselves out.

I'm reminded of the one time I was visiting a state capitol when all the Lobbyists went on lunch break, they paid almost as much attention to traffic, almost like assuming "I'm so rich and powerful I can just sue the pants off of anyone who hits me and win"

[The New California Republic]

In the current context, who is "they"?

The city that was mentioned in the article.

No, they don't think that phones themselves are inherently bad, they think that the way some people use them is bad...

[Katganistan]

Witnessed plenty of people walking out in front of cars and trams. Perhaps natural selection will play a role and push evolution towards not looking a your screen all day, or perhaps additional eyes.

Invariably, it is the driver who is legally at fault even if the Darwin Awardees have stepped out in front of them from between parked cars against the light.

[Cannot think of a name]

If you're one of these pillars of society that eschews your cell phone and the real time information it can provide for you no matter where you are while walking down the street because of your superior sense of self in society, surely you can see these 'zombies' coming and avoid running into them all on your own with your unfettered and enlightened awareness of the world around you? Or is whatever it was you were distracted by that you also didn't notice this clear troglodyte (who could not possibly been using their device to connect to someone or find their way or get updated information important to whatever they're doing and must be doing something deridible like looking at cat videos or whatever hacky assumption we can make) so much more important?

"People and their cell phones" is such a hacky premise, it needs to go on the pile bits about airport food.