It’s illegal to text and drive in most provinces, but should it be illegal to text and walk?
One Calgary city councillor thinks so, and he’s pushing for police to crack down on what he sees as the dangerous practice of distracted walking.
Ward Sutherland says he’s seen distracted pedestrians walk right through moving traffic without looking up, putting themselves and others at risk. He thinks people who don’t look where they’re going should face some consequences, and he plans to broach the issue with Calgary Police.
“What happened to the old days where you look both ways, and cross the street?” Sutherland told CTV Calgary. He said, nowadays, people are too absorbed by their electronics to notice what’s going on around them.
Sutherland hopes to have a conversation with police about how they can promote a more ‘heads up’ attitude among Calgarians.
“We need to work something out,” he said. “Maybe it’s a ticket like crossing the street in an area that you’re not supposed to.”
Distracted walking is not without its consequences. Last May, a 23-year-old man was hit by a cement truck while crossing the street in Calgary. Police say he was wearing headphones.
But Sutherland’s proposal has been met with mixed reviews.
“It sounds a little bit ridiculous, but it’s definitely got some merit I guess,” said Calgarian Cody Nealy.
“I’m really busy so I usually check my emails on my way back to work,” added Calgary resident Erin Viala. “I don’t really think there’s anything wrong with it, as long as you’re paying attention to a certain degree.”
Still, Viala says she’d probably put her phone away if there was a chance she might get a ticket.
“I think if they warned before – ‘You’re going to get a ticket for it’ – then I would stop doing it,” she said.
With files from CTV Calgary
