China introduces smartphone lanes to stop pedestrians bumping into each other

PEDESTRIANS glued to their mobiles are becoming a serious hazard to themselves and others on the street.
Now China has come up with an ingenious solution — the smartphone lane.
A footpath divided into two lanes for phone users and non-phone users has sprung up in Chongqing city.



Unfortunately, mobile phone users were most likely to take out their phones for a photo of the sign, or miss them completely, Yahoo reported.
In 2010, a group called Improv Everywhere chalked up separate sidewalk lanes for New Yorkers and tourists — the latter being more likely to walk more slowly.
Philadelphia introduced an “e-Lane” for electronic device users in 2012 — but as an April Fool’s Day prank.

The press release from Mayor Nutter’s office read: “Stand on any sidewalk in Philadelphia you will see fellow citizens with busy lives who can’t take the time to look up from their iPhones, BlackBerries and other electronic devices. The E-Lane is a safe and convenient option for those distracted walkers.”
So is the special lane a good idea, or just one big joke?

More and more of us are using our phones while walking. Source: AFP

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