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Letters | Why Hong Kong does not need a separate lane for text-walkers
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I am writing in response to a recent article which suggests a connection between accidents involving pedestrians and prevalent smartphone use.
It is easy to understand why people focus on their smartphones even when they are crossing the road. Folk in the heads-down tribe are reluctant to shift their attention to the traffic situation from their phone screens because of countless entertaining mobile phone apps, which liberate them from the tedium of the daily commute. Never mind that this often puts them in the way of oncoming traffic, with grim consequences.
Some people in Hong Kong are calling for the introduction of designated text-walking lanes, which some cities in mainland China are reported to have implemented, so as to separate safe pedestrians from the reckless ones who are unable to take their eyes off their mobile screens.
But I believe this will only encourage risky behaviour. If text-walkers get their own lane, they will not fully realise the dangers of using mobile phones on the road. Also, when the lane comes to an end, they still have to cross the road but they might forget to look out for traffic. Instead of protecting smartphone addicts from themselves, designated text-walking lanes could leave them more careless and accident-prone.
Joanne Ko, Kwun Tong
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