Police in the not-so-distant Jersey  ‘burb of Fort Lee are demanding that pedestrians step lively — and not text while they walk on public streets. A new law fines distracted pedestrians $85 for texting while walking, and according to The Record, 117 tickets have been issued since March.

Fort Lee Police Chief Thomas Ripoli calls texting “a big distraction” that has led to a number of deadly pedestrian and auto accidents. Initially, police would warn distracted pedestrians, as well as jaywalkers, of the new law before issuing tickets. Police in the North Jersey towns of Paramus, Bergenfied, Fort Lee and Montclair have also used decoy police officers to enforce jaywalking laws. In Montclair, according to NorthJersey.com, “motorists continued to give walkers the right of way long after the program ended.”

There is factual evidence behind the dangers of texting while walking. ABC News cited a Stony Brook University study which found that 60 percent of texters could not walk in a straight line.

So Baristaville, do you think this ban is over the top? Or would you like to see your own communities adopt similar laws? Tell us in our poll!

[polldaddy poll=6229239]

Photo: Wikipedia

14 replies on “Putting the Brakes on Texting While Walking”

  1. In my 20’s, living at Dupont Circle in Washington, I got a jaywalking ticket. But then, as now, there’s no requirement for ID for pedestrians — so I quickly made up a fake name and address on the spot and threw the ticket away.

  2. This title is misleading. Texting while walking is not illegal. The tickets have been issued for jaywalking which, while not often enforced, has been illegal all along.

  4. Just another “big brother” deal. Has anyone ever watched kids negotiate sidewalks while texting? It appears to be effortless. As for walking in a straight line, well I can’t always do that even without texting.

  6. In a perfect world, I would like to see people police themselves in these matters.

  8. So in order to get out of a traffic violation, you’d advise people to commit an actual crime?
    2C:29-3

  9. I don’t know if I’d “advise” anybody to do what I did in my 20’s. But it did work!

  10. Hobbes, here’s the way I see it. Run the red light… see the flashing lights… leap out of the car… say you were an uninvolved jaywalking pedestrian! Go on, give it a try, and let us know how it goes… 😛

    p.s. you should post more often, so I can see my favoritest cartoon character of all time on a consistent basis!

  11. First of all, as RoC points out, Texting while walking is not illegal, and the tickets were issued for Jaywalking – this story (and the many others all along the internets) are misleading, at best.

    The attached article in The Record is also inaccurate and (I suspect deliberately) misleading. It states that NJ’s Jaywalking law is “loosely defined as failing to yield to traffic while crossing a street on foot outside crosswalks or against a sign or signal”

    That’s only part of NJ’s Jaywalking law – 39C.39:4-33 (d):

    No pedestrian shall leave a curb or other place of safety and walk or run into the path of a vehicle which is so close that it is impossible for the driver to yield or stop.

    Like most folks, I would have no problem with cops giving tickets to pedestrians for that dangerous behavior. However, I suspect most of the tickets were given for violation of the other half of NJ’s Jaywalking law – 39C.39:4-33 (a):

    Pedestrians shall not cross a roadway against the “stop” or red signal at a crosswalk, whether marked or unmarked, unless otherwise specifically directed to go by a traffic or police officer, or official traffic control device.

    And, absent creating an actual danger, I would have a real problem with cops giving tickets just because the light is red. It’s just a short walk down that road to the Neo-fascism of Los Angeles.

  12. I guess no one has been walked into by a texting walker? Too bad, it’s fun! It’s almost as fun as having a shopping cart run into your feet from behind. People, for your own safety…use your heads…all two of them.

  13. There are many things in life that are not pleasant, Kat – shall we start ticketing folks for all of them?

  14. No, Carl, we shouldn’t ticket people for all of the unpleasant things. Too bad we even have to have this dialogue…that’s the deeper message. This “me me me” society is sad; there is no longer concern about how your actions impact others…too bad tickets for inconsiderate behavior or bad manners can’t be issued. 🙂

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