New York Ban on Talking, Walking

I heard on the radio today....way over here in Singapore....that a state senator from Brooklyn said on Tuesday he plans to introduce legislation that would ban people from using an MP3 player, cell phone, Blackberry or any other electronic device while crossing the street in either New York City or Buffalo. Apparently pedestrians are so tuned into these things they are being struck by moving vehicles. Well I'm not sure how you feel about that but let me tell you how it is over here. Here in Singapore it is a common site to come up to a cross-walk in your vehicle and have a pedestrian step out, never looking to see if anyone is coming all while either SMS-ing someone one their cell phone, talking on their cell phone or listening to music. THEY NEVER LOOK UP!! You want to know why this is? Why are they so comfortable knowing that they aren't going to get creamed by a bus? It's because over here most of the cross walks are painted with the wide black and white strips and there are black and white stripe painted light poles on either side with blinking lights at the top. They have total right-of-way. If their foot reaches the cross-walk before you do then you have to stop. Let me tell you though...imho they should bear some of the responsiblity for their own safety by looking to make sure it is safe to cross. Drivers do get distracted, especially over here! Nine times out of 10 when I look to see why the idoit driver next to me can't stay in his lane it's because he's on his/her cell phone or SMS'ing someone WHILE they are driving! They aren't supposed to be but they all do it. I can tell you I don't just blindly walk across those things! I doubt New York driver's would be easy to train to not speed up to try and beat a pedestrian to the cross walk. If people are stupid enough to walk out in the road and not look first it's their responsibility, I don't think the government should be responsible. What do you think? MSNBC Story - click here.