Mandatory helmets for pedestrians? (Wizbang)

It's just a slippery slope away. In London, they perceive a public health problem from people using cell phones, mainly for text messaging, running into things. Their solution? Make stuff softer, reports Fox News:

A London street is experimenting with padded lampposts to protect those not paying attention from banging into them, ITN reports.

A study conducted by 118 118, a phone directory service, found that one in 10 people has been hurt while focusing on their cell phone instead of where they were walking, ITN reports.

The test lampposts will be given a trial run in London's East End on Brick Lane. If the trial is successful it will be rolled out in Birmingham, Manchester and Liverpool.

The full story is at the link above. There was a time when people learned to watch where they were going BY bumping into or tripping over things. A few falls or bonks on the noggin, and maybe you began to get the idea on your own. If you didn't, you were either run over or you beat yourself to death through your inattention, strengthening the gene pool by removing inferior contributors.

"Learn by your mistakes" has, of course, proved too onerous a responsibility for the modern human, who blames all his problems on society and expects immediate solutions be provided him. So we will have to line all streets with NASCAR-like "Safer barriers" and provide a dense 8" foam covering on all hard surfaces in public areas. All citizens will be required to wear helmets and elbow- and knee-pads when subjecting themselves to any physical risk.

If, by some unforeseen calamity, you manage to get hurt anyway, you'll just have to sue. But then, things will be okay. A softer world for everyone - especially the children. And we must protect the children. They are the future, or hadn't you heard?

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Comments (6)

Well, since the government ... (Below threshold)

1. Posted by Faith+1 | March 8, 2008 6:21 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

Faith+1:

Well, since the government is responsible for their health they are forced to make people behave in certain ways. The government will have to end up telling people how to watch where they are going.

Posted on March 8, 2008 06:21

Note to people that walk in... (Below threshold)

2. Posted by BPG | March 8, 2008 7:38 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

BPG:

Note to people that walk into things while talking on their all-to-important cell phones (and this really goes to you drivers too...):

Here's a crazy idea - hang up the damn phone! What could possibly be so important?

Posted on March 8, 2008 07:38

Absurd!... (Below threshold)

3. Posted by Jer | March 8, 2008 8:40 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

Jer:

Absurd!

Posted on March 8, 2008 08:40

Why don't they just outlaw ... (Below threshold)

4. Posted by elisa | March 8, 2008 11:20 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

elisa:

Why don't they just outlaw texting while walking?

/sarc

Posted on March 8, 2008 11:20

As someone who has lived in... (Below threshold)

5. Posted by marc | March 8, 2008 2:07 PM | Score: 1 (1 votes cast)

marc:

As someone who has lived in the Philippines for the last seven years, a place officially ranked as the #1 text capital of the world, the Brits running into padded or unpadded poles surprises me little.

I can't count high enough to list the number of times I've been bowled over by idiots here as they attempt to walk and text at the same time.

At this point I'm not sure what keeps me from knocking some on them ass over tea kettle when it happens.

They deserve that and more.

Posted on March 8, 2008 14:07

They should pat attention t... (Below threshold)

6. Posted by Spurwing Plover | March 11, 2008 11:26 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

Spurwing Plover:

They should pat attention to what their doing and quit walking around with their eyes closed

Posted on March 11, 2008 11:26

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