{"id":47590,"date":"2014-09-15T09:00:30","date_gmt":"2014-09-15T09:00:30","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/4cd.e16.myftpupload.com\/?p=47590"},"modified":"2014-09-15T06:34:24","modified_gmt":"2014-09-15T06:34:24","slug":"chinese-city-creates-cell-phone-lane-for-texting-pedestrians","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/citifmonline.com\/2014\/09\/chinese-city-creates-cell-phone-lane-for-texting-pedestrians\/","title":{"rendered":"Chinese city creates cell phone lane for texting pedestrians"},"content":{"rendered":"
In a country with a population as large as\u00a0China’s<\/a>\u00a0(over 1.3 billion), unique solutions are sometimes needed for pedestrian management.<\/p>\n With the practice of texting while walking becoming increasingly common, the city of Chongqing recently came up with an idea that may seem ridiculous at first, but could catch on: separate cell phone lanes for pedestrians.<\/p>\n The 100-foot stretch of sidewalk is emblazoned with large signage, in Chinese and English, warning pedestrians to walk in the proper lane.<\/p>\n “Cell phones, walk in this lane at your own risk,” says one, right next to the other lane, which reads, “no cell phones.”<\/p>\n In addition to the painted warnings on the street itself, the city has also posted large signs in the area that read, “First mobile phone sidewalks in China,” with a diagram illustrating how to use the street. According to\u00a0a report<\/a>\u00a0in the\u00a0Telegraph<\/em>, local officials created the lane to remind pedestrians that “it is best not to play with your phone while walking.”<\/p>\n If you’re looking at the images of the street and thinking, “this is ridiculous, people should just be more mindful of their surroundings,” you’re probably right.<\/p>\n However, in recent years, as smartphones have continued to gain in popularity, no amount of pleading\u00a0<\/span>from fellow pedestrians<\/a>\u00a0has managed to stop the zombie hordes of texters walking the city streets with their heads buried in their phones, forcing others to dodge out of the way.<\/span><\/p>\n