There might be hundreds or thousands of people using smartphones to text or call with headphones to listen to songs while walking down the busy streets of Dubai. People think it is very important to attend to these things, forgetting about their own safety and surroundings.
Yesterday, as usual, I went out for my evening walk. Suddenly a man ran into me on the footpath. He apologised and continued to walk forward. I saw him texting someone on his phone. He was in a hurry to get somewhere and crossed the road without even paying attention. Luckily, he didn’t get hit by a car as he crossed since a car was on his next collision course. Unlike him, the driver of a vehicle passing was alert enough to apply his breaks. Everything that happened in front of me looked like a clip from an action movie, but indeed it was real.
When we speak to someone on cell phones while walking or listening to music, we stop paying attention to our own surroundings and safety. When we text someone while walking, our mind deviates from things we really need to be watching.
Nowadays, there is the Pokemon Go fever on the rise. This can also lead to inattention and can cause fatal accidents. People are running into things, trespassing and, generally, being inconsiderate to the people around them in the real world.
We need to be careful while walking or crossing roads. It’s not only the duty of drivers, but also the responsibility of pedestrians to be more careful in order to avoid any accident.
Our safety is in our hands. Alert today, alive tomorrow.
- The reader is a student based in Dubai
