Honolulu says Pay Attention or Pay a Fine
Our ability to pay attention has dropped to an all-time low when we can’t even put down our phones for the 10 seconds it takes to cross the street. In an effort to combat this attention deficit, the city of Honolulu, Hawaii, introduced ordinance 17-39. The ordinance introduces fines for people who stare at their cell phones while crossing the street.
A first offense will cost you $35. A second offense within a year of your first offense will cost you $75. Every offense after that will cost you $99.
For the purposes of the Honolulu ordinance, the term “mobile electronic device” means “any handheld or other portable electronic equipment capable of providing wireless and/or data communication between two or more persons…”
Will this have any effect? Will this actually force people to pay attention?
Sadly, I doubt it.
As a society, were far too addicted to our smart phones to bother with such trivialities as making sure it’s safe to cross the street.
The upside, at least for the city of Honolulu, will be the massive influx of cash resulting from these fines.
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