China Creates Special Texting Lane for Pedestrians

The Chinese city of Chongqing has become the first city in the world to line out a special walking lane for pedestrians addicted to their mobile phones. The city marked out the new lane for pedestrians as avid phone users began to hold up traffic on the streets. China has a population of 1.3 billion people and its “zombie pedestrians” have been frustrating busy and hurried walkers on the streets, prompting the creation of the special walking route in the city. The new pedestrian lane is clearly painted with the word “cellphones” on the ground, with arrows pointing the way to mark it out as a separate walking lane. Right beside it, another lane with the words “no cellphone” painted on it marks out the route for all those in a rush. Signs have also been hung reading “First mobile phone sidewalks in China” which also give directions on how to use the new lane. Apparently, the new venture was designed to remind tourists that “It’s best not to play with your phone while walking.” The lane stretches 100 feet down the street of the city and the idea for it seems to have grown from a National Geographic project featured earlier this year. The city of Philadelphia in the US also rolled out an April’s Fool prank a few years ago that also featured a lane for texting pedestrians. Over the last few months, more and more warnings have been given to phone addicts to be more vigilant when they are walking due to the rise in the number of pedestrians being knocked down in cities worldwide.