There’s plenty of endings to the joke “Why did the chicken cross the road?” but there is only one ending if you’re using your mobile device and not paying attention near buses. And that is no joke! There was an incident in Canberra early in July involving a person using their mobile phone whilst crossing the road in front of a bus. Thankfully the bus driver tooted the horn which alerted the individual to look up and get out of the way. Thanks to the driver being alert, the individual narrowly escaped death. This is too often a story we hear about in the news and the community.
Mobile phones and devices play a very important part in our lives so there’s no denying that or resisting the trend. What we mustn’t forget though is outside of that screen there is the real world. As a result of the latest Pokemon Go craze , we are seeing an increase in passengers being distracted by their mobile device. Unfortunately in the real world, the meaning of GAME OVER is serious injury or death.
Our drivers have shared with me concerns about passengers, especially children, being distracted because they’re playing Pokemon Go. Yes it’s an inconvenience to miss the bus or miss your stop, but things get much more serious if passengers are not paying attention whilst waiting at our bus stops for the bus or for their Pokemon Go eggs to hatch.
I would encourage all parents, teachers and adults to lead by example and also educate children on the appropriate use of mobile devices. For more information, please read and distribute our “safety tips for students”.
Phil Young
Operations Manager
