Comments on: E-Tools Of Satan

Dick Meyer Ponders The Nanny State, Mobile Tech And The Decline Of Civilization

[bobebenson]

As long as the pedestrian is crossing the street in accordance to the lights/laws, it's the DRIVER'S FAULT if he gets hit. I think it's tome for a refresher course in pedestrian's right-of-way laws and courteous driving. IPODS, satan or plain old absent mindedness are not the problem. Impatient, arrogant, in-a-hurry drivers are the ones that need to be arrested and turned into pedestrians!

[hwk_i67]

gmcnally,

You need to seriously consider switching to decaf. Or maybe you are one of those people who gets so indignant when a whole cinema tells you to "Shut the he** up!" when you're talking to someone on your cellphone during the movie. Either way, lighten up and unclench a little bit.

[pray2ourlady]

Amen, Amen & Amen. Cell phones and ipods have brought rudeness to a new low. I've dined in a nice restaurant where a man in an adjacent booth sat with his wife and daughter, and spent the whole time on the phone, with not one word to his family. He did take time to eat. Also been in line at a cosmetics counter in an upscale store when the clerk is trying to complete a sale while the purchaser is loudly talking on her cell phone. We have a very popular local frozen yogurt place where the customer is greeted with a conspicuous sign at the counter. Wish that ALL stores had this one: "When you are finished with your cell phone call, we'll be glad to wait on you."

[gmcnally2]

***, did you write this just to generate 15 pages of replies? Maybe you should write a column on homosexual marriage? That always stirs em up. This seems too inane to have been seriously considered.
Let's pass a law to make 'Deaf Person Oblivion' punishable by death, since we cannot fix that yet. Then let's pass laws on not turning out in front of someone on the road, or driving 5 miles under the speed limit. And I think it is because of 'Car Radio Oblivion', so let's make those illegal to listen to. Then let's make every other person in the country a cop to enforce our new laws.
Let's also pass laws mandating courtesy, since that is what seems to be the core issue with so many Baby Boomers. Then let's pass laws against moronic Opinion columns, because all these freedoms are a drag.

[victoriarum]

Unfortunately, the responsibility of law enforcement agency will have to increase and expand to accommodate the rapid changes, and with these new changes, laws should go into affect.

Law enforcement agencies will need to be enforcing these laws not only for the murders but, for those who use technology that is hazardous, regardless of their shape and size.


God Bless.

[tunman-2009]

I work with a bunch of 20 somethings, and everyday they are wired for sound. This creates a culture of isolation in the work place, where you have to wait to for the earplugs to be removed before they will respond to you. Years from now the hearing loss will take its toll, but its all for the moment.

[mcg907]

While the concept of containment is attractive, the reality of attempting to get folks unplugged sounds daunting. Can we envision a time when police officers haunt the crosswalks of America, munching donuts and drinking coffee, just waiting for that next person wearing earbuds will fling themselves into traffic as a sacrificial offering to the god of crossings? "Hey! What about the murder going on down the street?" "Don't bother me, bud, I'm protecting the cars from people in 'iPod oblivion'."

Is this chlorination of the gene pool? Will only the children of iPod users who are adroit enough not to be run over by cars be the new Darwinian winners who live to found a stronger humanity?

As an occasional cell phone and iPod user I remember the "truism" I heard when I moved to the greater Boston area. The difference between Boston drivers and New Hampshire drivers is that one will apologize after hitting a pedestrian while the other will not %u2013 but I can never remember which one it is. Hence, I avoid the need to find out which has just run me down.

As to restaurants, the best method of dealing with the annoyance of people shrieking into a cell phone is to block the signals there. "Gee, sorry we have such bad reception here. Have a cuppa and a biscuit, why don%u2019t cha?%u201D

What did we do before people were plugged into little machines that made noises? Oh, I remember, we talked to each other - face to face. How quaint.

[mcg907]

While the concept of containment is attractive, the reality of attempting to get folks unplugged sounds daunting. Can we envision a time when police officers haunt the crosswalks of America, munching donuts and drinking coffee, just waiting for that next person wearing earbuds will fling themselves into traffic as a sacrificial offering to the god of crossings? "Hey! What about the murder going on down the street?" "Don't bother me, bud, I'm protecting the cars from people in 'iPod oblivion'."

Is this chlorination of the gene pool? Will only the children of iPod users who are adroit enough not to be run over by cars be the new Darwinian winners who live to found a stronger humanity?

As an occasional cell phone and iPod user I remember the "truism" I heard when I moved to the greater Boston area. The difference between Boston drivers and New Hampshire drivers is that one will apologize after hitting a pedestrian while the other will not %u2013 but I can never remember which one it is. Hence, I avoid the need to find out which has just run me down.

As to restaurants, the best method of dealing with the annoyance of people shrieking into a cell phone is to block the signals there. "Gee, sorry we have such bad reception here. Have a cuppa and a biscuit, why don%u2019t cha?%u201D

What did we do before people were plugged into little machines that made noises? Oh, I remember, we talked to each other - face to face. How quaint.