Smart Phones - Dumb People

The smart phone trend is a tidal wave and there is no turning back. I am not proposing that we turn back or give up our technology but rather use it in the appropriate places and times. I can think of, as I am sure any of you can, at least 10 times when I have seen someone using their smart phone at a time or place that was inappropriate. Some of these times may not have been inappropriate but the way their usage progressed it made them, in a word - DUMB!

This picture is of a lamp post that is wrapped in padding in what I assume is a staged photo as commentary on exactly what I am talking about.
Today I followed a regular slow walking person up a stairway (I walk quickly up stairs) but I was happy to follow them slowly at first. There was only about 20 stairs but before they got half way they had crawled to nearly a stop and after I passed them it was more than 30 seconds later that they finally completed the remaining 10 steps. This was all due to their inability to delay the gratification of checking their Tweets, Book of the Face, etc. on their so called smart phone for an additional 10 seconds until they were off the stairs!

I know many of you (maybe even most) have talked on your phone while driving despite the silly laws that are increasingly beign enacted to curb this. Many of you have probably even texted while driving - probably not the best idea - but the incessant checking to see if there is a new status update at each stop light that people do is also a little over the top.

My intention is not to use this space for ranting but I especially wanted to point out how the person on the stairs had so much trouble walking and looking at their phone. I can't imagine if they had to "walk and chew gum" at the same time, what would happen? Maybe if they had to walk, chew gum and look at their phone at the same time they would have an accident that would get them nominated for a Darwin Award.