The ban on watching your phone screen while walking came into effect on Wednesday in a city on the outskirts of Yokohama, near Tokyo, a first in Japan.
Travelers arriving at Yamato station were greeted by messages on banners announcing that it was now prohibited to consult their smartphone while walking on public roads and in city parks, AFP noted on the spot.
“The use of smartphones while walking is prohibited. Please use your smartphones after you stop walking, “warned a recorded female voice, near men, surgical masks on their faces, silently holding the banners.
This ban adopted at the end of June by the municipality does not however provide for sanctions against recalcitrants. Rather, local authorities rely on information campaigns to enforce it.
Few people glued to their smartphone screens while on the move were visible on the streets of Yamato on Wednesday, but the pouring rain was probably for something.
Kenzo Mori, a 64-year-old resident of Yamato, welcomed the municipality’s initiative.
“I often see people using their laptops while walking. They do not pay attention to their environment. Elderly people cannot always avoid them, “he told AFP.
Arika Ina, 17, also considered the habit dangerous, but questioned the need to ban it formally.
“I don’t think we need a text to ban it. You can avoid (this behavior) by simply being more attentive to others, she said.
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