We've all almost been bowled over (or worse) by a pedestrian who was too busy sending out a text message to notice their surroundings.

In Philadelphia, such inconsiderate behavior is now punishable by a ticket and a $120 fine.

It's part of the city's “Give Respect, Get Respect" program, which targets pedestrians paying too much attention to their smartphones, bicyclists who ride on the sidewalk and ignore traffic signals, and drivers who encroach on bike lanes.

When the program launched in May, police were instructed to let most offenders off with warnings.  However, starting in August, more and more violators will be getting citations.

Perhaps pedestrians will then have to use their phones to transfer money into their accounts to make sure they can cover the fine.

 

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