By now I'm sure most runners are fed up with having to dodge people driving their cars while looking at their cell phone instead of the road in front of them. I know I am. I try to run away on trails and paths from car and truck traffic as much as I can. Before I get into everything, I must admit I enjoy seeing my Garmin stats on my phone after my run is complete. The watch is all I carry along with a bottle of water. My watch just records my stats, no music or any other bs everyone seems to need to get outside in today's world.
That being said, this past Thursday I was running on the bike path in Santa Clarita when I was nearly hit head-on by a guy on a bicycle. I was running in the walking and running section that is marked off, the cyclists have their own lanes, and this idiot staring at his phone suddenly came over about five feet and forced me to jump out into the dirt. In my younger years I would have just leveled him, maybe I should have this time but I don't heal as quickly as I used too.
Cell phones have really ruined life as us older people used to know it. It's a shame runners today can't seem to go out and enjoy a run without having to listen to music blasting away. Us runners have all been cut off by the clueless runners listening to music and are oblivious to their surroundings as they wander around aimlessly between water stations. On more than one occasion I have had to make my presence known in a physical manner when attempting to pass someone with both headphones in and the music blaring.
Cell phone stupidity has even found it's way to the supermarkets. How many times have we been stuck behind someone in the aisle while pushing our carts, trying to pick up our groceries? I mean come on people, unplug the damn phone and get on with life. There's no reason to push your cart at the pace of a desert tortoise while checking your Facebook, Twitter, or whatever social media thing you can't seem to live without. Just pick up your groceries, check out, and check your precious pretend friends latest comments when you get home.
It was nice last year when I was visiting South Carolina and all of the restaurants and grocery stores had signs stating that you would not be waited on if you were on your cell phone. We need more of that.
If people don't have the common sense and courtesy to stay off of their electronic devices when it affects others then maybe we need to let them know in no uncertain terms to pull their head out, unplug, and try to enjoy life without an electronic device. You might be pleasantly surprised to hear someone say hi, the birds chirping, or the car coming at you with the driver staring at their cell phone.
