Beware the ubiquitous mobile phone. It can morph into a dangerous, sometimes deadly, device at the ping of an incoming text.
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Just last week we were cycling along the waterfront, enjoying the beautiful day and the lovely surrounds. A young fellow was peddling casually a few metres in front.
Approaching him at high speed was a serious cyclist, his body hunched over the handle bars, his face set in a determined grimace.
Then we heard the distinct buzz of a smartphone and watched incredulously as the young fellow flipped it open to check out the message.
In that split second of distraction he veered into the path of the racing cyclist. There was no escape. The cyclist collided with him at full tilt and was sent slithering across the concrete, his bike tangling around his legs.
It was an ugly scene. He was an older fellow and he lay there stunned for a few seconds as blood streamed from a nasty gash on his hand and various grazes.
Our young text addict seemed unable to comprehend what had happened and just stood there, still astride his bike and holding his smartphone.
I wrapped a towel around the cyclist's hand as we carefully disentangled his legs. He used some colourful language to berate the young texter who mumbled his apologies.
The cyclist was a tough old fellow, more annoyed that the accident had cut short his 50 kilometre ride than anything else.
He insisted he was OK and finally rode away with his shirt wrapped around his still bleeding hand.
It could have been a lot worse and was a salutary lesson for our young biker: you only have to be distracted by your mobile phone for a second to create mayhem. Kiama widow Kylie Stortz knows only too well how dangerous it can be to drive and text.
Her triathlete husband Jason was killed five years ago by a Dapto teenager who was distracted by his phone as he was driving.
The NSW Centre for Road Safety says texting, surfing the internet or talking on the phone while driving is now rated as one of the top five causes of fatalities on NSW roads, along with speeding, fatigue and drink-driving.
In a recent blitz on phone use while driving, NSW police issued 1000 fines in one day, with one woman caught twice.
It is clearly an addiction and the addicts are indulging their craving everywhere: walking the streets and parks, sitting in cafes, offices and cars. With bowed heads and tunnel vision, they are oblivious to their surroundings, totally absorbed by these slim-line tablets.
Incidents arising from this phone habit can range from the amusing - a female tourist walking off a pier in Melbourne - to the devastating - 20-year-old Brooke Richardson driving head-on into a tree.
Most galling for those people who have been injured or who have lost loved ones through distracted phone use is that the messages are generally puerile and trivial: "sup girly?", "C u soon", "just cruisin town" or simply a smiley face.
Last year, one NSW woman ran under a truck - and miraculously survived - while typing "just finished for the day already whats crakin?".
Accidents happen in the blink of a diverted eye and any one of us can be the next victim.
It's time to switch off and enjoy the moment. Technology has it place but not constantly in your face.