$100 fines for walking and gaming

Many PlayStation Portable and Nintendo DS owners who use their handhelds on their daily commutes may be familiar with the sinking sensation of realising they've missed their stop after getting too involved in a game. However, most pedestrians seem to manage to put down their handheld long enough to check that they're not stepping into oncoming traffic.

It would seem, though, that some people just can't tear themselves away. New York State Senator Carl Kruger told Reuters that three pedestrians in the Brooklyn district have been killed since September by traffic after stepping into a road while using an electronic device that distracted them from looking where they were going. In one case, a device prevented someone from hearing warnings from other pedestrians to "watch out!"

Kruger commented, "What's happening is when they're tuning into their iPod or BlackBerry or cell phone or video game, they're walking into speeding buses and moving automobiles. It's becoming a nationwide problem."

The legislation will be introduced today to ban the use of electronic gadgets, including portable game machines, BlackBerrys, mobile phones, and iPods, while crossing the road. Those who ignore the ban could face a fine of $100.