Yes as bloggers we all love social media, or at least we spend a lot of time using it and interacting with other avid social media users, but when is it too much? When do you put the phone down and actually live life? And what about the etiquette of social media? I live in New York, which is a crowded fast paced city where everyone is often in a rush. Many people in New York have busy lives and long commutes and we are dependent upon public transportation, so getting from point A to point B quickly is key. So the last thing you want to deal with is a slow walking, absent minded person with their head down, who is going to be in your way. And the reason they are walking slow with their heads down? No, they are not the walking dead victims of the zombie apocalypse, they are just clueless smart phone users.
the last thing you want to deal with is a slow walking, absent minded person with their head down, who is going to be in your way
I am sure you have seen them, walking headlong in to a crowd and not watching where they are going. News flash, it is not my job to watch where you are going, that is your job. What is so important that you can’t walk a few yards without looking at your phone? Or is it that as a society we can not go ten minutes without being entertained. If the zombie apocalypse were to hit, these folks would be the first to be eaten hands down. I friend of mine confided to me that she intentionally bumps in to these people on purpose. And I must admit I have done this myself from time to time. But at least the worst that can happen is that you trip over yourself. But behind the wheel of car? That is whole different matter.
We all know social media has a dark side but it now has a dangerous side as well. This week it was all over the news that Snap Chat is being sued by a victim of a car accident in which this person suffered brain damage and is permanently disabled. The accident was caused by an eighteen year old women who was using Snapchat’s speed filter while she was driving. She was driving with a pregnant coworker in the car and was trying to reach 100 miles per hour so she could post to Snapchat. Um OK I am not sure who the Einstein was that thought the speed filter for a phone app was a good idea, but suffice is to say Snapchat is going to have their day in court.
it is because of things like this that the generation under thirty are seen as the most self absorbed, self involved, entitled generation ever
This young women then had the gaul to take another selfie in the ambulance with the hashtag “lucky to be alive”. Hmm, how about the hashtag “wakeup you self involved moron.” I think this young woman needs to be held accountable for what she caused, and not just be given a slap on the wrist. I think she needs to do jail time. What kind of young people are we raising? And it is because of things like this that the generation under thirty are seen as the most self absorbed, self involved, entitled generation ever. But are they? Is it them, or the avid availability of social media?
I think the laws around driving and using smart phones and social media need to much more strict—I think they should be just as strict as the laws governing drunk driving. And perhaps this will be the wake up call we need as a society to get out of our own way and realize that maybe, just maybe, there is a world out there that does not revolve around ourselves.
Top image was not taken by the young women while she was driving and this image is NOT a selfie. If you live in the San Diego area in California and need a wedding or lifestyle photographer be sure to check out RececcaMPhotography.com
11 comments
wow I really don’t think snapchat has anything to do with that, this young lady needs to take responsibility for her actions. The filter itself is fun to check when you’re a passenger specially on a plane, why on earth would you be using snapchat while driving smh.
xo
PinkSole
I have to agree every time I’m driving and someone cut me off illegal or last minutes brakes behind me they are on the phone or taking selfie, I scream ” park you vein blank! blank ! and than take a pic idiot”. This is crazy the 18 year old should be held accountable big time she was the one who hit and made the person disable and Snapchat should be sued always looking for ways for people to be on it all day and this filter is insane. I do not have snapchat is hard enough with my hectic schedule to keep up with everything I also do not have FB due to my job. Great post.
Studies show that drivers distracted by smartphones are as incompetent to drive as drunks in term of reaction time. It’s a serious social problem. Thanks for the good post.
A really nice article ! and it’s so true.
http://www.thefashionpanda.be
http://www.thefashionpanda.be
I had read that story and that woman’s actions were absolutely deplorable. I totally agree with you on stricter laws against cell phone use while driving because it’s as dangerous as driving drunk. I’m a blogger and I actually loathe social media and look at it as a necessary evil. I actually have to schedule time to go on social media or else I wouldn’t do it at all.
Wow, that is an amazing and awful story! Driving, while distracted in ANY was in dangerous! I can not believe THEY are suing Snapchat! I hear you about walking in NY.. I want to should heads up! sometimes, but do not. Are we really so busy that we endanger ourselves and others?
xx, Elle
http://www.theellediaries.com/
The young woman who caused the accident should be sued and thrown in prison for life. That is stupidity at its finest and extremely selfish too. This whole social media craze has gone completely out of hand, I mean my own 14 year old son kept talking about selfie and I kept reminding him that if he’s going to put himself out there then always be prepared for someone not lying his picture and making nasty comments.
Shireen | Reflection of Sanity
Whoa I can’t believe I haven’t heard about that Snapchat situation. Fucking outrageous!! Great post!
I totaly agree with you,she should be held accountable
That is so wrong
Oh, my goodness. To use your phone and drive is bad enough, but then to take a selfie in the ambulance… It’s sick.
Allie,
I always love a blog post of such, like yours here. I did’t know about that incident with the young girl and snapchat… sounded so horrific and the scariest thing is that she didn’t feel that she has done something truly damaging… Yes, I do feel that we have taken social media to the next level, the worse level possible. Anything accessible is never a good thing, for me, I believe. Yes, we have become so self-absorbed with our phone and social media, I am guilty of it, I won’t deny it. That’s why I constantly remind myself that I need to unplug more, live life more!
Snapchat is NOT my thing, I just don’t like the idea of taking videos constantly and sharing them with the whole world. I am quite a private person, when it comes to my private personal life. Recently, I experienced first hand, the bad effects of social media scam, it was horrible, I don’t really want to spend my time on Facebook that much anymore.
You highlighted a good point. The girl should be held accountable for her act. It’s someone else’s life we are talking about here. You have such a humour with the walking dead, I am utterly entertained yet horrified by the sad reality of this post! But most definitely a good wake up call for all of us, in general.
Thanks for sharing this, my dearest friend. Hope you are doing great back in NYC!
With love,
Jeann | LUMINNEJ
http://luminnej.blogspot.com