Met an old friend today.

[BillMasen]

So on the way back from the newsagents this morning in the distance I saw an old friend come out of another shop and start walking away from me, We were great mates but had not seen each other in a few years, I shouted his name, no reply, I sped up my walking pace and shouted to him three more times, I eventually caught up with him as he paused, I shouted " Dean" and put my hand on his shoulder.................. He must have jumped 6 ft straight up, screamed and dropped his phone.
I said " Why did not not stop when I shouted you?" he took some mini ear phones out of his ears and said " Bill I never heard you". I could have been a mugger, terrorist, knife maniac, runaway vehicle or any threat and he would NEVER have heard the approaching threat until it was to late. So my friends if you have these ear pods/ buds/ phones LEAVE THEM AT HOME before you become an easy victim. Your ears are not just for listening with they are an essential SENSE to warn you of impending danger.

 

[bigpaul]

that's modern lifestyle for you. bloody dangerous, the amount of times I've seen people on their mobile phones walk straight out into traffic or people with earphones not hearing the car coming up behind them.

 

[Brent S]

Unfortunately my ear pods are hearing aids. Without them, or electricity to recharge them I’m as deaf as your friend was. I’ve learned to cope, but hearing loss is much more disabling than most realize. The best thing you can do is protect your hearing while you still have it as once it’s gone it dosent come back. Those ear buds are usually used way over the ‘doing damage to your ears’ volume, especially with young people.

 

[jimLE]

i had same experiance with someone yedterday when it comes to ear plugs.i was walking across the street in front of where i live.a guy was walking on the sidewalk. i said hi hows it going.just to find out. he's got earplugs in his ears and listening to what ever.someone could of been behind him. and he wouldn't of known it.

 

[bigpaul]

complete lack of Situational Awareness by the modern population, load of zombies, anything could happen.

 

[KateMTx]

I know other young women who do this too. . . it's scary because you would never know that something was wrong until it was much too late.

 

[tmttactical]

Being hearing impaired. I can testify that hearing aids are no substitute for your natural hearing. I can hear sounds without my hearing aids but not conversations. I have learned to do a pretty fair lip reading job but not all people look at yo when they talk. Protect what hearing you have, gone is gone. NOTE: My peripheral vision is outstanding. You will have to be a very light walker and slim, to sneak up behind me. LOL

 

[Helen Back]

and while we're at it.... I don't care if you're in the crosswalk and have the right of way. LOOK left, right, left, right again, and both ways the whole time you are quickly getting through it. You may be right, but it doesn't help if you are dead. ZERO accountability anymore. I try to NEVER walk anywhere near a road. Hats off to our police and troopers who do it daily.