I love walking, though I need to do more of it. From accompanying our hyper-active dog on daily walks and going up down escalators wherever such may be, to walking across the countryside and up/down not too high mountains, I find walking a delightful, pleasant, refreshing, healthy, and  safe undertaking.

Of recent though, I have had cause to rethink my walking ‘expeditions’ and some risks I am suddenly conscious of. I am not referring to my walks in the countryside or up a hill or up to the top of some low-lying  mountain peak. More dangerous are my walks in and around cities (urban and suburban areas) along busy streets, pavements, moving around some rail stations or going to get the underground. Arriving safely is more than a prayer wish!

Given cause to rethink my unavoidable walks re: city jaunts, I am struck by the number of people whose eyes are glued to their mobile phones: that ‘soul-mate’ which has now become a necessary extension of our body/being while walking, sleeping, running, sitting and more. I have lost count of my near misses from colliding with rolling bicycles, stepping aside from ‘perambulating’ scooters, dodging extended pulled or rolling suitcases and having to make sudden moves away from engrossed individuals lost in another world while heading directly towards me. In not so busy spots one can easily get out of the way. But it is not the case when it gets very busy. The fact that many would have their earbuds permanently locked in place may not help in one trying to echo my most decent alert: “look where you are heading, please”

These near misses and sometimes some form of contact (largely from heavy bags/rucksacks) may later reveal delayed body bruises or some mysterious joint pain.  I guess  aging has slowed up my usual dexterity in getting out of the way of any object (animate or inanimate) coming my direction. Though one has to always be on guard for all the surprises and eventualities, I am finding my ‘response time’ more in sync with the liberating ‘go slow’ movement.

So much for enjoying ‘real-time life, people and sceneries around us’. Our so-called version of progress and the good life is all now at our fingertips, as we caress our android gadgets and  stay glued to our screens. No need to look out, up, about and around: what I have missed could be googled and seen later. And who cares about the complaints of this Luddite: he is the one who should look where he is walking!

Who knows, perhaps there will soon be a ‘mobile/gadget free’ slow walking lane, free of any form of velocity propelled movement. Or even better (think economy and growth) those wishing to stay glued to their phones and apps may soon be fitted with special ‘smart shoes’ to keep them in their lane and create beeps when approaching any object ahead. The best, though, might be holograms of ourselves out on the walking jaunts (no collision issue) while we are ‘home alone’ with our subscribed virtual reality headset, paying to enjoy the very things we can see every day, if only we look away from those screens.

caribleaper March 8 2023