Non Sequitur by Wiley Miller for January 17, 2023

Needs a splash of red

I say that everyone [but me] looking down at their phones will be the path to human extinction.

Perfect

Traffic lights are now displayed on the ground in many cities around the world in order to prevent Darwin’s Law from kicking in… and even more Darwin Awards being posthumously made.

Meanwhile, Calvin called — he wants his snow goons back.: )

There are 2 possibilities: 1. 2 snowman are about to repeat a mistake, or 2. They are photographing an accident scene so they can file a report.

Looks like something Calvin would create.

They copied the Darwin Awards display!

Artist: Calvin

Snowman got ran over by a bus, walking home from our house Christmas Eve…

Given the tracks, it looks like he was run over by a snowmobile. What irony.

Good thing the phone wasn’t damaged.

A magic silk hat will not save you from this fate.

You better watch out. You better not text while crossing the street.

Reliable sources inform that the title of the installation is: Jay-d@mned! It is scheduled for Art Basel next year.

I remember the first time I heard speed bumps called, “Sleeping Policemen”

Poor little thing …

In other news, one of our interns is missing when she was sent out for coffee and donuts. Anyone see a lost news intern please call the station. She’s easy to spot; she is wearing a top hat.

Or Calvin is now grown up and part of the city safety council art installation.

I like it!

Personally, I think that if you get hit while staring at your phone, the accident is AUTOMATICALLY your fault!

Blatant Calvin rip off.

Evolution in action…..

Inspired by Calvin.

No doubt inspired by Calvin and Hobbes!

Good job! The Safety Council did get the guy to look away from HIS phone.

A message to humans to look up from there phones when crossing, but they have to look up to see the warning.LOL

Probably hired Calvin to do the job

Worse, they salted the cross walk… for your safety.

Although I’m of the elderly persuasion, I do have such a phone. However, I’ve never found anything on it that interesting. I also think that so-called “multi-tasking” is merely the attempt to accomplish several tasks simultaneously and doing them all equally poorly. Of course, being of the elderly persuasion, what do I know? 8>)

Another waste of city money; the intended audience will never look up to see them.

In Quebec they have a terrible jaywalking habit. The city apparently put up a kiosk with a convincing and alarming display. On YouTube search for “bone VS steel” It is what I might call a “convincing argument” judging from the reaction of people to it. It makes a point too about “Desperate times require desperate measures”

Interesting.

Don’t cross the street in the middle in the middle in the middle of the block

Walk up to the corner where the coast is clear

And wait..and wait until you see the light turn green!!

Shades of Calvin and Hobbes.

Even in death the snowman checks his phone. I hope there are lots of charging stations wherever he winds up

Never have “Calvin” do your safety council art installation. :)

Every intersection has the potential to get you killed. I speak from direct observation. I saw my first car-pedestrian accident when I was five years old, heard the bones break and played gin rummy after school with the victim, my classmate, for six months until he recovered.

A tribute to Jeremy Renner??

Even a distracted pedestrian crossing in a marked crosswalk shouldn’t be mowed down by distracted drivers, who are more a menace than anyone on foot.

He’s so clever. We likely do need more examples of how not paying attention can get you flattened by a car (or truck). I am often having to slow down for someone who walks across the road oblivious to any cars. Of course cars want to stop, but there is a responsibility to the pedestrian too.

At least the man is taking a picture of the carnage. He’ll probably post it to Tickety-Tok so some good will come of it.

Natural selection at work.

That’s waht Calvin became when grown up… (Must browse now how many „snow goon“ references there are in the comments …)

Funny thing about distracted pedestrians is that they can stop in 1 foot or so. Cars? A lot longer. Trucks? Many yards. Trains? Sometimes a mile or more. Who bares the responsibility? All of course but since the laws of physics are enforced much more readily and unforgivingly than the rules of the road it might just maybe be a good idea to remember that being in the right will not always or even often keep you from being just as much dead

That’s what Calvin became when grown up… (Must browse now how many „snow goon“ references there are in the comments … Edit: some 2 dozen likes distributed. :-D )

Quick – Press the walk button…

I think it is a great visual image of people who, since the advent of smartphones, walk while being totally absorbed with their phones. I remember one idiot pedestrian who was not paying attention and walked into an intersection when traffic had a green light. A Semi was in the right lane slammed on his brakes and his air horn but still hit the idiot. A cop was sitting on the other side of the intersection waiting to make a left, reacted very quickly, stopped traffic, the nearest ambulance was there in less than 90 seconds-the fire station was just down the block-and carted him off. I was a witness as I was in the left lane so had to stay and write out a statement. Never heard anything after that. Speed limit was 45, it was a busy 4 lane street. I was actually surprised when the cop said that pedestrians being hit by walking into traffic was happening more often because people too involved with their smart phones.

I live next to a college campus and this strip is WAY to close to the truth.

Think Calvin and Hobbs

This is so much like the original Calvin and Hobbes snow creatures. Love it.

Cities are trying to make being a pedestrian fool-proof, but people just get lazier and don’t bother thinking.

The few genuinely stupid people in the world don’t annoy me nearly as much as all the people who are just too lazy to bother thinking.

Calvin?

wouldn’t even stop the folks out here who run the stop sign every day… they wouldn’t even notice

Here in Australia it’s illegal to drive a car while holding a mobile phone and it should be the same for pedestrians. Leave the phone in your handbag or pocket. I have on occasion left home without my phone and I survived. Wow! …. Birdman.

Soon the phone will be embedded in our brains and we won’t have to look down to use them.

I remember hearing a story were some officers pranked a new guy. They found a dead jackrabbit, put a small jacket on it, a small basket, then smashed a few Easter eggs and candy about it. Called him to the scene to work the crash. When he showed they told him to brace himself….some one ran over the Easter Bunny.