Tag: driving

Smartphone and Texting Addiction: Possible Causes

Well known, is that smartphone use, specifically texting while driving and walking is dangerous to both the person and to all others either on the road or sidewalk. There is no question that smartphone use has an addictive nature and seems to be able to tap into something primal in the human spirit.

Recent news articles have come out to try to explain what is happening and why the addiction happens. Here is one on Texting and Addiction.

1. Sending a Text creates a “TR”, a novel brainwave in the prefrontal cortex on both sides of the brain, but only acting when sending a text, not receiving one, or talking on the phone.

Distracted Walking: Ridiculous but True

Disbelief is what I felt when I first saw two pedestrian texters walk straight into each other, head to head. So engrossed with their lives that they could not spend the time to watch where they are going? As a technologist I am always interested in the social effects of technology on society. Distracted walking shows that the vast majority of people cannot do two things at the same time, that multi-tasking is really not feasible for most people, and that this behaviour can be potentially dangerous to the person and those around them.

Chinese Drivers are Bad in China and Toronto

Ten bad driving habits, by Chen Xin, People Daily, equally applicable here in Toronto, Canada

Ten bad driving habits, by Chen Xin, People Daily, equally applicable here in Toronto, Canada

As a lifelong resident of Toronto I can attest that many fellow Torontonians wonder out loud why Chinese drivers are so terrible. I am one of them. As I live in Scarborough, a heavily Chinese area of Toronto, there are certain major intersections that I avoid due to a very high proportion of Chinese drivers that approach 100%. As my ethnic background is Chinese, I have ruled out genetics. Moreover I know many Canadian born Chinese, or Huayi, that are excellent drivers. Further, anyone from Hong Kong can attest to the prowess of their local driving skill. So why are Chinese drivers so terrible?