While smartphones has numerous benefits, there are also some drawbacks to highlight. These drawbacks unknowingly and unwittingly created some habits among some notorious users and do not originate from the device itself.
But first, what do you treat your smartphone as?
Don’t let bad habits control your life. Here are a few examples: do not cross the road while talking on your smartphone; do not use your smartphone on loudspeaker in public places; and do not use it while riding a bike, driving a car, or landing a spaceship.
Despite the perils of bad citizen behaviour, some individuals take predictably unpredictable risks. They also take the rules for granted. These risks are not only detrimental to one’s life but also present unforeseen life-threatening dangers to those around you.
Some more “superpowers”:
Some people have talents. I have seen bikers talking on their phones while riding with family as passengers. Riders and drivers are curiously checking their phones when it is unnecessary while in motion.
Riders push their smartphones at the sides of their helmets (from the inside) so that they can speak while riding. That prevents considerable harm to their necks and causes significant harm to others.
When I see such behaviour by grown-ups, it disgusts me. Children learn by watching others, the ones close to them. Since they see mistakes normalised by parents. They strongly repeat the same. In this instance, as parents, what example are you showing your children?
I haven’t personally witnessed any accidents due to smartphone misuse, but I feel it’s only a matter of time before something happens. We should not wait for it to happen. As they say, prevention is better than a cure.
My Superpower:
When I get a call while riding, I ignore it. Honestly, I don’t even realise that I have got a call. I recall a time I was getting a call on the bike. I was at the signal, and the light had turned green. I waited to cross the street, turned on the left turning indicator and halted my bike at the side of the road.
I checked the missed call, and it turned out it was from my wife. She said it was nothing important.
No call is that important in the world that will make you break the rules. Period.
I wonder how hard it is to ride your bike to the side of the road safely and speak to your heart’s content. You aren’t putting anyone’s life at risk by observing some discipline.
When I see such behaviour, I give them a stare when I conveniently can. Staring at wrongdoers is a way to highlight their bad habits to themselves. When you look at them, they look back, and you change your expression to anger. That sends them the message. But that’s not going to do anything.
If you understand right from wrong, you can recognise these habits as bad and improve upon them. Especially when you know you’re doing wrong.
You don’t need stricter rules to understand this. You just need discipline.