Coming soon to Chicago: Padded lampposts (?) 28 Jul 2008

The Wall St. Journal reports on Chicago's growing "walking and texting" problem:

"Northwestern Memorial Hospital's emergency room has been ground zero in Chicago for texting goofs. Located downtown near shopper-clogged Michigan Avenue, the emergency room is also close to the exceptionally busy lakefront path, where pedestrians and joggers share a lane with bikers.

"James Adams, Northwestern's chairman of emergency medicine, says he has treated patients involved in texting incidents nearly every day this summer. He says fallen texters are more prone to facial injuries: They tend to hold their devices close to their faces, so their hands are less likely to break their fall. 'By the time their hands hit, their face immediately hits and they smash to the ground,' Dr. Adams says. The common outcomes are scraped chins, noses and foreheads, along with broken glasses."

Sounds like London's padded lampposts will be with you soon Chicagoans!