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Cellphone users in Philadelphia will no longer be allowed to walk and send SMS messages on their devices, unless they want to pay a fine for breaking the law.

The city of Philadelphia will be handing out $120 fines to pedestrians who text ]while they walk without looking ahead.



Officials made the call as part of a new program called " Give Respect, Get Respect," which was launched in the spring and targets bad behaviour by people traveling in cars, bicycles and on foot.



Deputy mayor Rita Cutler was reported saying in August, more citations are expected to be issued.



But this isn't the first time a law involving cell phone distractions has come into play. This winter, New York Senator Carl Kruger tried to pass a bill that would make it illegal to use your cell phone or any other electronic device while crossing the street in New York.



Whether you're walking or driving, using a cellphone generally requires a large amount of concentration and when that focus is compromised, that puts other people's safety at risk.

One example is what You Tube users have come to refer to as the 'Fountain Lady.' A Pennsylvania woman who tripped into a mall fountain while user her phone soon became the pun of the online world, after a video of the incident ended up being taped and uploaded onto the popular site.

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