American University has avenue for smartphone users
The Utah Valley University has painted green stripes on stairs. To separate walking, running and texting students.
Initially, painting the stairs was a joke. Matt Bambrough, the creative director of the university: “With 18 to 24 year olds who constantly look at their screens, it is almost inevitable that they bump into something. But what we really wanted to achieve, was interaction with the students. Letting them know that we understand the present generation.”
Students indicated they appreciate the lines. One them says that most collisions he witnesses aren’t human-on-human; rather, it’s generally human-on-inanimate-object. He notes: “People often bump into chairs that stand against the corridor wall. Or they hit the railing of the stairs.”
This might be a good idea for Tilburg University. The Universiteitslaan is often very crowded. Especially cyclists who rapidly move across campus are a risk factor. Would a clear division work on our campus?