Cartel Press is a website sort of like The Onion who produces silly, fake news stories.
Unfortunately, people on Social Media do not read. The only thing most people need to Like or Retweet something is a catchy headline or a neat graphic. This is not me being snarky, this is an actual fact.
Cartel Press did an excellent job and pushed this “news” out that there were 2 major accidents within 12 hours of release. Today their headline is “Pokémon Go: Major Highway Accident After Man Stops In Middle Of Highway To Catch Pikachu!”
Why? Pokémon Go is a smash hit and they are sucking up all that juicy Internet traffic. But, all of the accidents reported from July 7 – 11 are indeed, hoaxes.
BTW If you work @thehuzlers and wouldn’t mind slipping me some analytics data I would be thrilled to look at it with you.
The accidents are inevitable
I installed the app today myself. Why not? I was trying to avoid it but after a long kayaking trip I needed to relax for a few minutes. Wow, it is addicting. And awesome. Why is it awesome? I’m a tech guy who envisioned games like this long before the advent of Ingress. But anyways, driving through downtown today I saw several kids pointing their phones at a courthouse and swiping upwards. They were, of course, at Pokespots throwing Pokeballs at Pokémon. They were deeply engaged with their phones, and it is only a matter of time before someone walks out in front of a vehicle and gets hit.
#dontpokemongoanddrive
#dontpokemongoanddrive is already a thing. Players, parents, and police departments are already using it. Most are using it in conjunction with a link to the hoax article, but, hey, it’s the thought that counts, right?
Some attorneys are already preparing for the inevitable with pages such as this one, Auto Accidents Caused by Pokémon Go Users. Just in time, too, people are already posting screenshots on Instagram of Weedle, Pidgey and Rattata landing on their steering wheels and the hoods of their cars.
Don’t Pokémon Go and Drive!
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