Sheriff's Office: Awareness and safety should be first priority among Pokemon Go players
With the Pokemon Go app exploding in popularity among teens and adults across the country, Carson City dispatch has received numerous calls of "suspicious people" who have turned out to be game players, walking around empty buildings in the middle of the day and night.
Carson City Sheriff's Office Sgt. Scott McDaniel, who writes regular public safety columns regarding motorists and pedestrian issues, submitted his most recent column (see below) that addresses some of the safety concerns.
The geocaching game, which has been available for a few days, has become all the rage among teens and adults nationwide who use smart phones in their attempt to find and capture Pokémon characters at various locations around town.
There's at least two Facebook groups in Carson City based around the augmented reality game. While it does promote fun, adventure and exercise, there are some public safety issues that need to be addressed, said McDaniel.
"For those playing the game and those who see others playing, the message is that everyone needs to be aware and to pay attention," McDaniel said. "For the players who are looking downward at their phones, not only are there safety concerns along streets, but among those not watching where they step, which could result in sprained or twisted ankles. And then you have the issues of trespassing. Are players on private property? The game seems to be about hits and misses, so you want to make sure everyone is having fun but doing it with the idea of being safe, watching where you're going and to not trespass."
Here's the column from Sgt. McDaniel:
What does Pokemon Go have to do with traffic crashes and pedestrian issues? A lot if you are one of the thousands playing this game.
For those of you who are unfamiliar with this game which is played on your smart phone, it involves walking or driving around in an attempt to capture various Pokemon characters which appear on the screen of your phone as you near them.
This has led to many dangers associated with the game. Texting, using a phone and now hunting for Pokemon characters while driving is just not wise and can lead to a car crash. Your focus needs to be on your driving not the screen of your phone.
Walking while playing the game is also dangerous as your attention is again on the screen and not on your surroundings. You need to be paying attention to where you are going. Injuries can occur if you are not careful. Walking out into traffic because you are too focused on the screen looking for characters can lead to being struck by an oncoming vehicle.
Are there other dangers? Yes, recently criminals have used “Lures” in the game to attract players to isolated locations where they were robbed. Not everyone who is playing is doing so for fun so be careful.