A few days ago when I walked straight into another person because I was playing Pokémon Go.
After this collision incident occurred, it occurred to me that it might be time to consider all of the dangerous situations this arguably innocent game has put me in.
Firstly, there’s the physically dangerous scenarios such as walking into people. I’ve also walked into traffic, slipped on the footpath, twisted my ankle in a small pot-hole and walked straight into a sign.
That’s the thing about Pokémon Go – it might get you out and walking, but it demands a seriously large amount of time looking at the screen if you want to collect all objectives and catch all Pokémon.
Up until this point, I haven’t sustained any serious injuries, but I do wonder about the extent of the damage that I’m doing to my neck.
Not all of this clumsiness can be blamed on the game however, some of it really comes down to a general lack of spatial awareness.
(Perhaps those with challenged spatial awareness shouldn’t play on-the-go mobile games.)
The “Gyms/Arenas” and “Raids” are another concerning aspect of the game.
A couple of weeks ago I was putting my Pokémon into a Gym and about halfway through the battle I noticed a man with two phones on the other side of the street, staring at me in a strange and aggressive way.
I immediately realised how such situations could become aggressive or threatening should the wrong mix of personalities pop up.
“Raids” involve people meeting as a group around a given object or monument that is marked on the map. Often, these raids take place in somewhat creepy locations, or rather locations where I unfortunately would not usually feel safe to go alone, as a woman.
The game clearly has this in mind as no raids take place after 9pm in winter and 10pm in summer – in an attempt to keep players safe.
As it stands, nothing too bad has happened to me playing this game, but I have become very aware of the dangerous situations it has the potential to put players in.
I have genuinely spent three hours at a “Pokémon Community Day,” literally walking around a park in circles.
So, if you are thinking of downloading the app, maybe reconsider your life choices before you get addicted.