As I drive through the streets of my beloved city of New Carlisle, I notice something that’s long been missing. At first I thought maybe it was just a fluke, but for days straight I saw the same thing: people were out and about having fun and interacting with friends and family! This wasn’t the result of sunny weather or people wanting to boost their exercise regimen. It’s the latest and greatest technological sensation to hit our town: Pokemon Go.
Pokemon Go is a game that integrates real world maps and the popular game Pokemon to make a unique game that is fun; without knowing it, you are getting exercise that most of us desperately need.
Some New Carlisle landmarks on Pokemon Go
Unfortunately, everything is not biscuits and gravy. Sometimes it’s biscuits and bullcrap.
Many of New Carlisle’s citizens are attempting to skirt the whole EXERCISE aspect of the game and play the game while driving cars, mowers, go carts, and even construction equipment such as bulldozers and loaders, all in order to avoid exertion and to collect as many Pokemons as possible. Guess what happens when you’re behind the wheel playing Pokemon Go:
Most of the locations tagged are churches, with the exception of a few places such as the Desert Storm sign/memorial and NC’s claim to fame: The Dillinger Bank. Hang out for a few minutes at each of these and you will be surrounded by a plethora of tweens and adults alike waiting out the time between collecting Pokeballs. These are the folks playing the game the way God meant it to be played. But look at the traffic in the street.
What you will see is some of the most insane driving ever. At first you might suspect they’re pizza drivers who already have two strikes against them for not getting the pizza there in 30 minutes or less, but after the tenth car stopping traffic or swerving to the curbs you will see that these are our people playing the hip new game.
Actual in game shots of players collecting Pokemon while driving.
In the old days the citizens wouldn’t stand for it and would take matters into their own hands when someone was a danger on the road. Sure, there isn’t specific language in the Second Amendment to the United States Constitution that says you can use arms against gamers driving recklessly. But I think we all agree that you have a right to protect yourself and your family from Pokemon Go playing crazies who are driving around swerving like a Bengals player come the weekend of the second round of the playoffs.
Feb. 17, 1938: Detective Lieutenant Robert Underwood fires into the vehicle of a man who he felt had no regard for common courtesy on the roadways. Los Angeles Times Photographic Archive/UCLA
Unfortunately, those days are behind us and we have to go by the book to try to keep our town safe.
Worse yet, other cities have reported criminals targeting gamers by luring them to special spots to rob them. St. Louis County, Missouri, an otherwise peaceful place where hardly anything goes wrong and the police have a wonderful relationship with the residents they are sworn to protect, has already seen a group of four men arrested for robbing Pokemon Go players at gunpoint after the game brought them to a designated area to receive in-game rewards. Call me crazy, but I wish “catch ’em all” was the attitude we took with criminal thugs instead of weird video game animals.
What’s the answer, folks? Is Pokemon Go going to have to end lives before we recognize its dangers or do we just look the other way because at least people are getting out of the house? What good is being in shape and thin if you’re just going to get mugged and/or murdered every time you try to find a Pokemon?
Hit the comments below and tell me what you think New Carlisle should do about this problem.
This is probably the dumbest article I have yet to read about Pokemon Go. This game is getting many people, like myself, out of their houses, exploring, and socializing with other people. No matter what you do outside, there is always danger. I don’t see how Pokemon is going to change that or increase the chances.
This Anon guy is the one whose dum! Hello people! We ain’t even got street fences in new carlisle and this kid Anon which I don’t even know if that is a boy or girl name is so worried about playing this pokeaman game that he ain’t a driving right!!! I saw one of them there csi shows bout these fury people that like to get all dressed up and get down right freaky in there mascot suits and I think this Anon might be one of those hornballs!! We don’t be needing crazy driving furry telephone game playing freaks in this town!!!
I am not from your parts but hey man – it’s all good. C-H-ill and relaxamundo. These cats are just getting their game on and aren’t trying to perpetrate on anyone’s safety… ya dig what I’m saying?
Pokemon Go is on the positive track. You search, you interact, you get those boots making tracks and the rear is in gear. There are bad seeds out there, man, there are, but you can’t live life in the bubblewrap… try popping it some time and take that risk. The old cliche is stop and smell the roses and you might surprise yourself… Dude those roses smell beautiful and there is a whole garden of other flowers to whiff – let’s not forget about those tulips and daisies.
Not from around are you I COULD TELL!!! This ain’t hippyfornia! We don’t have street fences and we ain’t gonna have any roses to sniff if we gots people driving threw are yards!!!
Type O I meant threw our yards
What the hell is a “street fence”?
Think this is as bad texting and driving very dangerous
I had knee replacement surgery a few months back. So it is hard for me to still get around. My son, Justin Neace, came over Sunday and said mom get your tablet and cell. So I did, I had no idea what he was doing. My grandkids and himself starting walking around, then I followed behind him. It felt great to get outside and walk more than usual. To see the excitement on the grandkids faces and the time my son, Justin Neace, spent with each one of them was very special and dear to my heart. I haven’t seen that much happiness around here in a very long time. They all came back and got on their bikes and took off for around an hour. When the kids came back they were like look mamaw at what we caught. So I think if you do play PokemonGo, don’t be the driver of a vehicle and do not go alone. Plus, I think it is better spending time with family and friends than having to listen to all the crazy things going on in this world nowadays. I know I don’t want my grandkids hearing anything about all this craziness nowadays everywhere.
Along with my 1st comment. I have met different neighbors up and down my street. If you ask them if it’s ok to walk in their yard. They don’t care cause they see the smiles on the kids faces. Even some new people were interested in it and was wondering what it was all about. So they spent time letting the grandkids show them. I love meeting new people around New Carlisle. Again, I can’t stress enough “DO NOT DRIVE AND PLAY AND DO NOT GO ALONE.”
I’m probably the top player in New Carlisle and I’ve either taken down or setup every gym in town.
Sure I drive around when I do it but so what? I keep it safe. I keep it damn safe. You’re trying to catch these things so you can’t drive too fast. You’d be lucky to see me drive 10 MPH when I’m playing the game and usually I’m hauling ass through town.