Distracted...Shopping?

I'm the type of person who likes to get her groceries and get out.  However, my grocery trip this past Friday proved to be quite interesting.  I usually start at one end of the store and finish with the fresh produce, etc.  I don't know what it was exactly on Friday (full moon maybe?), but it seemed that every aisle I turned into had someone in the middle of the aisle, talking on their phone!  I kid you not!  One lady was talking so loudly that I'm sure the whole store heard about what she was going to be doing this weekend.  Sounded like a full weekend anyway.  Another lady, with 2 kids in tow, was talking on the phone, oblivious to what one of the kids was doing.  This kid proceeded to tell her that he hated her (I guess she wasn't paying enough attention to him).  The next one I encountered was so focused on what she had to pick up that she almost rammed me with her cart.  Apparently though, it was my fault for intruding on HER aisle (I just needed to get cereal, sheesh!!).

The worst thing (and the rudest) in my opinion, is going up to the cashier while still talking on the phone!!  I swear some of these people came into the store with the phones glued to their ears, and left the same way, never missing a beat.  Wow.

I have a cellphone, but it isn't on all the time.  If it is, I have blue tooth in my car, but my way of thinking is this - I have voicemail - if I don't answer, leave a message, and I'll get back to you.  Nothing can be that important (except maybe the lady with the full weekend planned) that it can't wait.

My point is that these people were so focused on their phones, they had no idea of what was going on around them.  There were several near-misses (not just with me) and I don't think they would have even noticed if their purse suddenly went missing out of their cart.

The same with distracted walking.  I have had so many close calls on my way into work that I'm surprised my hair isn't greyer than it is.  I've witnessed so many people (men and women) who are either plugged in to a device, or have the phone up to their ears, and just step off the curb, without even looking to see if there is any traffic coming.

Please, everyone, for your safety and mine (and everyone else's), use common sense.  What did we do before cellphones, texting, etc.?  We survived just fine.  Even in today's busy culture, common sense needs to prevail.  It's just not worth the aggravation (mine!).