The Mumbai police have issued a set of warnings against the possible hazards passionate PokémonGo players face while chasing Pikachus and Charmanders on the roads. The Mumbai police Twitter handle, @MumbaiPolice, on Sunday released these warning in an animated video displaying a cop catching a character from the popular augmented reality game.
The road safety warnings were issued in the form of slogans: “Pokémon can’t Go, out on streets, causing distraction.” And ‘Life is not a game. Especially not one to be played on the roads. #RoadSafety” In another Twitter warning, the police used the popular television series Game of Thrones to attract attention: an image with the text ‘Game of Phones’ was accompanied by the message “What we don't know is usually what gets us killed!" Roads have never been the best place to play games! #RoadSafety”.
Gamers who TheHindu spoke to, who asked not to be named, said a warning from the cops is a good decision and the players should know that games cannot be played while driving.
The police warnings have followed a demand, by members of a political party in the State Assembly, that PokémonGo be regulated. The augmented reality game has caused road mishaps, a Shiv Sena leader said in the Legislative Council on Friday, claiming that distracted players have even crashed into trees or into other vehicles while trying to pounce on Pokémon.
“In Indonesia, a boy while chasing Pokeman entered an army base. In Guatemala, two children had to face firing from unknown locations while chasing Pokemon. In Arizona, a college has given special instruction to students against playing Pokemon,” Sena leader Neelam Ghore said, adding that PokemonGo is already banned in 22 countries. He asked that the State government issue regulatory notification or guidelines for playing Pokemon.
The game is popular in India and Mumbai, where gamers have downloaded the app though it is yet to be officially released.
Predictably, several Twitter handles used the Mumbai Police messages to take pot shots at the law enforcement system. @Trollacharya said: “@MumbaiPolice So only @BeingSalmanKhan can play on the roads? Don’t catch em all, at least catch one?” A gamer Pranay, Shah (@SN_Pranay said): “@MumbaiPolice wish you could catch criminals like how I catch Pokemons”
