I don't want the police harassing pedestrians based on what their notion of safe phone use is. Look at how the NYPD uses jaywalking laws? In 2019 90% of the tickets were issued to black or Hispanic individuals.

https://nyc.streetsblog.org/2020/01/27/jaywalking-while-blac...

There is a large difference between people ought not do <> and cops ought to be given the privilege of harassing and imprisoning people who do <>.

It's perfectly possible to wear headphones and use your eyeballs to ensure the path ahead is clear in fact your ears aren't all that useful. I can SEE an oncoming car as much as a mile away if I am hearing a car about to crease me its already too late.

I think that's a bit too much, it's reasonable to expect that cars will stay on the road. It's the interfaces that are dangerous.

In a lot of cities, sidewalks aren't available along common pedestrian routes. And sometimes, when they are, are too narrow.

Not listening to music or a podcast seems a reasonable sacrifice to make, in exchange for being within a few feet of multi-ton vehicles at 30+ mph relative velocity.

I agree that when walking on a shared road one must be on maximum alert.