Pokémon GO Players Get Outside to “Catch ’em all”

Drivers entering Coronado are used to seeing witty warnings displayed on the City of Coronado Police sign. And this week, the cautionary sign was more relevant than ever – “No Pokemon and Driving.”

The City of Coronado Police Department is encouraging players to be safe, and warning of the potential dangers that come with playing the game.

Lea Corbin, spokesperson for the City of Coronado Police Department, said, “Over the past 48 hours, we have seen an increase in calls for service for suspicious activity, cars stopped in the middle of the street, and groups of people gathering in unusual places.”

According to the CPD’s Facebook page, “On Wednesday night, an officer watched a group of young adults step off the Orange Avenue median into the lanes of traffic without looking up from their phones, contacted a small group of teens in the empty lot of the Ferry Landing in the middle of the night, and we had to clear a city park of Pokémon players at 2 a.m.” 

So what exactly is Pokémon GO? Members of the Pokemon GO Coronado Facebook group describe it as a “realistic geo-caching type game. Players collect Pokeballs from real world locations, [at] points called PokeStops. The Pokeballs are then used to catch Pokémons, which spawn randomly.”

The fictional creatures (Pokémon is short for ‘pocket monster’) appear in random real-world environments, on the street, in the ocean, in parks, and even on highways. “This random factor causes safety issues, as a player may try to catch a Pokémon in the middle of the street, or stop their car suddenly on the highway,” said members of the group.

The game forces players to leave their homes and explore the world around them. It’s encouraging gamers, who are often known for staying inside while playing video games, to get out, walk, and venture to areas they might not normally go to.

“This summer I have been mostly inside my house chilling on the couch and watching television, but ever since Pokémon GO was released I have never been more excited to go outside and go for a walk or even a drive with my mom to the grocery store,” said one member of the Facebook group.

Another member said, “At first my mom thought this whole Pokémon GO craze was insane, but when I came home from a walk and told her about the gameplay and how fun it was for me exploring new places in Coronado and interacting with fellow Pokémon GO players she started to see my side, to the point where after grocery shopping my mom would take me everywhere around Coronado so I could catch some Pokémon! This truly is an amazing game that encourages people to get out and exercise and to explore!”

So, you may be wondering, “Why all the fuss?” “How is this game dangerous?”

I’ll tell you why.

Reports of players getting injured (e.g. falling off of cliffs, getting hit by cars, running into cars etc.) are surfacing all around the nation.

Players are so focused on ‘catching ’em all’, that some of them are oblivious to the real-world elements around them. And, in order to catch a creature, you have to go to it; it doesn’t just come to you.

“Safety is very important while playing Pokémon GO and you want to keep in mind that when you cross the street always look both ways and never look down at your phone while crossing the street,” said members of the Pokemon Go Coronado Facebook group.

The Group recommends players keep in mind the following safety tips:

Pay attention – Always pay attention to your surroundings whether you’re on the street or on the sidewalk. Look up from your phone from time to time.

Buddy-up – Make sure to have a buddy with you and stay with your group, don’t stray!

Play smart – For those who bike and Pokémon GO, it is very dangerous. Even though many have said not to Pokémon GO while biking, some still do it anyway; so instead of asking you to stop, it’s recommended that when you are biking you switch on power saving mode (in game settings; you must keep phone upside down after power saving mode is switched on to be effective). This will not only save your battery, and possibly data usage, but will keep you safe by not looking at your phone as much while it’s upside down in your pocket and still being alerted when Pokémon are near you even when on power saving mode.

If you feel you are totally oblivious to the surge of gaming activity that’s going on in this city, you aren’t alone (my husband didn’t know what Pokémon GO was until today). Stop what you are doing while outside and look around you.

Do you see someone, or a group of people, looking at their phone more intently than usual? Do you see them walking while holding their phone about one foot (or so) from their face? Do you see people walking on medians, crossing streets, standing in the middle of a park or parking lot, all the while having their eyes glued to their cellular devices? Do you hear car wheels screeching as drivers attempt to avoid pedestrians who seem unaware of the near accident they almost caused? If you answered yes to any of those questions, then you have most likely encountered a Pokémon GO player hunting Pokémon.

“We as people get distracted, and usually we get distracted when we do something or see something that entertains us, and Pokémon GO definitely entertains,” said members of the Facebook group.

There may not be any recorded accidents that have occurred, as of yet, while players were attempting to ‘catch Pokémon’ in Coronado, but the game has only been out for a little over one week and more and more players are flocking to our beautiful city because they “gotta catch ’em all.”

“Have fun, just stay safe doing it,” said Corbin.

Another downside is that players have been found trespassing on others’ property trying to catch more Pokémon. This hasn’t happened, yet, in Coronado, though it has been reported in other cities.

On Wednesday, Washington, DC, Arlington National Cemetery, the National Holocaust Museum, and several other national monuments specifically prohibited players from using the app while on grounds. If gamers are found attempting to catch Pokémon, they will be escorted off the property.

While Pokémon may be the first popular app to integrate “scavenger hunt” methodology, it most certainly won’t be the last.