PokémonGO safety at URI

If you’re one of the many students on campus who’s gotta catch ‘em all, there are a few things to be mindful of while playing “Pokémon GO” this semester.

Following the widespread popularity of  the app, the Department of Public Safety at the University of Rhode Island issued a notice over the summer to remind students to be careful while playing on campus. The notice advised students to be mindful of their surroundings, not to trespass and to protect their identities online.

Jon Brock | Student captures Pidgey on campus.
Jon Brock | Student captures Pidgey on campus.

Despite the community notice, Police Maj. Michael Jagoda said that there have been several close-call situations on campus where officers (some of whom play themselves) on patrol have seen students walk out in front of moving traffic. Jagoda said he blames this on both a combination of students playing and distracted driving, but advised that students avoid walking with their eyes fixated on their phones.

“Be aware of your surroundings, especially when you come to busy areas of campus and you’re crossing a major arterial,” Jagoda said.

There have not been any reported issues with trespassing or suspicious persons on campus, according to Jagoda, but he still suggests that students play with friends to maintain a buddy system.

Sophomore kinesiology major Michael Guilfoyle, who was an avid “Pokémon GO” player over the summer, said he thinks that the issued safety notice was necessary, since many people become engrossed in the game and become unaware of their surroundings.

While driving through campus one night over the summer, Guilfoyle said he got stuck behind a student walking down the middle of Butterfield Road. The student did not look up from their phone for what felt like two or three minutes to Guilfoyle, despite his  following of  him at a low speed and flashing his lights.

“People getting hit by cars, or walking into traffic, or trespassing on people’s lawns – I think it’s incredibly stupid and irresponsible,” Guilfoyle said. “Overall, it’s a game, and you shouldn’t take a game that far.”

Third-year Pharm. D. major Haeyu Kang, however, thinks the game has had more positive effects than negative.  For Kang personally, “Pokémon GO” has helped her to get out and exercise more. She also said it has helped motivate both her and her coworkers to volunteer for some once dreaded tasks that require leaving the office.

“I think it’s helpful,” Kang said.  “I don’t think it’s making trouble.”

If it ever was making trouble, though, there’s considerably less trouble now. Both Kang and Guilfoyle agree that “Pokémon GO” is winding down in popularity, especially since classes started.  Despite the dozens of Pokestops on campus, where players can collect items such as Poke Balls, and the four gyms, where players train and battle their Pokémon, neither Kang nor Guilfoyle have seen as many people playing.

After playing all summer, Guilfoyle has now become disenchanted with the app, and said he might even uninstall “Pokémon GO” in the near future. For him, “Pokémon GO” was fun, but it was just a fad.

“It was just one of those things that comes and goes,” Guilfoyle said.

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