Transit Safety with Pokémon Go

By Jessica Loi The worldwide fixation on Pokémon Go is increasing by the minute, and the Bay Area is no exception to this animated craze! In this interactive mobile app, users journey between virtual reality and the real world to gather resources, catch Pokémon, and compete with other players in a battle to be the very best. The game has taken the world by storm with a downloading rate of over 15 million users in the first week of its release. Now, Pokémon enthusiasts all around the Peninsula are searching far and wide to catch Pokémon and collect training items. Pokémon Go is an exciting new way to connect with some of the most beloved cartoons ever created. However, it is essential to navigate your environment safely when playing, and be mindful of what is going on around you. This is especially true in areas with traffic of any kind. In the image below, Nidoran displays hazardous behavior by standing directly on the Caltrain tracks. Instead, it is important stay off the tracks at all times, and only cross tracks at designated crossings when it is safe to do so. Follow Pidgey’s example here by remaining behind the yellow line while the train makes its stop. Pikachu demonstrates highly dangerous conduct in the bottom left picture by standing in the street. As an alternative, please stay on sidewalks at all times and cross the street only after looking for oncoming traffic. Choose Eevee as your role model, and always wait on the sidewalk for SamTrans buses to arrive. Most importantly, remember to be alert at all times and stay aware of your surroundings! Safety is the key to a successful Pokémon search. Be safe, and be sure to share with us your Pokémon finds using the hashtags #Caltrain and #SamTrans on social media. Now go catch ‘em all!