In two separate incidents on the same night, two Easton area teens were robbed at gunpoint while playing the nation's latest fad game - Pokemon Go.

This was one of just scores of incidents that have been reported across the nation as players scour the landscape for "game pieces."Released last month, Pokemon Go is a free-to-play, location-based reality game developed by Niantic. In the game, players use a mobile device's GPS capability to locate, capture, battle and train virtual creatures, called Pokémon, who appear on the screen as if they were in the same real-world location as the player. The game supports in-app purchases for additional in-game items.It quickly became a global phenomenon and was one of the most used mobile apps, reportedly having been downloaded by more than 100 million people worldwide.It was credited with popularizing location-based and augmented reality gaming, as well as for promoting physical activity and helping local business grow.However, it has also attracted controversy for contributing to accidents and becoming a public nuisance at some locations. Multiple governments expressed concerns over the game's security, with legislation is being passed in some countries as a result. It was recently banned by the Pentagon.Consider also:A college baseball player was shot to death while playing Pokemon Go at an aquatic park in San Francisco.A man in Palm Coast, Florida, shot at two teens after he saw them outside his home late at night and heard one of them say, "Did you get anything?" No one was injured.A group of armed robbers in Missouri lured eight players to a location by using one of the game's "Pokestops."Four men robbed a player in Auburn, Alabama.An Arizona couple left their 2-year-old child at home so they could drive around and play the game.Kyrie Tompkins, a 22-year-old freelance web designer, fell on the sidewalk and twisted her ankle while searching for clues in downtown Waterville, Maine.A Chandler, Arizona, teen thought it would be cool to fool some friends by announcing in a loud voice that he was on the trail of a rare Pokemon. When the group learned that they had been pranked, one of them grabbed the prankster's cellphone and threw it into a lake.Two men fell off a bluff in Encinitas, California, while searching for Pokemon and had to be rescued by firefighters.In Maryland, a motorist crashed into a police cruiser. The driver admitted that he was distracted while playing the game.Inattentiveness has led to ankle injuries, mishaps with revolving doors, walking into trees, and, even more alarming, roadway mishaps.In a game which is aimed at teaching friendship, dedication and respect for others, it was inevitable that the dark side would claim its share of victims. As players take to the streets in search of their favorite Pokemon monsters, they are encouraged by the chance to play outside, get some exercise and excitement and meet new people.Police have expressed alarm at how many players are engaged in the game while driving. In addition to texting, drivers have another reason to take their eyes off the road.While the number of distractions increases, so do speeders. The speed limit on some segments of Interstate 380 in the Poconos and the Pennsylvania Turnpike between Allentown and Mid-County is now 70 mph, meaning that many drivers routinely go 77 mph oreven faster.Higher speeds and inattentive drivers are the toxic elements of tragedy. At these speeds, reaction time is critical, and danger can present itself in the blink of an eye.Recently, in South Abington Township in Lackawanna County, as a tow-truck driver was trying to clear wreckage from a crash, he was hit by an oncoming tractor-trailer. A similar incident had happened in the exact spot just a short time earlier when a Greyhound bus crashed near the Clarks Summit exit of Interstate 81. Two tow trucks were called, and an inattentive driver plowed into both.We don't often put tow truck operators into the category of first responders, but they are, along with police officers, firefighters and medical personnel, and they need to be shown the same amount of courtesy and respect as the other, more traditional first responders.Earlier this month, tow truck driver David Duchnik Jr. of Scott Township was involved in a fatal accident. He was helping his father clear a crash on Interstate 81 when a tractor-trailer crossed a highway lane and pinned him against the tow truck.Jared Hoffman, owner of All Points Towing in Lehighton and Jim Thorpe, knows all about the risks that drivers have to endure, and the all-too-common accidents."It's on all roads. I can't tell you that any road is different from another, because I've had close calls on all of them," Hoffman said."Speed kills" is not just an idle slogan; it has real relevance, especially today with drivers who tend to drive much faster than in the past. Combine that with inattentiveness, and, in a split second, tragedy occurs.People working at the scene of an emergency want to go home to their families. Know this: Just because you are in a hurry or distracted by texting or playing the newest computer game, you are putting people's lives at risk, to say nothing of your own.By Bruce Frassinelli |

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