I've Learnt what Pokerstops are, Lesson 2

Mr Him has various games on his phone.  He sits for hours in a meditative state tapping away.  His playing is absorbing,  fun for him (not for me), solitary and sedentary. 

Pokémon lesson two has taught me that this game is the opposite.  Players use pokerballs to hit the pokemon.  However these balls don't replenish automatically.  Players have to physically go to a Pokéstop to collect balls.  So game players are getting out of the house and walking.  Yes, walking, as in exercise.  Miss 21 and her boyfriend walk around the pokestops in the evening collecting balls.  Walking is unheard of for them. 

Pokéstops are located in spots  of significance, such as a memorial plaque,  an historic building, a cultural centre or such.  Players are discovering their towns and other towns and learning about these sites.  I have found the following pokestops on my lessons. 

Art and book shop

 including this mozaic which I hadn't know existed, until prompted to walk to it.

Found it, 

and this one I have yet to find.  It will send me on another journey of discovery in my lunchbreak.

Here is another that I recognised immediately, if you recollect my earlier blog here on War of the Worlds, the Martian Metorite, which commorates the relationship between HG Wells and Woking. 

Unlike Mr Him's couch games players of pokermon share.  If a player puts down a lure to call pokermon other players can see it.  They walk to the lure and join the player who's put it down.  As the pokermon appear they can all catch the same pokermon.   Miss 21 took me to a memorial stone one evening and she cast a lure.  Within 10 minutes young men appeared and sat on the grass around her. I see the attraction in this game for her! 

There's the possibility of friendships being renewed as those lost contact since leaving school or college reacquaint at a lure.  Dads at work are going out in the evening with their 10 year old sons sharing the game, having an activity together.  Mum's with buggy's are playing together as they push the toddler around town,  exercise instead of coffee shop.  Parents,  me, are out being taught the game with their young adults,  colleagues are walking around town together at lunchtime instead of eating at their desks.

Yes,  there is much positive about this phenomenon.  Negative too, such as not paying attention to the road.  However that's the player's error.  The phone vibrates if a pokermon appears.  The player doesn't need to keep looking down.  Young children have been known to walk in front of cars and buses. Vigilance is needed by parents and players alike.  My lessons have shown me how, as a driver, I need to be extra vigilant for players, as pedestrians, being absorbed and doing the unexpected.  I had concerns over lures but have learnt that they can only be used at a pokestop, ie a public predefined space.  That's sensible. 

On my other blog I've painted my nails.  How boring can you get http://muttonyearsstyleandi.blogspot.co.uk/2016/07/you-can-count-on-it-opi.html?m=1