By GEORGIA WESTGARTH
POKEMON Go has taken over the world- and Berwick is no exception.
The phone app dubbed a type of ‘augmented reality’ is a trailblazer in the smart phone gaming sphere, and has added $7.5 billion to Nintendo’s market value since it hit the Appstore just last week.
And its popularity has struck an Emerald bus shelter, which is due to be demolished, with gamers using the shelter as a ‘Pokestop’ to catch the beloved Japanese creatures.
An Emerald gamer said that “the effect of removing the shelter would be felt by Pokemon trainers everwhere”.
Down the road in Berwick, the Pokemon phenomenon has even captured the attention of police.
A Berwick homeowner, who wishes to remain anonymous in fear more gamers will swarm to their street if their name and address is revealed, has told the News suspicious driving in their neighbourhood wasn’t so suspicious after all.
“Police were called to a house in Berwick following reports of a car seen acting suspiciously,” they said.
The number plate was taken down, and this led to a young female driver being quizzed.
“When questioned, she disclosed that she had been driving her sisters around town looking for Pokemons.
“They’d been hovering in an area trying to capture their prey- police accepted their story.”
Acting Sargeant Frank Ellesley, from the Casey Highway Patrol said he wasn’t familiar with this case but such driving could be considered careless.
“We look at each individual circumstance, but someone driving considerably slow under the speed limit could be issued with a ticket for caress driving, but it is totally circumstantial,” Sgt Ellesley said.
“If a driver is driving considerably under the speed limit it can be considered as a traffic hazard and careless driving, but I certainly haven’t heard of anything like that in regards to Pokemon.
“I would think personally the game is more of a pedestrian issue of people using their phone while walking along a pedestrian crossing and unsupervised kids.”
A statement from Victoria Police on the matter of Pokemon gaming safety said: “As with any activity, Victoria Police suggests that you participate in a safe and lawful manner and remain aware of your surroundings.”
