Walking Backwards...What is Up with That??

Did you ever see the film, "The Happening?"...
Well, in the film, humans are affected by a toxic gas from plants which makes them kill themselves. The first stage is confusion, then followed by walking backwards...

I'm reminded of this lunacy every time I see someone walking backwards on the sidewalk.

I even recently had some fool in a suit walk backwards across the sidewalk into my path, nearly colliding into me, until I pushed him away at the last second and reminded him that walking backwards in a sidewalk full of people is STUPID. In my mind, seeing people do this just underscores my impression of how nobody around here seems to bother to look where they're going.

Is this supposed to be good exercise? Does it reverse time and prevent aging? What? What?