New York Senator to ban iPods/Handheld Devices

[Scramble]

From Playfuls.com (http://www.playfuls.com/news_06112_Senator_Carl_Krueger_Thinks_iPods_Can_K ill_You.html)

Yes, he is planning to introduce a law which would make the use of the iPod, the BlackBerry or any other handheld illegal, when crossing the streets of New York. No matter how funny or weird that might sound to you, his intentions are pretty serious. He claims that the number of fatal accidents caused by what he calls “the iPod oblivion” is increasing in New York and as an example he brings the case of a young man who died last month. Apparently, the 23 years old man got hit by a bus while inattentively crossing a street, with his mind focused on what the iPod was playing. He did not cite though any scientific study concerning the rise of such fatal, iPod-related accidents.

The article's mostly referring to this specific case which involved an iPod, but also specifically mentions PSP's and DS's.

How do you New Yorker's feel about this crazy law?

[darkwarrior]

So he's blaming inatimate devices for the idiocy of their owners? In NYC of all places he should be looking at the freaking oncoming traffic.

[Deathbane27]

Bills like this make baby Darwin cry.

[Lodin]

I take it they only mean fiddeling with the devices while crossing the street? Listening to the iPod for instance will still be ok?

[Snarboo]

I'm assuming this only applies to anything involve traffic or crossing the street. I don't think it's illegal to have a portable out in the city or while sitting on a bench, for instance.

[Heretic Machine]

If this is just limited to crossing the street, and only limited to actually manipulating the device, I'm for it. Not that I give two shits about someone dumb enough to play a DS while crossing the street, but they can actually cause other people to swerve and wreck into other cars, causing innocent people to get hurt. Makes sense, as long as it is limited to what I noted above. Anyone read in detail about what this actually applies to?

[Captain Awesome]

This law won't pass. He has a better chance of legalizing marijuana.

[Ph00p]

Jesus how hard would this be to enforce ? I mean shit take a bluetooth headset for example if your in a call you could just stop talking and if an officer or w/e came to charge you could be coy and turn off your phone before they get to you, same with an ipod they're so easy to turn off by the time someone gets to you, you'd have it turned off already. Its a good idea to some extent but pegging someone with this will be next to impossible, or the people will be complete idiots to get caught.

[dr1]

I think it's a fantastic idea, provided he goes the whole way and bans books, newspapers, pretty girls, pretty boys, billboards, beggars, birds, and basically anything else that can serve as a fatal distraction. make NY rather less crowded, i expect.

[Draconis]

Examples of Bluetooth wouldn't nessecarily apply. For example, As far as am I aware, in Chicago, specifically downtown, it's illegal to drive without a headset of some kind on for your cell phone. I know this because I used to do Tech Support work where I'd have to drive down into that pit of hell for the company I used to work for, just to service stupid stores like Aldis or some other abysmal place.

Most likley what will happen is result in more charges/fines after an accident, or if some cop HAPPENS to somehow see the offending individual doing such. As such, the law is going to be difficult to enforce. I think that's gonna be a big factor right there.

[Norse]

Why not ban cars instead. Takes care of this problem and the popultion problem in NY :)

[JudasGoat]

It's BS and totally unenforceable. The number of people on the street with earbuds hanging out of their ears is probably approaching 20% (my guess from observation). There's no way. Thanks but no thanks, Senator. I appreciate the concern, but if people are too dense to look both ways before crossing the street (something a 4 year old could tell you) they are due whatever is coming to them.

[nemyhlovecraft]

Also, if they want to stop cars from hitting people perhaps they should think about making it illegal for cars to hit and kill people, like most other states where pedestrians have the right of way. Its true though, its completely unenforceable. Yeah, senator, lets take the already overburdened police force and make them cite people for using headphones. This will be enforced about as well as the "no cellphones while driving" law in New York State.

[OUX]

I would go they other way and give a driver $100 for every dead pedestrian using one of these devices. That shit would stop real quick.

[bakes73]

this is one of those issues where one can clearly see both sides...and both sides make sense. I certainly understand what the Sen. is trying to do.....but I am also one for PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY.

However, I am also an old school reagan republican and I hate big government.

I do, however, like OUX's idea. BRAVO

[Hydroeric]

This should work out great. Nothing works better thanmore laws to stop people from hurting themselves, thanks Senator Krueger. Hey I got one, how about a law that says "A person may choose to be a dumbass but in doing so revokes their privilige to infect, or inflict on others, their dumbassery."

[Slack3r78]

This law won't pass. He has a better chance of legalizing marijuana.
IrishWhiskey pointed it out in the other thread about this, but that's kind of the point. It's a bill with no chance in hell of passing introduced primarily to raise awareness.

[MrMeatshake]

balls. deaf people shouldn't be able to cross the street, either. and how is an iPod different from a tape-walkman? this is not new, and people need to be educated that listening to iPods and crossing the road is dangerous, that's all, surely?

[Dr.Finger]

Already discussed here (http://evilavatar.com/forums/showthread.php?t=25064).