New York may ban iPods while crossing city streets
New Yorkers who heedlessly cross city streets while listening to their Apple iPod or fumbling with other electronics devices, such as cell phones, may soon face a hefty fine from the city.
According to both NBC and the Associated Press, New York State Senator Carl Kruger is expected to introduce legislation today that would impose a $100 fine for people who continue to use their electronics gadgets -- such as iPods, Blackberries, and video games -- while crossing the street.
Kruger said Tuesday that three pedestrians in his Brooklyn district were killed in recent months upon stepping into traffic while distracted by an electronic device.
"Government has an obligation to protect its citizenry," he said in a telephone interview with the AP. "This electronic gadgetry is reaching the point where it's becoming not only endemic but it's creating an atmosphere where we have a major public safety crisis at hand."
New York's streets are frequently consumed with gadget wielding and earbud bearing residents who are looking to fire-off that extra e-mail or pass the brunt of their daily commutes with a tune.
"I'm not trying to intrude on that," Kruger said. "But what's happening is when they're tuning into their iPod or Blackberry or cell phone or video game, they're walking into speeding buses and moving automobiles. It's becoming a nationwide problem."
According to both NBC and the Associated Press, New York State Senator Carl Kruger is expected to introduce legislation today that would impose a $100 fine for people who continue to use their electronics gadgets -- such as iPods, Blackberries, and video games -- while crossing the street.
Kruger said Tuesday that three pedestrians in his Brooklyn district were killed in recent months upon stepping into traffic while distracted by an electronic device.
"Government has an obligation to protect its citizenry," he said in a telephone interview with the AP. "This electronic gadgetry is reaching the point where it's becoming not only endemic but it's creating an atmosphere where we have a major public safety crisis at hand."
New York's streets are frequently consumed with gadget wielding and earbud bearing residents who are looking to fire-off that extra e-mail or pass the brunt of their daily commutes with a tune.
"I'm not trying to intrude on that," Kruger said. "But what's happening is when they're tuning into their iPod or Blackberry or cell phone or video game, they're walking into speeding buses and moving automobiles. It's becoming a nationwide problem."
Comments
I don't agree with this at all. I'd say these people get exactly what they deserve should they be hit by a vehicle.
I'd prefer to see a law that absolves the motorist of any blame should he hit someone walking along without paying any attention.
Stop protecting stupid people. That only ensures they'll breed more of the same. Additionally, leaving nice painted outlines in the street of the people eliminated in this fashion may help get the message across in a way that some silly law just wouldn't.
p.s. - I also hate seeing people fiddling with all this crap while they drive, so don't assume I'm trying to coddle those bastards...
Imagine a world in 20-30 years filled with deaf people. It will arrive. Just remember this post. You will hear your neighbors TV or radio because they will set them too loud to hear them. Then it will be TOO LATE!!!
But I guess money is money... Even for our beloved Apple...
Under Guiliani, it was claimed that adding and enforcing all sorts of petty meddlesome laws decreased the crime rate. In all probability, the criminals, being both practical and highly mobile, simply moved their operations to nearby communities. And in the end, NYC residents are stuck with a system in which they're more likely to be 'mugged' by a cop and fined by a court enforcing silly laws than they were to be mugged before.
Seattle, where I live, has a similar problem, probably an illustration of its tendency to mimic NYC. The city does nothing to catch teens writing graffati, but it's very zealous at forcing the victims (business and homeowners) to paint over the graffati or pay a fine.
And people in NYC are soooooo passive in the face of these insults to their dignity and intelligence. When Chicago passed a similarly dumb law recently, the law was openly ignored. Restaurants simply gave the banned food another name and the city's law enforcement announced that they had better things to do than enforce that law.
NYC is an entry point for the dreaded Euro-nanny state. Chicago is the Wild West where people take care of themselves and their friends. I prefer the latter.
That is not the only drawback of these new devices. PEOPLE ARE SERIOUSLY DAMAGING THEIR HEARING!!!
Yes and we all know that Apple sets the volume control to the highest setting when they ship new iPods to purposefully damage everyone's hearing!
What? WHAT? What did you say?
The increasing absurdity of NYC's laws is one reason neither Hillary Clinton nor former mayor Rudolph Guiliani will get my vote in 2008.
I agree that the law would be silly. Hard as government would try, they cannot protect stupid people.
However, I don't understand what US Senator Clinton has to do with New York City laws.
Should be more cause its not the device's fault. Its the users
I love USA, always funny stuff
I agree that the law would be silly. Hard as government would try, they cannot protect stupid people.
However, I don't understand what US Senator Clinton has to do with New York City laws.
Exactly.
Madam Speaker: I need a personal jumbo jet on the people's dime, of course, since I'm "for the people".
White House: Sure.
*double-smack to them both!*
It is not ipods that kill people, it is the cars. In the US over 40,000 people a year are killed on the roads. Cars are a much greater danger to the average person than terrorism.
Just banning cars in NYC. That would make it much safer for everyone. This is done in the core of several European cities. As a side benefit, greenhouse gas emissions would also be reduced and NYC will not be flooded in 100 years. Oh yeah, and by not buying gas, the flow of money would be cut off to Iran and other "enemies" of the US. It is a win-win.
"If you don't want to be hit by a moving vehicle, don't step in front of a car."
~first post, EVER. *bow* *bow*
Would this new law it make it OK to jay walk so long as you're not using your phone or iPod?
NYC already has a law against jay walking. The law is rarely enforced, but it does exists.
Would this new law it make it OK to jay walk so long as you're not using your phone or iPod?
The laws are really there for when an accident happens. If one does happen, the authorities look over the laws that were broken to see who was at fault. If someone gets hit by a car and they were jay walking it will most likely lessen the charge on the driver if not erase it completely.
Laws against idiocy, or technology? Which way is a more effective manner of dealing with the problem of idiocy?
IDEA: New York should spend their taxpayer-extracted cash on side-walks that recognize dazed idiots and stop them from entering with a swift 150,000 volt flying tazer prod which knocks them safely back on their tush and wakes them up quite effectively. :P
People who walk in NY are ridiculous. I mean, are they color blind? Green means GO, red means STOP, but pedestrians fail to notice that, and they get pissy when you honk at them. Idiots like that deserve to be hit.
You are obviously from New Jersey where it is believed cars have the right of way and not pedestrians