bmc
February 8th, 2007, 07:31 PM
New York may ban iPods while crossing street (http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070207/us_nm/newyork_ipod_dc)
Wed Feb 7, 11:53 AM ET
NEW YORK (Reuters) - New Yorkers who blithely cross the street listening to an iPod or talking on a cell phone could soon face a $100 fine.
New York State Sen. Carl Kruger says three pedestrians in his Brooklyn district have been killed since September upon stepping into traffic while distracted by an electronic device. In one case bystanders screamed "watch out" to no avail.
Kruger says he will introduce legislation on Wednesday to ban the use of gadgets such as Blackberry devices and video games while crossing the street.
"Government has an obligation to protect its citizenry," Kruger said in a telephone interview from Albany, the state capital. "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."
Tech-consuming New Yorkers trudge to work on sidewalks and subways like an army of drones, appearing to talk to themselves on wireless devices or swaying to seemingly silent tunes.
"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."
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070207/us_nm/newyork_ipod_dc
My opinions on this: I honestly think this idea is retarded. First of all, what about all of us who ride the subway with our iPods in to avoid having the bums talk to us, and then we get off the subway with our iPod still in our ear and onto the streets... Are we as NYers supposed to take the iPod earphones out of our ear at every street corner we cross at and then place them back in, and repeat that step at every single street corner?! Not only that, but additionally, they state that this applies to cell phones. So at every street corner, hypothetically, we would have to hang up and/or then call back once you cross the street?!.... I'm sorry, I just don't see this law passing. Not to mention it's not our faults for the unattentive NYers who don't pay attention with their electronic devices they utilize on a daily basis and fail to watch their surroundings. However, you shouldn't punish the lives of other NYers who utilize these electronic devices daily.
What are all of your opinions on this issue?
Wed Feb 7, 11:53 AM ET
NEW YORK (Reuters) - New Yorkers who blithely cross the street listening to an iPod or talking on a cell phone could soon face a $100 fine.
New York State Sen. Carl Kruger says three pedestrians in his Brooklyn district have been killed since September upon stepping into traffic while distracted by an electronic device. In one case bystanders screamed "watch out" to no avail.
Kruger says he will introduce legislation on Wednesday to ban the use of gadgets such as Blackberry devices and video games while crossing the street.
"Government has an obligation to protect its citizenry," Kruger said in a telephone interview from Albany, the state capital. "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."
Tech-consuming New Yorkers trudge to work on sidewalks and subways like an army of drones, appearing to talk to themselves on wireless devices or swaying to seemingly silent tunes.
"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."
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070207/us_nm/newyork_ipod_dc
My opinions on this: I honestly think this idea is retarded. First of all, what about all of us who ride the subway with our iPods in to avoid having the bums talk to us, and then we get off the subway with our iPod still in our ear and onto the streets... Are we as NYers supposed to take the iPod earphones out of our ear at every street corner we cross at and then place them back in, and repeat that step at every single street corner?! Not only that, but additionally, they state that this applies to cell phones. So at every street corner, hypothetically, we would have to hang up and/or then call back once you cross the street?!.... I'm sorry, I just don't see this law passing. Not to mention it's not our faults for the unattentive NYers who don't pay attention with their electronic devices they utilize on a daily basis and fail to watch their surroundings. However, you shouldn't punish the lives of other NYers who utilize these electronic devices daily.
What are all of your opinions on this issue?