New York may ban iPods while crossing street

[T-Bird76]

I say if you are stupid enough to not remember what your mother told you when you were a kid about looking both ways before you cross then you probably belong under the wheels of a large box truck.....Why punish everyone for three people's own stupidity? Once again Gov't getting involed where it shouldn't get involed...Annoying

New York may ban iPods while crossing street
Legislation to be introduced banning use of gadgets in intersections
Reuters
Updated: 12:03 p.m. ET Feb 7, 2007
NEW YORK - 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.”

Copyright 2007 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters.
URL: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17026724/

[RDU-JFK]

The problem is that some jacka@$$ blabbing on his cell phone or dancing to his ipod who is in his own world crosses against the light and fails to look where he's going, if he's hit by a car, he will sue and WIN BIG. Everytime. Another example of our sue-ciety. Being a morotist in this city is horrible.

This will never be passed, though.

[Midnight Mike]

I say if you are stupid enough to not remember what your mother told you when you were a kid about looking both ways before you cross then you probably belong under the wheels of a large box truck.....Why punish everyone for three people's own stupidity? Once again Gov't getting involed where it shouldn't get involed...Annoying

[/quote]

My goodness, you can't regulate laws to prevent stupidity, if people can not take the time to take care of themselves, as Tommy said, you belong under the wheels....

[hiss srq]

It will save both ends of the issue alot of trouble though I agree with what you are saying Tommy it is probably better to kill the issue in their eyes and anyhow if the driver hits and kills that's invol. vehicular manslaughter. I am not prepared to serve that one because some dumb **** is soo engrossed in what her friend said about this friend etc blabing on the phone or because 50 cent is about to dis another rapper on his new hit single.

[Alex T]

Ryan-

Will the law prevent that though? If it is proved he was distracted on the cell or ipod and it was on him when he got hit, then the driver should be excluded from the manslaughter thing and nt be charged for anything, ASSUMING the driver made an attempt to stop the car in time.
Alex

[Tom_Turner]

Its really unfortunate.

An awful lot of people just walk in the street. Especially high school students. And tons of folks crossing in the middle of the street..not so bad...but without looking.

Alot of them are listening to ipods. And a lot of drivers on cell phones; no seat belt etc.

And don't get me started on women using their baby carriages as cow catchers...... :(

Not sure what can be done. This law seems unenforcable to me though.

Tom