Law would ban iPods when crossing street

[Headache in a Suitcase]

Law would ban iPods when crossing street
By MICHAEL VIRTANEN, Associated Press Writer

Walk, jog or bicycle across a New York street with an iPod plugged in your ears and you could get slapped with a $100 ticket under a new law proposed by a legislator from Brooklyn.

State Sen. Carl Kruger's bill would also outlaw the use of cell phones, Blackberries, video games or other electronic devices when crossing the street.

He cited the death of a 21-year-old man who was listening to music when he stepped off a curb and was hit by a bus in Brooklyn in September, and the death of a 23-year-old iPod listener last month.

"If you're so involved in your electronic device that you can't see or hear a car coming, this is indicative of a larger problem that requires some sort of enforcement beyond the application of common sense," Kruger said.

Jason Koppel, Kruger's chief of staff, said listeners would merely have to pull the earphones out for the few seconds it takes to cross the street.

Kruger said the legislation would be introduced this week.

Charlotte Troisgros, 16, a Manhattan student talking on her cell phone in a crosswalk near City Hall on Wednesday, laughed and said the law may not be such a bad idea.

"You really don't pay attention. You might get hit by a car," she said.

E. Christopher Murray, a civil liberties attorney, said the proposal is excessive.

"With our schools failing, health costs out of control, and crushing property taxes, the legislature would rather play mother by legislating how we cross the street," he said. "What's next? Do you get fined if you don't look both ways?"

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070207...s&printer=1;_ylt=AiwsB2BmYA11FDX.p9oPC0dH2ocA

 

[Pearl]

"With our schools failing, health costs out of control, and crushing property taxes, the legislature would rather play mother by legislating how we cross the street," he said. "What's next? Do you get fined if you don't look both ways?"

That's what I think. There are more important issues than what you're doing when crossing the street.

I listen to my i-pod whenever I cross the street, and I'm aware of the cars coming, and I can hear them beeping their horns at me (if that happens).

 

[randhail]

"If you're so involved in your electronic device that you can't see or hear a car coming, this is indicative of a larger problem that requires some sort of enforcement beyond the application of common sense," Kruger said.

If you get hit by a car because you're listening to your ipod, well then you deserve it. It's natural selection in action.

Good luck enforcing a law like this.

 

[joyfulgirl]

When I lived in NYC, back before iPods, I never left my apt without my Walkman. Though I thought I was pretty aware of my surroundings when wearing headphones, on two occasions I narrowly missed getting hit by a bus by a stranger's hands pulling me out of the way. Scary stuff. If anyone had ever warned me that that could happen, I would have laughed and said, "Puh-lease, I'm not stupid, I look before I cross, the volume's not that high, of course I'd hear the horns," blah blah blah, and both times it was very shocking. I could not believe I didn't know I'd stepped off the curb in front of an oncoming bus. Thank God for the kindness of strangers. Don't know how I feel about this law, though. It is a bit like talking on your cell phone while driving.

 

[BVS]

Can't drivers listen to music? Are deaf people still allowed to cross the street?

Come the fuck on!!!

 

[AtomicBono]

E. Christopher Murray, a civil liberties attorney, said the proposal is excessive.

"With our schools failing, health costs out of control, and crushing property taxes, the legislature would rather play mother by legislating how we cross the street," he said. "What's next? Do you get fined if you don't look both ways?"

I'm gonna have to side with that guy. Basically means you can't listen to your iPod while walking around in the city...lame! I suppose this is like wearing a seatbelt or wearing a helmet but I'm sure if you compare the number of deaths related to not wearing a seatbelt or not wearing a helmet to listening to an iPod while crossing the street, the iPod would come up way short. Sad that it's happened at all, but it's up to the individual to be more careful, not the government.

 

[Irvine511]

i listen to my iPod pretty much constantly ... but i do pause it when i'm at an intersection.

 

[Sylvia127]

There are more important issues than what you're doing when crossing the street.

I listen to my i-pod whenever I cross the street, and I'm aware of the cars coming, and I can hear them beeping their horns at me (if that happens).

Having just spent three hours this afternoon with the grieving parents of a 16 year old killed by a hit and run driver, I can't think of too many things more important than what might distract one when crossing the street.

 

[trevster2k]

Well, I guess they should legislate paperbags and loose clothing for attractive people so pedestrians don't get distracted by a pretty girl or good looking guy while crossing the street. People should stop having a conversation while crossing the street too. Oh, and turn off that big tv in Times Square while you're at it.

We are living in the time of the least effective politicians ever, both Canada and the US. Talk, talk, talk and no real concrete changes to benefit society. I guess that requires putting yourself at risk politically which would be bad since it seems that all politicians are in re-election mode on day one after they are elected.

Sorry to hear about the hit and run victim Sylvia but this legislation is unenforceable and ineffective.

 

[Pearl]

I'm sorry for what happened too, Sylvia. But I feel this enforcement is like taking one's personal freedoms away.

As AtomicBono pointed out, there doesn't appear to be a serious problem with people suffering traffic injuries while listening to their i-pods, or chatting on their cell phones, etc. If studies prove that there is an epidemic of people getting hurt because they are distracted while crossing the street, then maybe I would think this enforcement has a point. But even then, I would still think of it as an invasion of privacy.

 

[Sylvia127]

I'm not saying I support legislation for ridiculous things like crossing the street and being on a phone or an i-pod or too much more for that matter. It's like mandating helmets on motorcycles-the injured are so mangled, it really matters not...if there is no helmet at all, perhaps that is kindest.

It really all comes down to personal responsibility, of course. And we Americans don't do that very well. We sue. Even with comparative negligence set-offs, lawsuits ensuing from car accidents becomes an all engrossing national pastime.

In a perfect world, drivers do hit the horn so you know they are there-or you are paying attention to begin with. Someone who breaks the law (by committing a hit and run, and to boot in this case having alcohol involved, but below the legal level-just to complicate the entire tragedy) adds an angle that the responsible person may have thrust upon him/her, and can't control-like children in a car with the windows rolled up-parents are smokers-children have no choice or say in the matter-they are going to get that 2nd hand smoke.

Every day I look up in my rear view mirror to see some gabber on his/her cell phone yakking away, or dialing, or reaching for something, as they get closer and closer to the back end of my car, usually at a pretty fair clip, and I hold my breath, praying and wondering if there will be a collision or if they will STOP?

I want no contact with that car to begin with. Their right to read, listen/do whatever they want to ends about 1 millimeter away from where my car bumper begins.

My position here has been formed by my inclusion, not by my choice, in several very car bad accidents. I know that people don't take personal responsibility, and the ones who get injured or killed as a result of the act or ommission had no choice and no voice in the other's exercise of freedom.

The only remedy we have when injury results is the lawsuit, yes, or jail. Lotta cash, sometimes. Cold comfort most times. I don't think laws in this area will help, I just think they would be another source of revenue for the state. But all I say is the one out walking around with a phone, i-pod, etc. bears heavy responsibility. Just be careful! (Not trying to be smothering here!)

 

[Mr. BAW]

Damn Yankees! first NY then the rest of the country!!!

 

[LarryMullen's POPAngel]

Kind of ridiculous, but you'd think people would have the common sense to pause it, like Irvine said he does (hell, when I go walking in my little suburban area I pause when I cross streets) or take the earbuds out.

But, then again the terms "people" and "common sense" rarely go together anymore.

 

[Bonochick]

When I'm out walking with my iPod on, I keep the volume down enough to be aware of my surroundings. I also will look over my shoulder ever now and then to make sure nobody is sneaking up on me. I'm not paranoid, but I do like to be a little cautious. People need to take more of a responsibility for doing what they can to be safe and alert while out and about...and that's nothing that putting a law like this into place will accomplish.

 

[Liesje]

I'm not sure how much a law like this would accomplish. It reminds me of laws like eating in the car, or having something hanging from your rear-view mirror. I'd rather have more effort be used towards enforcing laws like seat belt use, because I'm guessing exponentially more people die because they didn't wear a seatbelt than crossing the street with an iPod playing.

I used to bike for 1-3 hours a day and I couldn't do it without going insane unless I had music. However, I've never been able to listen to music while I'm biking in the city - it makes me so nervous not being able to hear well - so I'd bike to a large cemetery, put on my headphones, and bike laps in the cemetery where there weren't going to be buses or other traffic.

People need to just use more common sense and pay a little extra attention when they know they can't hear well.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

it seems as if common sense is becoming an enemy of the state here in new york.

at least it's taken away from the stupid LIRR gap debate.

 

[CTU2fan]

I bet it would be wicked easy to mug somebody listening to headphones...you could creep right up on them & BOOM!

Seriously, I tend to hit pause when I cross the street. I've got one eye & I've never been nailed, you'd think the 2-eyed folks out there would have a leg up.

 

[randhail]

Based on the logic of the lawmakers, should deaf people be banned from crossing the street?

 

[Varitek]

This is going too far. I don't oppose helmet and seatbelt laws, but accidents can happen to riders and the helmet/seatbelt helps prevent serious injury. The difference here is that an accident crossing the street will not be mitigated by lack of an iPod. The rationale for the law is different - that a small number of people are too stupid to cross the street while listening to music (or talking on cell phones) - but that is not what law is for.

 

[Angela Harlem]

"If you can't afford to replace it, then insure it." It's a sort of motto for me.

Does this law mean jaywalkers, though? Or is it actually for people crossing at lights or zebra crossings? At lights and so on it's silly, as it would mean being hit means someone hasn't stopped for their red light and whether you are listening to an ipod, or moonwalking naked except for a US flag wrapped around you, is a little irrelevent.

 

[angelordevil]

[Bmoonwalking naked except for a US flag wrapped around you, is a little irrelevent. [/B]

Now, that would be a distraction!

The whole thing seems pretty silly. It's ultimately up the individual to look after their own level of awareness. I do a lot of walking while listening to music, but I always turn it down when moving across the street. It might seem funny, but I find that I can actually be more aware of my surroundings while listening to music at a reasonable level.

 

[indra]

When I lived in NYC, back before iPods, I never left my apt without my Walkman. Though I thought I was pretty aware of my surroundings when wearing headphones, on two occasions I narrowly missed getting hit by a bus by a stranger's hands pulling me out of the way. Scary stuff. If anyone had ever warned me that that could happen, I would have laughed and said, "Puh-lease, I'm not stupid, I look before I cross, the volume's not that high, of course I'd hear the horns," blah blah blah, and both times it was very shocking. I could not believe I didn't know I'd stepped off the curb in front of an oncoming bus. Thank God for the kindness of strangers. Don't know how I feel about this law, though. It is a bit like talking on your cell phone while driving.

I have noticed when I put on headphones that my focus immediately turns inward and I find it very hard to pay attention to my surroundings. While this is handy in some situations, it's also very disconcerting and most likely dangerous in others. So I don't ever wear them when I need to be aware of what's around me.

I've also had people with headphones (or ear-buds) step right out in front of me several times when I was driving and had the right of way. Some were so into what they were hearing and unaware of their surroundings they never so much as blinked even when I screeched to a halt and honked. Horrible feeling to almost squish someone.

But I don't think common sense can be legislated, so if someone really wants to risk their life to hear a song, who am I to say he/she can't?

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

lets get rid of neon light advertisements, too... they can be distracting while walking.

and the news ticker and giant TV in times square... how am i expected to pay attention when crossing the street and check my stocks as they wrap around a building at the same time? i think they should turn the news ticker off while i cross the street, just to be safe.

 

[CTU2fan]

lets get rid of neon light advertisements, too... they can be distracting while walking.

and the news ticker and giant TV in times square... how am i expected to pay attention when crossing the street and check my stocks as they wrap around a building at the same time? i think they should turn the news ticker off while i cross the street, just to be safe.

But keep the "LIVE LIVE LIVE NUDE NUDE NUDE" signs...though they're more distracting than any iPod

 

[u2fan628]

This is just another idea to create revenue for the city.Just like all the fake parking tickets or wanting bicyclist to pay for a license.They just dream up ways to bleed the public.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

But keep the "LIVE LIVE LIVE NUDE NUDE NUDE" signs...though they're more distracting than any iPod

come on... rudy sent those signs to brooklyn 10+ years ago. keep up with the times

This is just another idea to create revenue for the city.Just like all the fake parking tickets or wanting bicyclist to pay for a license.They just dream up ways to bleed the public.

this is actually suggested for a state wide law, not new york city... so you won't be able to walk across wellwood or sunrise with your iPod on, either.

 

[u2fan628]

come on... rudy sent those signs to brooklyn 10+ years ago. keep up with the times



this is actually suggested for a state wide law, not new york city... so you won't be able to walk across wellwood or sunrise with your iP od on, either.

I wouldn't walk across Sunrise without one!

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

i wouldn't walk across sunrise, period.