New York may ban iPods while crossing street

[Pred]

I don't know how I feel about this. On one hand I see why they would want to do it. On the other hand it seems like we as people are having less of a say in what we do. Know what I mean?

• Legislation would ban gadget use while crossing the street
• Three pedestrians in Brooklyn killed stepping into traffic
• New York senator: We have a major public safety crisis

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."

[Oxford]

People failing to use their head is nothing new. Here's more of them getting their just rewards:

Myspace.com

[Stopper]

Darwin's theory still lives and here a legislator is trying to nulify it via legislation. Hopefully it won't make it out of commitee.

[SPOCAHP ANAR]

People are dying because they are crossing the street preoccupied and NOT paying attention. Pass a law to make people pay attention.

[Pred]

Yeah, but thats like saying we need to pass a law forbidding people to sleep on their left side as it might put added pressure on their heart(don't know if your being serious or not, but I think you get my point).

[Oxford]

Darwin's Law will thin out those who aren't using their heads. No need for more laws.

[.22guy]

They are going to ban everything in NYC, aren't they? They just recently banned trans-fat in foods.

Whatever happened to personal responsibility?

[troy2000]

Originally Posted by .22guy

They are going to ban everything in NYC, aren't they? They just recently banned trans-fat in foods.
Whatever happened to personal responsibility?

They banned restaurants from using them on the basis that they're very bad for you. It's the same power they use to prohibit other dangerous substances in food, to control the temperatures food is stored under, or to enforce any other health regulation in a place that serves the public

Here's what Wikipedia says on the subject:


Trans fats occur, in small quantities, in meat and dairy products from ruminants. Most trans fats consumed today, however, are industrially created as a side effect of partial hydrogenation of plant oils... Unlike other fats, trans fats are neither required nor beneficial for health. Eating trans fat increases the risk of coronary heart disease. For these reasons, health authorities worldwide recommend that consumption of trans fat be reduced to trace amounts...Trans fats are tightly regulated in a few countries, must be disclosed on product labels in many others...Many companies are voluntarily removing trans fats from their products, or establishing trans-free product lines.

[.22guy]

You still have a choice on where and what to eat.

[Spurzmaker]

I hope the short, plump, little meter maid giving me a ticket with a phone jack stuck in her ear is able to get her fat behind back on her 3 wheeler, and not get run over while pulling out.

"actual thought" while getting a ticket for 2 minutes over parking in downtown Prescott. Oh well, pay the fine, and learn next time.

[Apollyon67]

with all these laws, how are we to weed out the gene pool?

[troy2000]

Don't worry Apollyon, they'll manage to weed themselves out anyway, one way or another. The more civilised and technological we get, the more ways there are for them to do it.

[Rufus Rhastus J]

More laws to protect us from ourselves. We tolerte it, guess we deserve to be treated like little children. But, that's what the government wants, us to need them.

[Rave]

Ipods,perhaps another tool for nature to use in thinng out the herd.

[Rufus Rhastus J]

Yup! Dumb new yorker, too stupid to look where they walk. Thinning the heard of new yorkers may be a good idea....after all, they did elect the beast. And besides, I can do with a few less new yorkers around here!