Local Chicago news ran another 'Lasing Aircraft Problem' tonight...

My phone rang about 20 mintues ago. My mother says "Daniel! Turn on channel seven news right now, they're about to cover a story on shooting lasers at airplanes..." Not more than 3 seconds after hanging up with her my phone rings again.. "Hey Dan (its the neighbor) - there's news on TV about airplanes and lasers, channel 7"

..........

They're talking about this....



The story was your typical 'growing concern over increased 'lasing' incidents', ect... Nothing too surprising or blown out of proportion.... except there was one part that caught me in particular.

"Since last year there's been 98 reported incidents at O'Hare airport with lasers and aircraft, and the FBI is very close to solving an ongoing investigation they've been working on for several months"

To me, this is good AND scares the hell out of me. It's good because (1) I personally am innocent & shouldn't have anything to worry about, right? I know I don't shine lasers at airplanes & dont see HTF I could be accused of anything otherwise. (2) I hope they catch whoever is responsible so I don't have to continously field questions from my family & neighbors.

Now what scares the hell out of me is that everyone around me KNOWS I have high powered lasers. I shoot them all the time, responsibly of course - but just about every damn day. I've never had any lasers confiscated, no warnings or complaints ever from what I've been doing.

I also live across the street from the local police department and they've most certainly seen me shooting lasers before. I know that might shock some people but it is the truth. Whether I've been running my dog around the front yard (not hight powered of course) or focusing mounted lasers on the treelines across the street into the park (definitely high powered) - the local police know who I am AND that I am absolutely the only one in our area with several high powered lasers.... They've seen them several dozen times.

NOW... 1/2 way into this news story I thought about going to the police sometime very soon and introducing myself as 'the guy across the street with the lasers' and telling them that I've seen a few stories on the news about this and basically want to 'register' myself with the village/police dept. By doing this, I feel I would be entering myself into their system as someone who wouldn't be mistaken as someone trying to crash airplanes with my lasers since I was volunteering my information, ect to them instead of being a 'possible culprit'.

Is this a bad idea?

My first concern of course is that they'll ask me to turn in my 'illegal lasers' because they're not legal AND because this is a growing problem. But are they illegal? I understand they're illegal to import, sell or use in any irresponsible manner against trasnporation, people, ect ect. But I also understand it is not illegal to build or own these lasers... Am I wrong? Please enlighten me if I am. I'd love to have as much accurate information on this as possible. Thanks! :beer:

I wouldn't say jack squat to them about what you got.
Thats just me tho. I feel that if i was to tell them i would get messed with.
Or even blamed for the stuff.
Because if they know you got the stuff, and something goes down.
There gonna come at you with questions ect....

Me honestly the less I deal with the law and government the better off I am.

Yeah. A little torn on this. They may not understand laser hobbyists at all. At the same time, police are usually relieved by people who are honest.

That said, I highly doubt they're suspicious of you. This kinda stuff doesn't work by just circumstantial evidence. They'd have to link you to the incidents at o'hare.

Possession isn't illegal. "Entering them into commerce", and yes, "importing them" is, but not having them.

The fact that you're worried shows that you're not one of the brazen a-holes who go around shooting this stuff off.

It's funny; I'm a pilot - and i've recently had to cut back on my mountainside beamshots. A nosy neighbor has gotten bored, and is calling the police on the way that I park my car, how I put my trash bins out, and what lights I leave on at night.

Last thing I need is for her to dial 911 because she sees a laser shooting onto the mountainside (nearly unscalable state forest land -- patches of land which are covered with snow on a 30' incline -- best beam dump ever) at night.

I'd say, yes, stay off their radar; though I understand the want to go over there and be honest. I really do. It probably would go a long way, for some officers, but you never know if there's one who just wants to make an example out of you...

I agree with the above. You may just cause more problems for yourself.

I would not go to the police. If you go to the police, they know OFFICIALLY that you own some laser and maybe they have to follow some instructions/procedures, which they can ignore at the moment.
Don't wake sleeping dogs:eg:

I agree with everone else here you know you arn't doing any thing wrong so just be cool and the bad guy will get it in the end.
no need to tell anyone what you own it's a free country and you should feel that !

I'd keep it quiet too. They would have to prove that you were in the vicinity anyway, just because you have lasers they can't pin it on you. They will catch the culprit and you can breathe easily then.

Folks thanks for your input, I really do appreciate what others think. After some deep, uninterrupted though last night I've decided to just lay low & not do anything about this.

..A wiseman's voice popped into my head and spoke the words 'Neutrality yields neutrality' - which I interpreted to mean 'dont do anything & nothing will happen'. Strangely, there was a blurred face with this voice & I could've swore he was wearing a white miners helmet, had a beard & was smiling about something

I agree with you all, i find it sad but true that even here in ore on the river ,not much on the other side but trees and mountian side, i have to be very careful not to bring ATTENTION upon myself . Even here in the good old usa we are being watched boys. My lasers are very valuable to me and i treasure them, have a good one :worthy: of our goverment:gun: Rambler P.s.It is human nature to stick there noses into other humans busy-ness ..

donprado said:

I would not go to the police. If you go to the police, they know OFFICIALLY that you own some laser and maybe they have to follow some instructions/procedures, which they can ignore at the moment.
Don't wake sleeping dogs:eg:

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Exactly, no point if forcing them to notice you.

Well as I said before, there's NO DOUBT they know I have lasers. There's laserbeams shooting from my front & backyard all the time when it's not daytime. The cops have seen it, neighbors have seen it... there's no question who's got the lasers in my neighborhood :beer: