This is why you shouldn't point your lasers at Aircraft. Prime Example.

paintball25x · Jan 12, 2012

Just wanted to share this before anybody goes out and does anything stupid. Don't be like this guy. Keep in mind lasers are not toys, and in the eye of the law, they are considered weapons.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Clark Gable's 23-year-old grandson has been sentenced to 10 days in jail for pointing a green laser at a Los Angeles police helicopter as it flew 800 feet (244 meters) over Hollywood.
City News Service says the judge, who gave Clark James Gable credit for one day already served in jail, also placed him on three years' probation. He was sentenced Thursday.
Gable pleaded guilty last month to felony discharge of a laser.
He flashed the laser three times at the helicopter while riding as a passenger in a car on July 28.
Officers aboard the helicopter pinpointed the source of the 52-milliwatt laser and directed officers on the ground to make an arrest.

Original article found here: Clark Gable grandson gets jail for pointing laser - Yahoo! News Please guys, be safe and don't be stupid. Thanks!

JLSE · Jan 12, 2012

First time I've heard it put that way "felony discharge of a laser".
beginning to sound like more of a comparison is being made to firearms.

They also mention the source being 52mW... Appears that they are
taking the lasers used in this sort of activity and having them metered..

Wonder if there are different classes of charges based on output as well
as to the act in which they are used..

Sigurthr · Jan 12, 2012

wannaburn said:
Wonder if there are different classes of charges based on output as well
as to the act in which they are used..

I don't want to find out, hah!

Flaminpyro · Jan 12, 2012

Wow thanks for stopping me I was just about to go and do something stupid :crackup:

paintball25x said:
Just wanted to share this before anybody goes out and does anything stupid.

sinner · Jan 12, 2012

Based on the Claim of 52mW .. getting caught with just 52mW is just lame..this guy is such a dumb ass in first place and second of all , i am pretty sure they have a laserbee lpm and one or more of the officers could have been coming to lpf lately and they might also have succeeded in making a 200mW red in one of the kits/hosts made available by our members

thats a felon x4 imo ;P
Jokes apart, we are well aware of the consequenses , and thanks a lot for sharing and refreshing the minds of possible dumbasses of the future..

Flaminpyro · Jan 12, 2012

Where do get info like this pull it out of you ear, It not good to make up things you really don't know about, in the long run it just makes matters worse :thinking:

Have fun and be Safe

sinner said:
i am pretty sure they have a laserbee lpm and one or more of the officers could have been coming to lpf lately and they might also have succeeded in making a 200mW red in one of the kits/hosts made available by our members

xoul · Jan 13, 2012

10 days? That's bullshit! The other violators were given 4/6months to a year or more. Argh... double stardards for celebrities. Even though Clark Gable's grandson is probably not what you might consider a celebrity, it's obviously enough to give him a different set of consequences than the rest of us. Sickening.

Benm · Jan 13, 2012

Guess that depends on perspective. Here in holland 10 days imprisonment would be a harsh measure for something of this nature - at least i suppose he never intented to shoot that helicopter down nor did any actual harm or damage.

Also makes me wonder what that helicopter was doing flying at such a low altitude over a populated area, but thats another matter.

paintball25x · Jan 13, 2012

xoul said:
10 days? That's bullshit! The other violators were given 4/6months to a year or more. Argh... double stardards for celebrities. Even though Clark Gable's grandson is probably not what you might consider a celebrity, it's obviously enough to give him a different set of consequences than the rest of us. Sickening.

Yea ten days but he also did receive 3 years probation. So he didn't get off that easy.

sopark4000 · Jan 13, 2012

paintball25x said:
This is why you shouldn't point your lasers at Aircraft. Prime Example.

Actually the reason you shouldn't point lasers at aircraft is because you could harm the pilots or passengers eyesight (not likely). Not because you might get caught. Either way I hate hearing about this because every aircraft illumination incident brings us one step closer to our hobby being legislated out of existence. I guess in the end most of us wouldn't have a hard time acquiring lasers with DIY building but the day that it becomes illegal to possess a laser over 5mW is the day I will cry for lasers. :cryyy:

If they did introduce tougher legislation for lasers I would just hope it only effects hand held lasers because while I do love my hand helds I spend a lot more time using my labby/desk top lasers.

InfinitusEquitas · Jan 13, 2012

sopark4000 said:
Actually the reason you shouldn't point lasers at aircraft is because you could harm the pilots or passengers eyesight (not likely).

Actually it's not. As you yourself say, the chance of actual harm to the pilot's eyes us negligible.

The reality is due to divergence most handheld lasers will not pose any risk of permanent or temporary damage. Especially not a 52mW laser at 800 feet.

The danger is in the distraction hazard.

[rant]On another note, I hate to blame the victim, but am I the only one who's wondered :wtf: these helicopters and planes are doing flying at low altitudes? I mean aside from annoying the hell out of anyone who happens to live underneath them.

Ever since the patriot act of insane spending it seems police departments are just itching to try out new toys and take helicopter tours of sleepy neighborhoods at night.[/rant]

sopark4000 · Jan 13, 2012

InfinitusEquitas said:
The danger is in the distraction hazard.

Yes very true.

As far as planes flying low, where I live it is ridiculous some times. While I live in a nice neighborhood unfortunately I am in the flight path of 2 airports on Long Island and most of the time it's not to bad but a few times a week some dick in a business jet (usually gulf stream 3,4 and 5's) passes incredibly low over my area.
Helicopters aren't often a problem except for the several times an air ambulance has landed right across the street from my house because there's a parking lot that is almost always empty, has no trees or overhead wires and is one of the only suitable spots along my stretch of the LIE (Long Island Expressway).

danefex · Jan 13, 2012

I can't imagine that in the event someone gets caught doing something this stupid, that the output of the laser used in the incident matters if it's above 5mW. That would sort of be like taking it easy on someone who stole only $10 from a robbery instead of $1000. The amount stolen shouldn't matter, the fact is they stole it.

In this case, regardless of how powerful the laser he used was - he pointed it more than once at a helicopter and that's the illegal use they're charging him with. :beer:

sinner said:
Based on the Claim of 52mW .. getting caught with just 52mW is just lame..this guy is such a dumb ass in first place and second of all , i am pretty sure they have a laserbee lpm and one or more of the officers could have been coming to lpf lately and they might also have succeeded in making a 200mW red in one of the kits/hosts made available by our members thats a felon x4 imo ;P
Jokes apart, we are well aware of the consequenses , and thanks a lot for sharing and refreshing the minds of possible dumbasses of the future..

InfinitusEquitas · Jan 13, 2012

sopark4000 said:
Yes very true.

As far as planes flying low, where I live it is ridiculous some times. While I live in a nice neighborhood unfortunately I am in the flight path of 2 airports on Long Island and most of the time it's not to bad but a few times a week some dick in a business jet (usually gulf stream 3,4 and 5's) passes incredibly low over my area.
Helicopters aren't often a problem except for the several times an air ambulance has landed right across the street from my house because there's a parking lot that is almost always empty, has no trees or overhead wires and is one of the only suitable spots along my stretch of the LIE (Long Island Expressway).

I live fairly close to teterboro airport and also on occasion there are low flying jets. Actually in recent years not so often... but I remember years ago, it was very annoying. Also possible I just got used to it and block it out

Helicopters haven't really ever been an issue for me outside of college. My dorm and part time job were both very close one semester to a helipad across the street. It wasn't everyday, but every once in a while I did wake up to the smell of jetfuel and noise.

danefex said:
I can't imagine that in the event someone gets caught doing something this stupid, that the output of the laser used in the incident matters if it's above 5mW. That would sort of be like taking it easy on someone who stole only $10 from a robbery instead of $1000. The amount stolen shouldn't matter, the fact is they stole it.

Uhm... punishment should fit the crime IMO, so it at least to me, it does matter.

Think of it this way... which would you be more pissed off about having lost, your bike or your car?

danefex · Jan 13, 2012

InfinitusEquitas said:
Uhm... punishment should fit the crime IMO, so it at least to me, it does matter.

Think of it this way... which would you be more pissed off about having lost, your bike or your car?

It shouldn't matter IMO. As the victim obviously losing anything is going to suck, but as the offender - the fact remains that you stole. (Not you personally IE, just an example) Whether you stole a bike or a car shouldn't matter, you stole someones property and you're a thief - you should be punished and treated as such.

I agree with you in extreme circumstances though. Stealing a house should be treated more harshly than stealing a pack of gum, because even though you're a thief & you stole - stealing a house is just something else & should be more punishable than shoplifting. Another exception I can think of is punishing someone who got caught stealing for their first time vs someone who has been caught several times. A frist timer should get off lightly & hopefully learn something, a habitual theif should have their ass handed to them because apparently they can't stop taking other peoples stuff. Just my .02! :beer:

InfinitusEquitas · Jan 13, 2012

^^^So going back to criminal analogies.

Let's try another one. Do you think a person who assaults another with a fists should be charged and receive the same punishment as someone who assaults another with a gun?

Both are assault. In both a person is attacked. The same level of punishment doesn't make sense though.

Of course we don't know how badly a person is hurt in either case....

Is attempted murder the same thing as murder? What about manslaughter and murder?

So again, strictly IMO, the punishment should fit the crime. It should also take other factors into account like intent. I'm guessing this gable offspring wasn't actually trying to take down a helicopter... if he was you can be he would be in jail for quite a long time.

This is why you shouldn't point your lasers at Aircraft. Prime Example.

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