Another genius gets arrested for misuse of laser pointer

[Encap]

L.I. Man Arrested For Pointing Laser At Plane

 

[danefex]

I have mixed reactions everytime I read articles like that while facepalming, I'm not sure how to accurately word it out. I'm glad they got the guy because he got what he deserves for doing something so childishly stupid. If they hadn't caught him, an ongoing investigation would strengthen authorities to outright just ban using them period. At the same time I don't wish this kind of punishment on anyone, especially after saying above 'he got what he deserves' by being so stupid. He's 21 yrs old & should know better. I hope my words don't sound vengeful, I don't intend them to :beer:

 

[rangedunits]

Lasers should be handled like weapons

 

[Hemlock_Mike]

Caution !!!!!!

Quote: "Lasers should be handled like weapons " can be translated by the Gov't or Media as "Lasers are weapons and need more regulation".
Be careful what you ask for --------------
HMike

 

[00Giorge]

Caution !!!!!!

Quote: "Lasers should be handled like weapons " can be translated by the Gov't or Media as "Lasers are weapons and need more regulation".
Be careful what you ask for --------------
HMike

I agree and I think anyone that gets caught lasing things or people that they shouldn't be. Will be made an example of and punished harshly.

 

[Encap]

Certainly, someone 21 should know better and should get a good scare and fine as a wake-up call, if nobody was harmed.
I mean how could anyone imagine that shining a laser at a plane and a police helicopter would be just fine/a good idea?
Then again wearing protective eyewear is a common sense thing to do and people don't do it?

Is a difficult situation to think about --- juveniles should be warned and the parents informed where there is no actual harm done at a minimum.
Adults should be given a stiff fine and warning.
If it happens a second time harsh punishment is in order for both.

In a situation where harm is done to other & innocent people it should dealt with in more aggressively as very serious matter with harsh punishments & civil liability as would be the case harming anyone with any implement or device.

Weapons--only when used as a weapon maybe?
So many safely enjoy lasers as a hobby.
If laser pointers were considered weapons that would invite an endless list of regulations and perhaps even licensing efforts and so on.
Anything can be a weapon, lasers, cars, baseball bats, pointy sticks and so on. Clearly laser pointers are not meant to be offensive weapons--not powerful enough for that yet ---but have potential for hazardous misuse that is greater than most things.

I agree with the "be careful what you wish for" statement.

Freedom to own, use, and enjoy is important also not just what misfits think up to do with them that is negative.

 

[GoolGaul]

not all LI'ers are idiots...

but this one obviously is.

 

[sopark4000]

not all LI'ers are idiots...

but this one obviously is.

I'm an idiot

 

[InfinitusEquitas]

Caution !!!!!!

Quote: "Lasers should be handled like weapons " can be translated by the Gov't or Media as "Lasers are weapons and need more regulation".
Be careful what you ask for --------------
HMike

Well said. It's far too easy to go from one to the other.

Never mind that the "helpful" media demonizes lasers at every turn.

The reality of the situation is, in most of these cases it's an idiot with an overpriced newwish pen, and shitty divergence.

Which translates to little to no danger at all.

I'm an idiot

Just had to quote you for future reference:na:

 

[StardustSprinkles]

I love how the media will sometimes bring the pilot, the arresting officers, and a "laser expert" in for stuff like this.. :crackup:

 

[spartanlsr]

Well said. It's far too easy to go from one to the other.

Never mind that the "helpful" media demonizes lasers at every turn.

The reality of the situation is, in most of these cases it's an idiot with an overpriced newwish pen, and shitty divergence.

Which translates to little to no danger at all.

I agree. With all the hype about lasers right now, the media makes anything that's above 5mw's seem like a murdering death-ray. It has even got to the point to where in movies, such as "Final Destination", a 5 mw Lasik laser (yeah right) is overpumped to 9.8mw(Extreme uber powerful according to media) and cuts clean through someone's arm. It is completely ridiculous that now most of the public bases their knowledge on media rumor instead of fact, while knowledgeable enthusiasts such as LPF users have to suffer the consequences.

 

[laserdan]

I'm sure that a certain laser manufacturer advertising "The Worlds Most Powerful Laser" as being capable of setting fire to things, burning flesh instantly, and targeting satellites in orbit doesn't help with this public perception in a positive way, either....

I, also, am afraid to shine my lasers outside in my own yard or anywhere else because of the potentially negative unwanted attention... That and the fact of planes approaching the local airport frequently fly right over my house at around 1000-2000 feet. I am afraid that a pilot simply seeing my beam in the sky, even if not targeting the craft, would be assumed to be an attempt to do so. Better Safe than Sorry, I guess....

Yeah, they sure DO ruin it for everyone, don't they? :yabbmad:

 

[Benm]

If you are living under an airport approach corridor, i can only applaud caution. Surely you are not targetting the planes, but a stray beam you perhaps get too close to comfort. You could even be unlucky enough to point the beam out of a window and hit a plane without ever knowing it was there.

This shouldn't normally be a problem and noone gets hurt, but i can imagine the police wanting to make an example out of anyone they can get, despite intent.

 

[JLSE]

I am afraid that a pilot simply seeing my beam in the sky, even if not targeting the craft, would be assumed to be an attempt to do so.

I cant recall if it was for Canada or the USA, but the FAA requested that ALL noted
skyward beams be reported by pilots, regardless if they were targeting a plane or not.

Sounded to me that they wanted to possibly 'map' known locations for laser use.
Perhaps a new method of finding laser owners ahead of time, and 'just in case'.

 

[Sigurthr]

I'm sure that a certain laser manufacturer advertising "The Worlds Most Powerful Laser" as being capable of setting fire to things, burning flesh instantly, and targeting satellites in orbit doesn't help with this public perception in a positive way, either....

I, also, am afraid to shine my lasers outside in my own yard or anywhere else because of the potentially negative unwanted attention... That and the fact of planes approaching the local airport frequently fly right over my house at around 1000-2000 feet. I am afraid that a pilot simply seeing my beam in the sky, even if not targeting the craft, would be assumed to be an attempt to do so. Better Safe than Sorry, I guess....

Yeah, they sure DO ruin it for everyone, don't they? :yabbmad:

It's not just Laser hobbyists running into these issues. I'm also a Radiological Survey hobbyist, and you would be surprised the fear, panic, over reaction, and plain old stupidity the word "radiation" brings out in the general populace. We don't have a forum like this but we do have an email reflector which functions like a forum. Anyway, try walking around town or your local state park with a radiological survey instrument (I frown upon the term geiger counter, as it only describes one specific type of radiation detection device). A lot of innocent hobbyists have found a lot of trouble from idiots who think radiation detection equipment gives off radiation!

I remember a story one of the members posted about a year ago... he was surveying his town's legal and banking district (all marble sided buildings) for gamma dose and radon release rates on the sidewalks. Basically someone asked him what he was doing, and he simply explained to them that he was measuring the radiation coming off of the walls of the building. Well, word traveled fast that day because he wound up having all of his equipment confiscated and he was taken in for questioning. They released him shortly afterwards but never returned his equipment. He was instructed to not show his face in that area again if he wanted to keep out of their detention center. He certainly wasn't harming anyone, he was just studying the radiological composition of the marble they used in the town.

Another member (who happens to be the owner of the email reflector and a pioneer in the hobby) had his belt clip gamma/neutron scintillator on him one day while visiting a relative in the hospital. Long story short, he went to the cafeteria for something to eat and the alarm sounded repeatedly on his scintillator. There was a Tc99m spill in the cafeteria. Tc99/99m are Technicium isotopes used for radiological scans that are in a liquid form and injected into patients for the procedure. Spills certainly pose bystanders a health risk as a single procedure's dose is many times the normal amount of radiation exposure a person takes in for a year. Anyway, he was able to grab some unobtrusive equipment from his car and localize the spill location. He reported his findings to the hospital staff, who treated him VERY badly/rudely. Finally the hospital's phychological staff took him into custody and kept him in the mental ward of the hospital for 24hr observation. After the observation he was released and no charges were filled. He reported his findings and experience to the NRC (nuclear reg. commission) who filed an official investigation. The hospital kept him for 24hrs so they could clean up the spill without anyone being the wiser.

Anyway, those long stories just go to elaborate a point; harmless, law-abiding, and usually beneficial hobbyists in technological or scientific fields are often regarded by the general public as a hazard and purpetrators of crimes most vile.

Those who do not understand, fear.

 

[sopark4000]

It's not just Laser hobbyists running into these issues. I'm also a Radiological Survey hobbyist, and you would be surprised the fear, panic, over reaction, and plain old stupidity the word "radiation" brings out in the general populace. We don't have a forum like this but we do have an email reflector which functions like a forum. Anyway, try walking around town or your local state park with a radiological survey instrument (I frown upon the term geiger counter, as it only describes one specific type of radiation detection device). A lot of innocent hobbyists have found a lot of trouble from idiots who think radiation detection equipment gives off radiation!

I remember a story one of the members posted about a year ago... he was surveying his town's legal and banking district (all marble sided buildings) for gamma dose and radon release rates on the sidewalks. Basically someone asked him what he was doing, and he simply explained to them that he was measuring the radiation coming off of the walls of the building. Well, word traveled fast that day because he wound up having all of his equipment confiscated and he was taken in for questioning. They released him shortly afterwards but never returned his equipment. He was instructed to not show his face in that area again if he wanted to keep out of their detention center. He certainly wasn't harming anyone, he was just studying the radiological composition of the marble they used in the town.

Another member (who happens to be the owner of the email reflector and a pioneer in the hobby) had his belt clip gamma/neutron scintillator on him one day while visiting a relative in the hospital. Long story short, he went to the cafeteria for something to eat and the alarm sounded repeatedly on his scintillator. There was a Tc99m spill in the cafeteria. Tc99/99m are Technicium isotopes used for radiological scans that are in a liquid form and injected into patients for the procedure. Spills certainly pose bystanders a health risk as a single procedure's dose is many times the normal amount of radiation exposure a person takes in for a year. Anyway, he was able to grab some unobtrusive equipment from his car and localize the spill location. He reported his findings to the hospital staff, who treated him VERY badly/rudely. Finally the hospital's phychological staff took him into custody and kept him in the mental ward of the hospital for 24hr observation. After the observation he was released and no charges were filled. He reported his findings and experience to the NRC (nuclear reg. commission) who filed an official investigation. The hospital kept him for 24hrs so they could clean up the spill without anyone being the wiser.

Anyway, those long stories just go to elaborate a point; harmless, law-abiding, and usually beneficial hobbyists in technological or scientific fields are often regarded by the general public as a hazard and purpetrators of crimes most vile.

Those who do not understand, fear.

WOW. Those are some very interesting stories. Honestly though neither of them surprise me. Many people who don't understand technology they aren't exposed to every day have irrational fears of them. About a month ago I was at a park using my lasers while it was just getting dark. A guy pulled into the parking lot, immediately jumped out of his car and began yelling at me and questioning me about what I was doing there with my lasers (my 175mW 532nm and my 1,150mW 445nm). I calmly responded that I was just sky pointing and not doing anything wrong. He continued yelling at me and claimed that it was illegal to own lasers that powerful and that he was going to call the police. I informed him that possessing a laser of that power was not illegal and that we were in a public park. He continued going on and on about how lasers were bad news etc etc at which point I told him to have a nice night, jumped in my car and left. Luckily it didn't progress past that but I'm sure it wont be the last time some troglodyte gives me a hard time about using a laser.