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ArcticMyst Security by Avery

Pointing a laser in the night sky

Joined
May 15, 2016
Messages
117
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So, I was talking about removing the lens of a laser to make it look like a flashlight, in case some paranoid person sees the beam in the night sky and calls the cops, on Styropyro's Discord server. Three guys were treating me like I was some sort of monster for even pointing the laser at the sky, despite me saying I check for planes on flightradar24 and never pointing to the sky if I see any airplane, saying that I was causing reckless endangerment, using metaphors like "So you would shoot randomly at people in the street." and such, saying that I shouldn't own a laser.
To be fair, I talked about possibly shining my laser through the door pinhole to blind my mom's harasser, which I understand is wrong, I was filled with rage when I said that, and even then I wasn't 100% on doing it. That message got promptly deleted of course, not sure if they saw it.
Are they right? By their logic, everyone here who posts outdoor beamshots is being reckless and risking lives. Styropyro himself responded that it's a legal gray area and he wouldn't comment.
Just so you know I had been researching for years before buying a laser, and I take all the safety precautions I can, I'm not some kid that just bought a laser and points it at people for fun.
This might sound like self-pitying, I apolozige. I just want to know if pointing a laser into the sky at all is bad.
 
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CurtisOliver

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I would recommend not shining lasers into the night sky unless you are on a large chunk of private land and have virtually no air traffic. It only takes a stray laser beam to come within the area of an aircraft and you will be liable. It is a grey area still as astronomers are allowed to use lasers for star pointing however even this isn’t black or white. I live in a suburban area near a major city so pointing lasers in the sky is a very risky thing to do.
Also in this day and age it is best to keep lasers out of everybody’s way. It only takes one Karen!
 

gazer101

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Its a complex issue. Where I live, the only place you can fully enjoy your laser is in your own home with the windows blacked out and your pets hidden away (yes, believe it or not someone else can sue you if you accidentally injure your own pet, crazy right?!)

The chance of you blinding someone may be low, but apps can lie and maybe there is some plane up there without functional lights. So by pointing outside there is an infinitesimal chance that no matter what precautions you take you'll blind someone (I assume that's why the discord guys got so butthurt)... Whether or not this infinitesimal chance is worth worrying about is another issue, but again where I live the risk isn't worth it

I wish human eyes could regrow so we could stop worrying about lasers blinding people ;)
 
Joined
May 15, 2016
Messages
117
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I would recommend not shining lasers into the night sky unless you are on a large chunk of private land and have virtually no air traffic. It only takes a stray laser beam to come within the area of an aircraft and you will be liable. It is a grey area still as astronomers are allowed to use lasers for star pointing however even this isn’t black or white. I live in a suburban area near a major city so pointing lasers in the sky is a very risky thing to do.
Also in this day and age it is best to keep lasers out of everybody’s way. It only takes one Karen!
Its a complex issue. Where I live, the only place you can fully enjoy your laser is in your own home with the windows blacked out and your pets hidden away (yes, believe it or not someone else can sue you if you accidentally injure your own pet, crazy right?!)

The chance of you blinding someone may be low, but apps can lie and maybe there is some plane up there without functional lights. So by pointing outside there is an infinitesimal chance that no matter what precautions you take you'll blind someone (I assume that's why the discord guys got so butthurt)... Whether or not this infinitesimal chance is worth worrying about is another issue, but again where I live the risk isn't worth it

I wish human eyes could regrow so we could stop worrying about lasers blinding people ;)
Thanks. I've had my gatling for 6 months now, fortunately no issues.
I'd also high tail it out of that discord
Why? Do they have a lot of toxic people?
EDIT: I just joined it yesterday so I don't know what's the reason I should leave
 
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Giannis_TDM

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Apr 27, 2019
Messages
893
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So, I was talking about removing the lens of a laser to make it look like a flashlight, in case some paranoid person sees the beam in the night sky and calls the cops, on Styropyro's Discord server. Three guys were treating me like I was some sort of monster for even pointing the laser at the sky, despite me saying I check for planes on flightradar24 and never pointing to the sky if I see any airplane, saying that I was causing reckless endangerment, using metaphors like "So you would shoot randomly at people in the street." and such, saying that I shouldn't own a laser.
To be fair, I talked about possibly shining my laser through the door pinhole to blind my mom's harasser, which I understand is wrong, I was filled with rage when I said that, and even then I wasn't 100% on doing it. That message got promptly deleted of course, not sure if they saw it.
Are they right? By their logic, everyone here who posts outdoor beamshots is being reckless and risking lives. Styropyro himself responded that it's a legal gray area and he wouldn't comment.
Just so you know I had been researching for years before buying a laser, and I take all the safety precautions I can, I'm not some kid that just bought a laser and points it at people for fun.
This might sound like self-pitying, I apolozige. I just want to know if pointing a laser into the sky at all is bad.
Hm interesting..... :
1611844652285.png

1611844795302.png
 
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Joined
May 15, 2016
Messages
117
Points
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Yeah, I mentioned this in my OP.
To be fair, I talked about possibly shining my laser through the door pinhole to blind my mom's harasser, which I understand is wrong, I was filled with rage when I said that, and even then I wasn't 100% on doing it. That message got promptly deleted of course, not sure if they saw it.
My mom's harrasser was threatening her on the phone when I sent that message, and I said that in a fit of rage. I calmed down very shortly after and realized my stupidity.
 

Giannis_TDM

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Yeah I mentioned this in my OP.

My mom's harrasser was threatening her on the phone when I sent that message, and I said that in a fit of rage. I calmed down very shortly after and realized my stupidity.
Good, You should think of ways to get at him not including lasers, Best of luck.
 

CurtisOliver

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Based on the situation and the fact that you didn't hide this originally, I can take it that it was a stupid thing said rather than something you intended to action. I don't condone the thought, but think some slack is in order.
 
Joined
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Do you all know if LASSOS has been implemented anywhere yet? I can't find anything about it being in use, just the presentation for it. I mean, I'd probably have been arrested by now if it was implemented here in Portugal, as I shine my laser at the sky a minute or two a day.
 

Giannis_TDM

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Messages
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Do you all know if LASSOS has been implemented anywhere yet? I can't find anything about it being in use, just the presentation for it. I mean, I'd probably have been arrested by now if it was implemented here in Portugal, as I shine my laser at the sky a minute or two a day.
Heh, that ain't coming to Greece anytime soon, Would cost our GDP
 
Joined
May 15, 2016
Messages
117
Points
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The whole premise of this article is wrong imho. This makes it sound that as soon as laser beam leaves the ground it an offense, which simply isn't in law.

Oh ok. Those guys kept using this article as proof I was being reckless. Thank god just turning on a laser isn't an offense yet. There is a popular youtuber here called D4rkFr4me who did a couple of videos playing with a blue gatling like 3 years ago. This one is the worst offender, he points it someome's window. In another one he points it at his friend to annoy him (not at his head tho). I can't imagine how many kids bought one after watching that. At least he didn't put any links to buy one. I mean, I like watching his other videos, but when it comes to lasers he's just retarded. He even thinks the focusing feature just expands the beam and nothing else.
 

CurtisOliver

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This subject has always been a difficult one. There are so many laws all over the world and they differ. Also not every law is strictly defined and occasionally has grey areas. My personal opinion on this is that you should limit laser beams entering the sky at all costs. It is too risky.

I'll give you an example of where loose laws can get you caught out.
I live in the UK.

Have a read of this my post from 2017 on UK Laser Laws


It is a confusing mess of legality where its highly dependant on individual cases.
 
Joined
Sep 20, 2013
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I used to take beam shots outdoors as there are many high trees in my area to use as a beam stop. I haven't done it in a while though. If you wish to try this outdoors I would use the trees as a beam stop and you needn't worry about aircraft.
 




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