2008 Woodie Awards
iPods causing street crossing problems?
Issue date: 2/15/07 Section: Features
- Page 1 of 2 next >
(U-WIRE) LEXINGTON, Ky. -- When a politician says something like "government has an obligation to protect its citizenry," it could mean something very influential and beneficial is going to happen or that something radically stupid is.
In this case, the words come from New York state Sen. Carl Kruger -- and, as you may have guessed, he's describing yet another insane legislation idea.
Kruger has proposed a bill that would prohibit pedestrians from using gadgets -- including iPods, Blackberrys, video games, and cell phones -- while they cross the street, according to a Feb. 8 MSNBC.com story. Apparently there is a "nationwide problem" of people stepping in front of "speeding buses and moving automobiles," Kruger said in the story.
If the law passes, violators would be fined $100, according to the story.
Since September, three pedestrians in Kruger's district have died from stepping into traffic while using one of the aforementioned devices, the MSNBC.com story said. His district happens to be in Brooklyn, N.Y. So, in the last five months, three people have died. Not to make light of anyone's tragic death, but only three deaths from this issue hardly seems like the pandemic Kruger is making it out to be.
This law now tops my list of the most useless pieces of legislation ever. If a person isn't smart enough to focus on traffic and follow his or her parents' advise to look both ways before crossing, what makes Kruger believe a law would change things? Drinking and driving is extremely dangerous and against the law, but people haven't stopped that either.
Besides the comical essence of this proposed legislation there is a very important implementation problem. Just how can New York monitor every person who crosses the road? If you take only New York City, which has a population of about 8 million people, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, and a city grid that features countless blocks and crosswalks, it would be impossible to catch violators. Police would be forced to stop paying attention to the speeding buses and instead focus on the people dashing across the street. It simply isn't practical.
In this case, the words come from New York state Sen. Carl Kruger -- and, as you may have guessed, he's describing yet another insane legislation idea.
Kruger has proposed a bill that would prohibit pedestrians from using gadgets -- including iPods, Blackberrys, video games, and cell phones -- while they cross the street, according to a Feb. 8 MSNBC.com story. Apparently there is a "nationwide problem" of people stepping in front of "speeding buses and moving automobiles," Kruger said in the story.
If the law passes, violators would be fined $100, according to the story.
Since September, three pedestrians in Kruger's district have died from stepping into traffic while using one of the aforementioned devices, the MSNBC.com story said. His district happens to be in Brooklyn, N.Y. So, in the last five months, three people have died. Not to make light of anyone's tragic death, but only three deaths from this issue hardly seems like the pandemic Kruger is making it out to be.
This law now tops my list of the most useless pieces of legislation ever. If a person isn't smart enough to focus on traffic and follow his or her parents' advise to look both ways before crossing, what makes Kruger believe a law would change things? Drinking and driving is extremely dangerous and against the law, but people haven't stopped that either.
Besides the comical essence of this proposed legislation there is a very important implementation problem. Just how can New York monitor every person who crosses the road? If you take only New York City, which has a population of about 8 million people, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, and a city grid that features countless blocks and crosswalks, it would be impossible to catch violators. Police would be forced to stop paying attention to the speeding buses and instead focus on the people dashing across the street. It simply isn't practical.
Be the first to comment on this story