February 7, 2007 10:07 AM PST

NY state senator pitches gadget ban for pedestrians

Posted by Dan Ackerman

State Senator Carl Kruger

(Credit: nyssenate27.com)

Barely a day goes by in the Big Apple when we don't see someone get almost hit by a car while mindlessly chatting on a cell phone or listening to an iPod. State Sen. Carl Kruger of Brooklyn thinks this is a big enough problem to propose new legislation aimed at protecting distracted pedestrians.

Kruger's bill, which has not yet been formally introduced, would ban the use of electronic gadgets--including MP3 players and cell phones--by pedestrians using a crosswalk in New York state. Violators would be subject to a $100 fine under the plan.

Kruger told WCBS, "We're talking about people walking sort of tuned-in, and in the process of being tuned-in, (they're) tuned-out...They're walking into speeding cars. They're walking into buses. They're walking into one another, and it's creating a number of fatalities that have been documented right here in the city."

Before you start searching eBay for flesh-colored earphones, remember that many proposed laws never get past the press release phase, much less formally introduced, voted on, or signed into law by, in this case, the Governor (a process aptly described by the Schoolhouse Rock guys).

While the proposal has generated a lot of press this morning, Kruger's official New York state senate Web site , last updated in 2005, doesn't mention it.

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Add a Comment (Log in or register) 16 comments (Page 1 of 2)
Why can't we have real politicans in office?
by newdeepdan February 7, 2007 12:18 PM PST
This will never pass... the reality of the situation is that people love their music, love listening to their music and if someone is gonna fine me for listening to it while taking a stroll on the streets then I'll be damned to just stand still about it. His reasoning is beyond stupidity in my mind... someone needs to smack some of these politicans with sense...
Reply to this comment
Why can't we have real politicans in office?
by newdeepdan February 7, 2007 12:18 PM PST
This will never pass... the reality of the situation is that people love their music, love listening to their music and if someone is gonna fine me for listening to it while taking a stroll on the streets then I'll be damned to just stand still about it. His reasoning is beyond stupidity in my mind... someone needs to smack some of these politicans with sense...
Reply to this comment
you're kidding me
by quinn123 February 7, 2007 2:13 PM PST
Even if this law gets passed people are still not going to obey it. It's like the jaywalking ban you cross the road in the middle of the block & you'll get fined. But this never is enforeced. In new york people cross the street when there's green light during rushour this isn't going to change anything. the police won't enforce it. The mayor of NYC bloomberg probably has iPod earbuds everyday when he walks the few blocks from the subway & jaywalks (but he has security guards)
Reply to this comment
you're kidding me
by quinn123 February 7, 2007 2:13 PM PST
Even if this law gets passed people are still not going to obey it. It's like the jaywalking ban you cross the road in the middle of the block & you'll get fined. But this never is enforeced. In new york people cross the street when there's green light during rushour this isn't going to change anything. the police won't enforce it. The mayor of NYC bloomberg probably has iPod earbuds everyday when he walks the few blocks from the subway & jaywalks (but he has security guards)
Reply to this comment
What does he expect?
by ua_eng February 7, 2007 4:02 PM PST
Does he honestly think people will be bothered to walk along the sidewalk, stop, take off their headphones, turn off and put away their mp3 player, walk across the street, then take it out and start playing it again? Generally, (in my personal experience) the kind of people that are prone to walking into traffic either don't care or have been targeted by natural selection. It has nothing to do with what they're fidgeting with or listening to.
Reply to this comment
What does he expect?
by ua_eng February 7, 2007 4:02 PM PST
Does he honestly think people will be bothered to walk along the sidewalk, stop, take off their headphones, turn off and put away their mp3 player, walk across the street, then take it out and start playing it again? Generally, (in my personal experience) the kind of people that are prone to walking into traffic either don't care or have been targeted by natural selection. It has nothing to do with what they're fidgeting with or listening to.
Reply to this comment
Deaf People Can't Use Crosswalk Either
by wghents February 7, 2007 4:27 PM PST
If you can't use a crosswalk because your listening to music and cant hear. Then are they going to ban deaf people as well? This is silly. I wonder how many people jay-walk a day and no tickets are given out. This will be a similar deal. If your using the crosswalk and its green(telling you may cross) you should be able to talk on the cell phone/listen to an mp3/eat a slice of pizza/ and crunch numbers on your laptop at the same time. If a person hits you while you have the right to cross then its their fault, and vice versa. There shouldnt be any law saying what you can or can't be doing while your crossing. This is one of those stupid laws like "you cant fish while your riding on the back of a horse" just ignorant. Your dumb if you dont pay attention crossing a street with or without an mp3 player, and your even more retarded if you not paying enough attention while driving heavy machinery and you run into a PEDESTRIAN. Come on now.
Reply to this comment
Deaf People Can't Use Crosswalk Either
by wghents February 7, 2007 4:27 PM PST
If you can't use a crosswalk because your listening to music and cant hear. Then are they going to ban deaf people as well? This is silly. I wonder how many people jay-walk a day and no tickets are given out. This will be a similar deal. If your using the crosswalk and its green(telling you may cross) you should be able to talk on the cell phone/listen to an mp3/eat a slice of pizza/ and crunch numbers on your laptop at the same time. If a person hits you while you have the right to cross then its their fault, and vice versa. There shouldnt be any law saying what you can or can't be doing while your crossing. This is one of those stupid laws like "you cant fish while your riding on the back of a horse" just ignorant. Your dumb if you dont pay attention crossing a street with or without an mp3 player, and your even more retarded if you not paying enough attention while driving heavy machinery and you run into a PEDESTRIAN. Come on now.
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Is this some kind of a joke ?
by Lyong February 8, 2007 4:34 AM PST
or he is trying to make a bad publicity on himself
Reply to this comment
Is this some kind of a joke ?
by Lyong February 8, 2007 4:34 AM PST
or he is trying to make a bad publicity on himself
Reply to this comment
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