Curbing "iPod Oblivion" On City Streets?

N.Y. Bill Would Ban The Use Of Electronic Devices In City Crosswalks

(CBS)  First it was cell phones in cars, then trans fats. Now, a new plan is on the table to ban electronic gadget use while crossing New York City streets.

We all seem to have one — an iPod, a BlackBerry, a cell phone — taking up more and more of our time, but can they make us too distracted to walk safely? Some people think so.

If you use them in the crosswalk, your favorite electronic devices could be in the crosshairs.

CBS station WCBS-TV in New York reports that legislation will be introduced in Albany on Wednesday to lay a $100 fine on pedestrians succumbing to what State Sen. Carl Kruger calls iPod oblivion.

"We're talking about people walking sort of tuned in and in the process of being tuned in, tuned out," Kruger said. "Tuned out to the world around them. 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."

Pedestrians have been hurt and killed in the manner Kruger describes. Not surprisingly, though, iPod users are less than thrilled with the senator's proposal.

"That's not a distraction," said one woman, iPod securely implanted in her ears. "You have your iPod in your ears and you're crossing the street, you are looking with your eyes. You don't have to hear anything, really ... I guess."

Added another New Yorker: "It's a terrible idea. It's outrageous."

Kruger said not so fast.

"If you want to listen to your iPod, sit down and listen to it," Kruger declared. "You want to walk in the park, enjoy it. You want to jog around a jogging path, all the more power to you, but you should not be crossing streets and endangering yourself and the lives of others."

Kruger's bill would only apply to big cities across New York state. We don't know what kind of support it has in Albany, but he hopes that the New York City Council, which has already banned indoor smoking and trans fats in restaurants, will pick up the cue.

[atakan21]

http://www.nyssenate27.com/default.asp

This is Carl Krugers homepage, you can contact him or his office via mail/ email/ telephone, i think we all owe Carl Kruger a little feedback for wasting NY's time.

Senator Kruger, make yourself some hot choc, pull out them state senator crayons and draw a new picture. dont forget to change your diaper.

[atakan21]

Carl Kruger, You have no future as senator, this is the most retarded thing ive herd, if you can not phsycially listen to music and walk down the side walk or cross-walk in a straight line you are handicapped, and it disgusts me that you ever became a senator. I would be even more disgusted to learn how much we pay you for this Load of bull.

TAX MONEY AT WORK, great job moron.

[toshi43]

I'm with bobgee_1999.

[rray52]

Let them use their ipod%u2019s Darwin was right

[bostonsbeats]

This is just another example of the social oblivion we are rapidly descending in to. Some may call it "big brother", I'll call it the deliberate theft of personal liberty... This is a childish and ignorant representation of yet another congressional dissipation of resources. Making it illegal to stroll the city while listening to music!? If we allow this, whats next??

[bobgee_1999]

Shhhhh, Senator Kruger. Let natural selection do its work.

[tomjshannon]

There is a simple solution to this problem and every little kid could tell you it. Look both ways before you cross the street.

[pepper-1024]

So does this mean people that are 'deaf' will be banned from the streets also?????? give me a break!! Kruger is an idiot.

[nothappyatall]

This is all about catching a few with radios so they can FINE them $100 each- another scam ti extract $100 from people f0r the city.

[nothappyatall]

I thought drivers all had to have INSURANCE and tht pedestrians always had the right of way.

In an accident between a car and a pedestrian, the car always wins, in this case the ipod user loses.

[dunlop527]

That is just as dumb as saying that you can't talk and walk or walk and chew gum.

[scottyusa]

Hey Mr. Carl Kruger where did you come from Saturday Night Live? Comedy central? A walking without thinking law. Priceless.

[gunnerone2]

I don't see any point in making criminals out of people who want to listen to music. If walking across a street with an ipod is dangerous how about listening to the radio while driving down the street? We already have too many laws on the books and don't need one this silly.

[dcongrav]

Instead of adding laws, why not eliminate liability for drivers of cars, trucks or buses who hit the "tuned out". Also, eliminate medical coverage for injuries caused by negligence by the "tuned out". In other words, let them keep doing what their doing but if they are injured or killed, let it be them or their estate that has to pay for their negligence and not the bus or car driver nor the city or state government.

[sharmamaxoxo]

Before the iPod revolution, people carried walkmans, boomboxes, and other electronics that also kept them preoccupied. If the iPod is that much of a threat to safety, why were none of the other electronics that people used recognized as a threat? Is it because the iPod spread like wildfire and many people have one? Walkmans were very popular, as were portable cd players, and i feel that Carl Kruger is being irratioinal and trying to remove simple pleasures from people taking a stroll. In a congested city, it would be nice to take a walk through a crowd and not hear all the chaos.

[agnim]

"People...there are WAY TOO MANY RULES/LAWS these days!

Posted by jh6379 at 03:08 PM : Feb 07, 2007"

There are 'way too many rules/laws' because there are way too many undereducated and mis-educated citizens who don't know how to function properly in a society without being coerced like beasts!

If the mindless creatures with the iPods, etc weren't going to be An AVOIDABLE BURDEN ON THE SOCIETIES SERVICES when they get harmed or killed, then no one should care if they insist on getting harmed/killed.

[thefarmer77]

and people want to put a DEM in the Whitehous in 08...

[flolake]

There really are people that cannot chew chewing gum & walk at the same time. Therefore I see this law as most appropriate.

[gmcnally2]

That is ridiculous. I do not feel I can express in words how utterly idiotic that is. Let alone trying to enforce it in a rush hour New York crosswalk.

[sediment4]

suggestion for a new law... lets outlaw politicians who can't find a real problem to fix like health care or reducing taxes to the middle class or how about reducing the number of stupid law already on the books.