NSW Bans laser pointers.

[Pavitar Singh]

It was bound to happen with all the activity we've seen thus far . . .

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/04/21/2222662.htm

[Sarah C]

Too little too late but I just hope they catch some of these idiots. In saying that, I would love to find out who needs a laser.......some academic on the news last night was trying to come up with reasons you would need them for work purposes and he was struggling to even do that.

[Bernie P]

It was bound to happen

About bl00dy time I say... Such IDIOTS!!!

[damien b]

Too little too late but I just hope they catch some of these idiots. In saying that, I would love to find out who needs a laser.......some academic on the news last night was trying to come up with reasons you would need them for work purposes and he was struggling to even do that.

Teachers/instructors use them in class - not sure if they are similar to the ones being used in the attacks, (classroom pointers are red in colour, not green, which seem to be the colour of choice for the attacks) but we do use them instead of the old long wooden/metal pointers that have been used in the past. It allows you to point to items of interest whilst not being in front of the classroom all the time, or if you are in the workplace doing training you can point to items of interest without having to move around alot. I somehow doubt many teachers will apply for a weapons permit to use them however.

[Hugh Jarse]

Actually Sarah, when I'm doing pilot recruiting sims for my company, I use the laser pointer in my wireless mouse to point out things on the instruments if the candidate is having difficulty in a particular area.

That's a lot quicker and easier than trying to reach over the centre pedestal to point with a finger :D

However, I've never had the desire to shine it in the candidate's eye.

The legislation is typical political huffy puffy which is too little too late. I suspect there are literally thousands of these devices in public hands and this will do little to address the problem, considering the difficulty the authorities have had so far catching these idiots....

[Nigel C]

However, I've never had the desire to shine it in the candidate's eye.

Well, thank goodness for that!;)

:D

[Pavitar Singh]

The green lasers have been used to attack aircraft because the green light has a higher power and thus reaches further than the red lasers. As far as I'm aware, all the attacks that have happened on aircraft have been by green lasers, and not the usual red lasers which probably don't have enough power to reach an aircraft from more than a kilometer away.

[David Ramsay]

A freighter reported being hit by a green laser around 2300 local last night just south of NZAA. Air Freight 675 was climbing out of NZAA and reported a green laser being pointed at the aircraft from "somewhere in the middle of Waiuku".

ATC subsequently asked the next few aircraft if they could see it but no more was seen.

[Russell D]

I do know that many astronomers use high-powered green lasers for operating their automatic telescopes and stuff. But they at least don't go shining it at planes or at people.

[Nigel C]

Just looking at your signature Russell...it should read (Grob) Twin Astir.;)

[Rod Sloan]

I have taken an interest in this laser banning saga and tomorrow will be chatting about it on radio (I do some various slots on a community radio station)

So to make sure I know what I am talking about, I spoke to Damien Kelly from Minister Campbells office.

He told me that the red laser pointers are not banned and its only the green ones that are as "they leave a trail"

I was not aware that the red ones were not banned as Morris Iemma had not made that distinction. Well,,not that I could find anyway.

Was anyone else aware of this ???

I assumed (correct me if I am wrong) that most teachers used the red pointers ?? So shouldn't affect them at all.

Builders, Astromoners and teachers etc who use the green ones will have to have a permit for high powered ones, or show just cause as to why they are carrying a lower powered one in public (i.e. going from one building site to another or one Uni to another) and quite frankly I feel that is fair enough.

R

[Will T]

Channel 10 reporter lasered
Erik Jensen
April 23, 2008 - 7:29PM


Channel 10 traffic reporter Vic Larusso has tonight become the latest victim of a laser attack - his right eye hit by a high-powered green beam as his helicopter returned to Bankstown Airport.

"It was blurry for about 10 seconds just a bit sore, like when you rub your eye and it's red,'' Mr Larusso, who also does the traffic on commercial radio, told smh.com tonight.

"I looked down into [the laser].''

Mr Larusso, who was flying over Church Street in Parramatta at the time, said his main concern was for the pilot, who he told to look ahead.

"If your pilot got shone in both eyes, I don't want to think what the result could be.''

Mr Larusso was also concerned by the location of the attack, noting that it could easily have affected pilots carrying children into Westmead Hospital.

"I don't know how people can get their kicks out of this,'' he said.

The attack comes after the Iemma Government - which has recently employed Larusso to sell its north-west metro - proposed laws to make carrying a high-powered laser illegal without a permit.

The proposed laws, modelled on NSW knife laws, would implement a 14-year jail term for an offence such as this - cracking down on what the Premier, Morris Iemma, called "the potential for mass murder''.

Police would be able to frisk anyone suspected of carrying a laser, and anyone without an excuse for carrying the weapon could face two years in jail and a $5000 fine.

Mr Larusso said he would see how his eye felt in the morning and may go to a doctor if it had not improved.

- SMH Online, http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/channel-10-traffic-reporter-lasered/2008/04/23/1208743030294.html

[Edward Terry]

I do know that many astronomers use high-powered green lasers for operating their automatic telescopes and stuff.

I believe some areas of airspace are restricted above telescopes for this reason?

[Daniel G]

Ten late news just reported the latest incident over Church st in Parramatta with Vic Larusso not an attack, rather an artwork display!

Whoops...

[Nick W.]

An example of astronomers using the green lasers is in the Northern Territory where you can have dinner out at Uluru, and for around 15min all the lights are turned off and astronomers show the constellations, etc. However, as there are no lights at all on, large spot-lights actually work better and can be seen better than a tiny green dot in the sky.

The green lasers are used for specific stars, and in more built-up areas where the spot-lights do not work as well due to other lights being on in the surrounds, at least that is what the astronomer told us when I was out there.

N

[Russell D]

Just looking at your signature Russell...it should read (Grob) Twin Astir.

Good spotting Nigel. Now fixed. Cheers;)

I believe some areas of airspace are restricted above telescopes for this reason?

I really don't know, but it would seem logical. Maybe someone on this board may be able to shed some light.

University of Western Sydney has used the lasers a couple of times when I've been there at their "family astronomy nights" to point out stars/planets as well as align one of their remotely operated telescopes which has automatic tracking of the night sky or something?