Feb 7, 2007 7:58 pm US/Eastern
Many New Yorkers Laugh Off Proposed 'iPod' Law
Citizens Wonder What Else Politicians Want To Take Away
By Scott Rapoport, CBS 2 News
NEW YORK (CBS) ―
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A bill was expected to arrive in Albany on Feb. 7 making using electronic devices in city crosswalks against the law, punishable by $100 fine. New Yorkers hate the idea, wonder aloud about a violation of their rights.
AP
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If State Sen. Carl Kruger has his way, a bill set for Albany banning the use of electronic gadgets in crosswalks will soon become law in big cities across New York state.
AP
Hey you, with the iPod, the cell phone, the BlackBerry ... be careful where you roam.
Don't even think about crossing the street in New York while using any of these things because soon it could be against the law.
Are lawmakers crossing the line? First smoking and cell phone use, then a ban on the stuff that makes a lot of your favorite foods taste good. Now, a New York state senator is set to introduce a bill that would say when and where you can listen to your iPod, among other things.
Under the proposed "iPod" bill, the offending electronics user would be issued a criminal court summons -- with a penalty of $100 -- and would have to appear in court.
Citizens were clearly perplexed when approached by CBS 2 on the streets on Wednesday. Many want answers. State Sen. Carl Kruger said the reasoning is simple.
"You shouldn't be crossing streets and endangering the lives of yourself and others," said Kruger, a Democrat from Brooklyn who was expected to introduce the bill in Albany on Wednesday.
Kruger wants to make it illegal to use iPods, cell phones and other electronic devices while crossing the street, citing two people who were recently killed in his district doing just that.
"They walk into speeding cars. They walk into buses. They walk into each other," Kruger said.
"How could they make that into a law?" one person asked laughing.
Though some say the idea is ridiculous, it's part of a recent rampage of regulatory restrictions, joining no cell phones in the car, no trans fats in your food and no smoking in your bars.
That leaves people asking the question, is this New York we're talking about?
"You might as well not be alive, you know," one person said.
Added another: "Why does it need to be illegal? I don't understand."
Some of the people CBS 2 spoke with said they don't like the idea, but understand why it might be necessary.
Clearly the crackdowns are designed to keep people healthy and safe, but more than a few folks are wondering if the Big Apple is turning into a shrinking violet.
"If you start restricting people's rights to listen to their iPods, then what comes next?" another New Yorker said.
(© MMVII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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