be careful out there....

All of you who possess a green laser pen, beware, It should be used sparingly and causiously. A man was jailed for four months in Manchester for shining a green laser pen at a helicopter pilot - the pilot took evasive action, as he was temporarily blinded by up to 8 flashes from this pen.

I know the laser pen is a very useful tool - particularly in out reach work and demonstrating the wonders of the night sky to family and friends. I think as a society we should look at providing a "code of practice" for all our members, which might include the do's and don'ts of green laser pen ownership i.e never use lower than 15 - 20 degrees from horizon! never point at anything but sky! use sparingly! look out for aircraft etc.....

anybody any thoughs?

Declan

Do we have a code of conduct for hammers and chain saws? No. The only code we need is "don't use what ever tool you're using to harm others". I'm just waiting for some muppet to introduce a law outlawing them because they can be abused. The answer is not to outlaw, it's to prosecute, just like the court in Manchester did. Good on them!

Bart.

I agree to a point....prosecute the muppets, but the chainsaw is very obviously a dangerous tool. On the other hand the laser pen might be seen as benign. I don't think they should be banned (I just got one myself) :shock:

I agree to a point....prosecute the muppets, but the chainsaw is very obviously a dangerous tool. On the other hand the laser pen might be seen as benign. I don't think they should be banned (I just got one myself) :shock:

Correct me if I'm wrong but don't laser pens have a warning symbol on the side? So surely it is just as obvious that it is dangerous?

Bart.

A man whose Laser Pen bright.
Gave the pilot a terrible fright.
Stood still in the dock.
While the law him did sock.
And the Judge said “Your sentence ain't Light”.

Do we have a code of conduct for hammers and chain saws?

Yup:
www.wikieducator.org/New_Zealand_Approve...ting_to_chainsaw_use