Wednesday, February 7,2007 @ 2:40pm
New York may ban 'iPod crossings'
New York senator Carl Kruger today said he will introduce legislation to ban the use of gadgets such as iPods and Blackberry devices while crossing the street. "Government has an obligation to protect its citizenry," the senator said. "This electronic gadgetry is reaching the point where it's becoming not only endemic but it's creating an atmosphere where we have a major public safety crisis at hand." Under the proposed legislation, New Yorkers attempting to cross streets while using Blackberry devices, video games, or iPods will face a $100 fine. The proposed law comes following the deaths of three pedestrians in his Brooklyn district since September. The victims stepped into traffic while distracted by electronic devices, and in one case bystanders screamed "watch out" to no avail. "What's happening is when they're tuning into their iPod or Blackberry or cell phone or video game, they're walking into speeding buses and moving automobiles," Kruger said. "It's becoming a nationwide problem."