topic Re: Aiming laser pointers at airplanes in Community Chat

Aiming laser pointers at airplanes

KathyPet — Fri, 13 Nov 2015 13:31:49 GMT

I read a article in USA today about the increase in the number of incidents where laser pointers were aimed at airplanes. It has increased dramatically causing serious potential results. I know people do this but my question is why anyone would do this knowing that they could cause a crash of the plane. Also doing this is a civil offense not a criminal offense. I think it should be made a criminal offense.

Re: Aiming laser pointers at airplanes

Reba055 — Fri, 13 Nov 2015 13:37:15 GMT

I saw a piece on the Today show and they were in a chopper and caught the guy. They said it was punishable up to 20 years. They are taking it seriously. Perhaps if they keep pursuing, catching, and sentencing the maximum these idiots will get the message. It is truly frightening and on the increase.

Re: Aiming laser pointers at airplanes

millieshops — Fri, 13 Nov 2015 13:49:59 GMT

Some people are so bored with their own lives that they think it's perfectly okay to amuse themselfves by trying to destroy someone else's.

I'd make pointing a laser at a moving vehicle (plane, train, car, boat, or even a bike) a criminal offense and I'd charge possible offenders as adults once they reach 12!

Re: Aiming laser pointers at airplanes

brii — Fri, 13 Nov 2015 14:07:46 GMT

I don't think people realize how dangerous and reckless that is.

Re: Aiming laser pointers at airplanes

paie — Fri, 13 Nov 2015 14:18:09 GMT

They need to make an example of this guy they caught....give him the full 20 years to make people understand your life will be over if you do this. Maybe these idiot laser people will get the message...

Re: Aiming laser pointers at airplanes

Snoopp — Fri, 13 Nov 2015 14:18:34 GMT

I'm very suspicious about these laser incidents. Seems like there were about 20 different reports all taking place around the same time last night. Anytime there is a simultaneous act my antenna goes up.

Re: Aiming laser pointers at airplanes

SharkE — Fri, 13 Nov 2015 14:25:34 GMT

Probably get a slap on the wrist. Why people keep doing this 'stuff'. They can be glad I'm not in a position of authority.

Re: Aiming laser pointers at airplanes

ChynnaBlue — Fri, 13 Nov 2015 14:30:00 GMT

@paie wrote:
They need to make an example of this guy they caught....give him the full 20 years to make people understand your life will be over if you do this. Maybe these idiot laser people will get the message...

The people they are catching for this are teenage boys or young men in their 20s.

The last two people caught were 15 and 20 in two separate incidents.

I think we need to deal with the fact that teenage boys and young men are in trouble. They're the primary demographic for mass shootings, aiming lasers at planes, and all kinds of bad behaviors from racism and hazing to rape on college campuses. We need to find out what's going on and get them some help until they understand that they need to respect the lives of others. Girls and young women do stupid things as well, but their poor decisions don't usually wind up killing or endangering people.

Re: Aiming laser pointers at airplanes

SharkE — Fri, 13 Nov 2015 14:33:00 GMT

To much time on their hands and have been bought up like pups. No supervision is the problem with young men who have to much energy.

They need structure and jobs something to worry about like the rest of us.

Like how to pay your bills..............

I'm lucky, praise God, that we live where we don't have that age group close to us.

Re: Aiming laser pointers at airplanes

ROMARY — Fri, 13 Nov 2015 15:30:40 GMT

'What is wrong with people now-a-days?' ........... Too much unsupervised lax time on their hands, I'm guessing. Sometimes, instead of being isolated, thinking of ways to destroy, just maybe working or volunteering with other folks (being a part of something good, a sense of accomplishment) might be a better road to take.

Re: Aiming laser pointers at airplanes

esmeraldagooch — Fri, 13 Nov 2015 18:21:52 GMT

The FAA is looking at a record number of strikes this year: 5,352 were reported nationwide as of Oct. 16, up from 3,894 for all of 2014. The D-FW area has seen a record 115 laser strike reports as of Oct. 16, up from about 85 for all of last year

Re: Aiming laser pointers at airplanes

2blonde — Fri, 13 Nov 2015 18:24:10 GMT

They need jobs. I'd bet if you checked it out, most or all of them don't work. They need jobs.

Re: Aiming laser pointers at airplanes

esmeraldagooch — Fri, 13 Nov 2015 20:38:17 GMT

@2blonde wrote:
They need jobs. I'd bet if you checked it out, most or all of them don't work. They need jobs.

People who blind pilots need jobs?

Re: Aiming laser pointers at airplanes

Plaid Pants2 — Fri, 13 Nov 2015 20:57:34 GMT

That doesn't even make any sense.

The morons who did it could have done it on their day off from work. It could have been done after they got home from work. It could have been done when they were on their vacation time.

Why do they do it? I don't know. Maybe they think it's funny.

It isn't.

It can do permanent eye damage.

Not only that, but if a pilot can't see, the aircraft could crash, and there could be loss of life.

It's just so stupid to do. I think laser pointers should be illegal.

It won't solve the problem, but it would be a start.

Re: Aiming laser pointers at airplanes

ROMARY — Fri, 13 Nov 2015 21:37:01 GMT

It could be that some people who don't have any good purpose in life could possibly try other, more dangerous things. Happens to all income brackets..........we've all seen or heard of the daring activities, pushing- the- limit type of personalities. I'm only thinking that when folks are busy doing other things (work, volunteer, etc., etc.) that they would be around others and perhaps their minds wouldn't veer off to more dangerous thoughts. Just thinking out loud. I just can't imagine someone 'lying in wait' to do something bad. Seems that if this person would be more social, have another purpose in life, just maybe that person wouldn't waste his/her precious time thinking about destructive thoughts. JMO

Re: Aiming laser pointers at airplanes

ROMARY — Fri, 13 Nov 2015 21:41:06 GMT

Type in Web Search: 'the phrase idle minds' .........

Re: Aiming laser pointers at airplanes

chickenbutt — Fri, 13 Nov 2015 22:09:10 GMT

This just seems so awful to me. What could they possibly think they are accomplishing by this aside from doing harm? My mind just is not giving me any other answer beside that they are trying to do terrible damage - hurt the pilots, crash the plane - something, but nothing good. It's not cute.

*sigh* Seems like there are more and more people out there who are destructive - never want to do any good, just harm. I'm glad they are tracking down people who do this and I really hope there is a punishment.

Re: Aiming laser pointers at airplanes

brii — Fri, 13 Nov 2015 22:13:48 GMT

How far can a laser be seen anyway?

Re: Aiming laser pointers at airplanes

ValuSkr — Fri, 13 Nov 2015 22:17:33 GMT

How in the world do authorities catch the people who do such things, if they're not caught in the act?

Re: Aiming laser pointers at airplanes

Marp — Fri, 13 Nov 2015 22:46:46 GMT

@brii wrote:
How far can a laser be seen anyway?

I don't know the answer but the little ones in the BlissLights sold on Q have a caution to use care in positioning them if you are within two or three miles of an airport's flight path.

I also remember in presentations it being said that laser light will travel until it hits something. I have played with my BlissLights and have been able to light a tree that is several hundred feet away.

There are different strengths and I would guess that the ones involved in these incidents are at least 50 mW or more. I've seen ads for up to 100 mW green lasers. I don't know if there are stronger ones.