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US: More than 30,000 lasers are "out of control" in Ocean City MD
(This is a link to the main story about out-of-control lasers in Ocean City, which appears here.)
US: Ocean City NJ residents report increasing laser harassment
11 Jun 2011 -- Categories: Non-aviation incidents
Residents of Ocean City, New Jersey are reporting increasing laser pointer harassment of ordinary citizens. This is in addition to multiple reports of aircraft being lased from the resort town. Officials have asked local merchants to stop selling laser pointers though voluntary compliance has been spotty. This has brought renewed attention to a state Senate bill that would prohibit the sale of laser pointers above 1 milliwatt.
Ocean City Patch said a “quick survey ... found repeated recent uses of laser beams to bother drivers, pets and pedestrians”. Persons interviewed gave anecdotes such as a laser being aimed from outside into a woman’s kitchen window, and a group of 20-year-olds who were lasing passersby including a man and his dog.
Because of aviation and other incidents last year, both police and the local Boardwalk Merchants’ Association (BMA) had asked stores to stop selling pointers. Some complied, or only sold lower-power red and yellow lasers. But since a few stores continued selling laser pointers, the competitive pressure caused others to resume sales. Ironically, one of the stores to resume sales was managed by the brother of the BMA’s president. The store listed the top selling items as being green laser pointers selling for $25 and $35. The manager said “he plans to continue selling them as long as they are legal to sell.”
To fix this, last November Ocean City’s state senator Jeff Van Drew introduced New Jersey Senate bill 2430, banning laser pointers above 1 milliwatt. This is five times less than the U.S. federal limit of 5 milliwatts as set by the Food and Drug Administration. S2430 is currently pending in the state Senate Commerce Committee.
From the Ocean City Patch.
Related LaserPointerSafety.com news stories about Ocean City and New Jersey laser troubles
Ocean City Patch said a “quick survey ... found repeated recent uses of laser beams to bother drivers, pets and pedestrians”. Persons interviewed gave anecdotes such as a laser being aimed from outside into a woman’s kitchen window, and a group of 20-year-olds who were lasing passersby including a man and his dog.
Because of aviation and other incidents last year, both police and the local Boardwalk Merchants’ Association (BMA) had asked stores to stop selling pointers. Some complied, or only sold lower-power red and yellow lasers. But since a few stores continued selling laser pointers, the competitive pressure caused others to resume sales. Ironically, one of the stores to resume sales was managed by the brother of the BMA’s president. The store listed the top selling items as being green laser pointers selling for $25 and $35. The manager said “he plans to continue selling them as long as they are legal to sell.”
To fix this, last November Ocean City’s state senator Jeff Van Drew introduced New Jersey Senate bill 2430, banning laser pointers above 1 milliwatt. This is five times less than the U.S. federal limit of 5 milliwatts as set by the Food and Drug Administration. S2430 is currently pending in the state Senate Commerce Committee.
From the Ocean City Patch.
Related LaserPointerSafety.com news stories about Ocean City and New Jersey laser troubles
- August 26 2010: Ocean City officials discuss city-wide ban on laser pointers after summer incidents.
- November 22 2010: State senate bill 2430 is introduced in November 2010 to ban laser pointers above 1 milliwatt.
- June 8 2011: Man buys laser in Ocean City, points it at helicopter, and is almost immediately arrested.
- June 11 2011: Residents report harassment; voluntary sales ban is not working.
- June 24 2011: Unanimous vote on the initial measure to ban Ocean City laser pointer sales and possession.
- July 14 2011: Unanimous vote on the “second reading” to make the Ocean City ban official.
- April 16 2013: North Wildwood NJ bans sale and possession of laser pointers above 1 mW.
- August 20 2013: New Jersey state legislature passes bill to ban laser pointer sales above 1 mW; sends bill to Governor for signature.
- October 17 2013: Governor Chris Christie vetoes bill to ban laser pointer sales, saying the 1 mW power limit was “arbitrary” and there was no criminal use of lasers between 1 mW and the federal limit of 5 mW in New Jersey.