Laser Pointers

[jason]

Yesterday I had the opportunity to school some children with regards to their prankster ways using a laser pointer. These youngsters (junior high schoolers) had one of those laser pointers you get for a couple dollars. They were holder it as if they had a gun in their hand (similar to my avatar below).

They were mostly pointing it at inanimate objects, but would occasionally sweep a car or people shopping. I pointed out the inappropriateness of their game and that though it may be fun, it could cause people to become alarmed.

This made me wonder what I would do if I was standing outside a shop saw a red dot fixed on my chest. Would I immediately drop and find cover? Would I assume it must be a prankster?

[seamusTX]

It probably would be alarming to be targeted by a laser, but I've never heard of an actual criminal using one.

- Jim

[Big Calhoun]

It would be alarming to me -- more of the take notice and figure out the source type alarm. When lived in New Jersey, I worked at Six Flags during my college years and laser pointers were all the rage at the time. It was a frequent occurance to be walking around the park and have one shined on you from the cable-car ride above. I guess to some degree, I've been desensitized to seeing them or being painted by them. I also don't think the average criminal would be smart enough to figure out which model would fit their particular weapon.

[Xander]

I've had laser pointers aimed at me from sources unknown, and I can't say that I've ever been alarmed. It's happened to me in theatres full of teenagers, who were obvious culprits. Personally, I don't see why one *would* be alarmed (annoyed perhaps, but not alarmed) at being the target of a laser pointer. Unless one has good reason to believe that he is being hunted by well-trained and sophisticated assassins, it's far more likely that any threat to his well-being would be proceeded by substantial amounts of noise and frantic close-range activity than by a laser beam.

[KRM45]

They need to be careful who they point them at too...

§ 42.13. USE OF LASER[0] POINTERS[0]. (a) A person commits an
offense if the person knowingly directs a light from a laser[0] pointer[0]
at a uniformed safety officer, including a peace officer, security
guard, firefighter, emergency medical service worker, or other
uniformed municipal, state, or federal officer.
(b) In this section, "laser[0] pointer[0]" means a device that
emits a visible light amplified by the stimulated emission of
radiation.
(c) An offense under this section is a Class C misdemeanor.

Added by Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 467, § 1, eff. Sept. 1, 2003.

[MoJo]

Five or six years ago there was a 17 year old honor student in Mississippi shot by a police officer when he lazed the officer with a pointer during a disturbance at night. Of course everyone in the town wanted the officers hide but the chief stood by him and the grand jury no billed the officer. The kid survived but, he will spend the rest of his days in a wheel chair. At night, laser pointers aren't toys.

[lanternlad]

I had a kid use a laser pointer on me recently. I took a picture of him with my cell phone. I told him to knock it off or I'd put his picture on every gay dating site on the web. He grumbled and put it away. :)

[Liberty]

There are warnings with those things about pointing them towards anyones eyes. I don't know how dangerous those things really are, but I don't want to find out, and I don't take kindly towards anyone taking chances with my eyesight.

[motleystew]

My das has a neighbor (a grown man) who does not like my dad and to irritate him, he shines a red laser into his windows from across the street. I told my dad to assume it is a threat. There is no way in this day and age you can assume that this is a prank. It is better to be tried by 12 than be carried by 12.

[Skiprr]

I had a kid use a laser pointer on me recently. I took a picture of him with my cell phone. I told him to knock it off or I'd put his picture on every gay dating site on the web. He grumbled and put it away. :)

Do you want to think that through once or twice more? Maybe post a retraction?

Threatening a juvenile by telling him you'll "put his picture on every gay dating site on the web" is pretty disturbing.

[Xander]

My das has a neighbor (a grown man) who does not like my dad and to irritate him, he shines a red laser into his windows from across the street. I told my dad to assume it is a threat. There is no way in this day and age you can assume that this is a prank. It is better to be tried by 12 than be carried by 12.

Being repeatedly irritated by a neighbor does not qualify as reasonable for use of deadly force in Texas, or anywhere else that I'm aware of.

[KBCraig]

I had a kid use a laser pointer on me recently. I took a picture of him with my cell phone. I told him to knock it off or I'd put his picture on every gay dating site on the web. He grumbled and put it away. :)

Do you want to think that through once or twice more? Maybe post a retraction?

Threatening a juvenile by telling him you'll "put his picture on every gay dating site on the web" is pretty disturbing.

I frequently threaten things to juveniles that I wouldn't actually do. It gets results, though.

But our 17yo is starting to catch on that we won't actually send her to the convent, especially since we're not Catholic.

[BrassMonkey]

You must be super tall to need 12 pallbearers...

I think you mean judged by 12 then carried by 6 :-)

My das has a neighbor (a grown man) who does not like my dad and to irritate him, he shines a red laser into his windows from across the street. I told my dad to assume it is a threat. There is no way in this day and age you can assume that this is a prank. It is better to be tried by 12 than be carried by 12.

[jason]

I had a kid use a laser pointer on me recently. I took a picture of him with my cell phone. I told him to knock it off or I'd put his picture on every gay dating site on the web. He grumbled and put it away. :)

Why threaten such a thing. Perhaps just telling them to knock it off would do the trick? Why put yourself in a position like that where things could possibly get misconstrued and create unnecessary conflict with the authorities?

I frequently threaten things to juveniles that I wouldn't actually do. It gets results, though.

Frequently? Do you find that you have a lot of interaction with juveniles that require some sort of threat? If it happens frequently, you might be setting a precedent on character that probably doesn't exist.

[KBCraig]

WHOAH! Please get the attributions right!

I did not write this (lanternlad did):

I had a kid use a laser pointer on me recently. I took a picture of him with my cell phone. I told him to knock it off or I'd put his picture on every gay dating site on the web. He grumbled and put it away. :)

Now, I did write this:

I frequently threaten things to juveniles that I wouldn't actually do. It gets results, though.

Frequently? Do you find that you have a lot of interaction with juveniles that require some sort of threat?

Yes, every single day. It's part of being a parent to two teenagers, a 12yo, and a 4yo (not counting the 20yo in the Army, who sometimes needs it worse than the other four!)

If you'd finished reading the next line, you might have understood the humorous context as I intended it:

But our 17yo is starting to catch on that we won't actually send her to the convent, especially since we're not Catholic.

Kevin