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Laser pointers illegal (NSW)

According to Reuters, laser pointers are now classed as 'prohibited weapons' and you either get a permit or risk 14 years in jail...

Nothing like owning a new DVD player and wondering if it will get you arrested : )

25 comments
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Jun 14, 2009. 12:15 PMsharlston says:
i heard the same thing i think if you point it to aircrafts it could do something or if you point it in someones eyes
Jun 3, 2010. 3:42 PMzack247 says:
doesn't it say on a big shiny sticker not to shine it in anyones eyes? geez, either theyre getting stupider or they just dont feel like reading the big red square on the package
Jun 4, 2010. 2:48 PMzack247 says:
nah, im going into high school next year
Jun 14, 2009. 12:31 PMKiteman says:
A small number of people in the UK have been prosecuted for shining laser pointers at landing airliners.
Jun 14, 2009. 12:32 PMsharlston says:
mmmmmmm i wonder why does it blind the pilot or something?
Jun 14, 2009. 12:40 PMWeissensteinburg says:
Yes. Read the article ;)
Jun 14, 2009. 12:39 PMKiteman says:
Potentially, depending on the laser used. It certainly dazzles them, stopping them seeing their instruments etc.
Jun 15, 2009. 6:03 PMPlasmana says:
Heh, what makes them 'a weapon'?
Apr 4, 2009. 7:23 PMbounty1012 says:
Weapon how?
Apr 7, 2009. 11:26 AMbounty1012 says:
Lol have you ever heard the joke about the lawyers? It was on family guy I think, Somone was going to sue the devil or something and he needed a lawyer so he turned around to everyone and said "Is anyone here a lawyer?" and everyone rose their hands lmfao.
Mar 7, 2009. 5:38 AMJoe Martin says:
Good! It's horrible on holiday when you get the little nobs going round shining them at people and in eyes because they know there not meant to!
Apr 4, 2009. 7:22 PMbounty1012 says:
Lol...
Mar 3, 2009. 5:42 PM11010010110 says:
they like to ban previous time that was incandescent lamp the ban won't stop the actual criminals / terrorists from doing that. everyone else should simply not aim a laser at a plane if they catch and punish few of those who actually did it then only the most serious criminals and terrorists will do it ever again. and those wont mind the ban anyway
Mar 4, 2009. 3:59 PM11010010110 says:
but heck cant all them together think before they do ? (imagining loads of blown up cfls in the trash that were used in places where only incandescent is appropriate)
Mar 5, 2009. 10:21 AMPunkguyta says:
That's exactly it. This is stupider than the law about eating oranges on sunday in Cali.... Like really how the hell do you aim a hand held laser pointer at a plane in the sky that's going like 700km/h and actually hit someone in the eye, besides unless it was one of those $5,000 wickedlazers, most laser pointers dissapate at 500 meters being the farthest I've seen most cheap can go, and the dot just keeps getting bigger and weaker. It's just one of those un-realistic laws being passed, and most won't even pay attention to it when they use laser pointers. Are they gonna stop selling those cheap laser pointers in stores?
Mar 6, 2009. 10:48 AMPunkguyta says:
Really? What do people go run out to the airport fence and shine their laser pointer at the plane as its coming down? Although i suppose this would be the best time to try and "crash a plane". I think you'd have to be able to blind the pilot for at least 30 seconds to a minute in one go before something bad would happen. Like really, if they do manage to bounce a laser off the back of ONE of his retinas, all that's most likely to do is make him look around wondering WTF was that??!?
Mar 6, 2009. 8:09 PMPunkguyta says:
You're right. But I was just going by the fact that I've been shined in the eye with a laser, aswell as accidently shining it in my eye myself... I didn't think they really caused any noticable damage unless you held it in your eye for 5 minutes or something (like really, what's a 5mw laser gonna do). But you know what blind spots are, old people get them and they can only see around the center of their vision, but not straight on in their middleground view. I've noticed, I don't know if it's because I'm tired, stressed, or whatever, but sometimes I notice the image in my eyes is sharper towards the edge of the vision, and not so in the middle of my field of view. However right now my eyes "feel" fine in my head like they always have, and I can focus pretty much just fine. Actually no, you've made me think just now.... I was boughten glasses when I was young (8-9 yrs?) as my optometrist and mother thought I needed them. At the time my vision was perfect and crisp, and still IS, but I never did wear those glasses as it only seemed to fatigue my eyes after a couple hours of use. This focusing problem I once in a while notice in the middle of my "FOV", perhaps has something to do with that neglect? Wow, it's amazing how post's topics change so rapidly sometimes... sorry bout that.
Mar 8, 2009. 5:48 AMPunkguyta says:
Being hydrated or not makes sense, seeing as the eyeball is a giant ball of water in your head. Sometimes they can creep up on you, sometimes not. As far as asking someone about their glasses, I can see how some people are amazed when they can see again, but for one, I don't like glasses on my face unless I need to really wear sunglasses or the such. And secondly, I chose to neglect wearing them as a child because when I put them on, they didn't make me see even 1/8th better than without them. I thought it was just a joke. I'm glad you can see the leaves :-D They're pretty aren't they?

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