Text 1. New law to ban iPods on NY streets

Listening to an iPod while walking across the street could soon become illegal in New York. State Senator Carl Kruger wants a law introduced that outlaws crossing roads while listening to music, talking on a mobile phone or using video games and personal organizers. The fine for breaking this law could be as much as $100. The Senator said he has witnessed too many near misses whereby pedestrians have not heard or seen oncoming traffic because they were too involved in gaming, chatting on their phone or what he describes as being “lost in iPod oblivion”. Mr. Kruger told reporters: "Government has an obligation to protect its citizens. This electronic gadgetry is reaching the point where it's…creating an atmosphere where we have a major public safety crisis at hand." He is concerned that it’s becoming a nationwide problem.

Kruger may have a point. Three pedestrians have been killed in the past four months in New York’s Brooklyn district. They all walked into busy traffic because they were distracted by an electronic device of some sort. In one case, bystanders shouted at someone to be careful seconds before they were knocked down and became another traffic accident statistic. Despite the alarming increase in deaths caused by distractions from iPods etc, New Yorkers are likely to ignore any new law forbidding their use in the streets. Many residents believe Kruger is going too far and that the law treats people as though they had no sense. Brooklyn resident Mary Alberto was outraged at Kruger’s proposal. She said: “Enough is enough. I have been able to cross the street since I was eight.” She also joked that one day people might be fined for not looking both ways.