Police fight back on laser threat

**The News Bot** · 08-04-2009, 4:15 PM

Police have new device to fight back against those using lasers to distract aircraft.
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Adamstool · 08-04-2009, 5:07 PM

dang their goes the thousands of laser pointerists enjoyments..

Jonstone · 08-04-2009, 8:33 PM

You can't help but think that they are shooting themselves in the foot with this one.

207 incidents in a year is not all that much (207 too many obviously) relative to the number of flights a year. Hardly anyone will believe that the police will be able to catch the culprit using the laser pointer even with the new equipment, but highlighting the problem may well spark a lot more idiots to give it a go

edwardtickle · 08-04-2009, 9:52 PM

I saw the program about it and it does seem like a lot of trouble to find someone doing the lasering, but as far as i can see it worked.

**Steven** · 08-04-2009, 10:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jonstone

207 incidents in a year is not all that much (207 too many obviously) relative to the number of flights a year.

Well it is safely into 3 figures. Though air travel is still quite a safe mode of transport all it needs is one tragic accident for hindsight to be too late

Jonstone · 08-04-2009, 10:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LFC_SL

Well it is safely into 3 figures. Though air travel is still quite a safe mode of transport all it needs is one tragic accident for hindsight to be too late

Yes but I very much doubt it is 207 incidents of different people doing it, there is a fair chance that the majority can be accounted for by a much fewer number of people.

I just think highlighting it is likely to cause more harm than good, rather than scaring people away from doing it they are more likely to put the idea into the heads of idiots who hadn't already thought of doing it

VinnyP! · 09-04-2009, 1:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LFC_SL

Well it is safely into 3 figures. Though air travel is still quite a safe mode of transport all it needs is one tragic accident for hindsight to be too late

The British Airline Pilots association have warned a serious crash is likely unless something is done. Since a serious crash almost certainly means hundreds of deaths it would be wrong for the police and everyone concerned to do everything possible to try and stop it. If there is an accident after such a warning there would quite rightly be an outcry as to why nothing had been done. To put that into perspective it woudl be like cutting road deatsh by 10% if they can prevent one fatal airliner crash. That would probably justify speding 10 times what this would cost interms of cash and resources.