NY State Senator: hang up and cross. Do you agree?

I am usually not one to advocate governmental regulation of personal behavior.

That said, I fully endorse the move of New York State Sen. Carl Kruger (D-Brooklyn), and shown at right- to introduce legislation today banning the practice of pedestrians looking down and dealing with their iPod, cell phone, BlackBerry, etc. while in the middle of crosswalks.

Newsflash: crosswalks are dangerous places, intersection points where streams of already inattentive, TypeA drivers of 2500 lb. vehicles run the risk of hitting 125 lb. iPod junkies.

"We're talking about people walking sort of tuned in and in the process of being tuned in, tuned out," Kruger tells WCBS.com's Lou Young."Tuned out to the world around them. They're walking into speeding cars. They're walking into buses. They're walking into one another and it's creating a number of fatalities that have been documented right here in the city." 

Not only in your city, Senator Carl. In mine-Portland, Oregon. While I don't recall any fatalities due to iPod or cell phone-driven crosswalk inattentiveness, I've seen some close calls.

I mean, punching up messages or scrolling playlists while the SUVs wait impatiently, and sometimes turn against the light.

This is one of these laws that would protect people against themselves. 

Violators would  get $100 fine.

Cheaper than an ER visit.

Or a coffin.

Do you agree?

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