Got Green lasered today on the freeway

masraum · 05-31-2012, 10:05 PM

On the way to work in the morning, I cross over the freeway and then have an S curve to get to the feeder before I get on I45. The S curve is 2 lanes wide. This morning I was behind a dodge car of some sort maybe an older charger in the left hand turn lane to turn onto the S curve. When we turned he accelerated briskly in one lane, but come on, it was just a Dodge and not one of the hot rods. I wasn't racing, I like to take this road fast because it's one of the few curves within 100 miles. I don't know that he was racing either. He hadn't been revving or anything. I pulled into the other lane and shot past him. I stayed in my lane and went on my way.

I was already on the feeder as he was exiting the S-curve onto the feeder when I noticed a green laser that started at the top of his steering wheel and was pointing diagonally out of the front of his car. I thought that was pretty odd, but whatever. I was at least hundred yards ahead of him when we got on the I45 at least 1/2 mile farther down the feeder. I was in the middle lane of 3 and he was in one of the 2 lanes that were exiting to the Sam Houston Tollway when I saw the green laser coming from his car clearly trying to shine on my rear view mirror. I'm glad I was a distance away and have a small car with a small back window, but he did manage to actually hit the rear view for a split second.

I often hear about motorcyclists carrying pennies or nuts and bolts or ball bearings an using a handful of those as a deterent for tailgaters. I've occasionally been irritated by tailgaters and understood the urge, but would not act on it. I have to say that if the circumstances had been right today, had that guy been behind me and my top been down and if I had something to throw, he'd have gotten a hood or windshield full of something.

I guess I'm not too surprised since you do hear about people using them on aircraft pilots, but that's a much more anonymous act because of the extra distance. On the road, this guys going to end up getting himself into trouble if he's not careful. Besides, it's perfectly legal to carry a gun in your car here without a license.

slodave · slodave's Garage

I had this happen, late night the other week. The laser came from a house on a residential street. I saw this green thing flash and waver in front of my car. Never did hit the rear view and as soon as I realized what it was, I avoided the mirror.

Bill Douglas · 05-31-2012, 10:54 PM

When leaving the pistol club one evening some Indian guys at the Indian Sports Centre pointed green lasers at us about 300 meters away. Good thing we are such a nice natured bunch of guys.

Some clowns shone them at an incoming comercial flight here in Wellington. The police got around there quickly and arrested the guys.

look 171 · 05-31-2012, 11:00 PM

what kind of damage to the eyes, and is it only green laser that will do damage?

slodave · slodave's Garage

Without looking this up and going from memory. All lasers can blind you, if you stare at them long enough. Green just does it faster.

look 171 · 06-01-2012, 12:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by slodave

Without looking this up and going from memory. All lasers can blind you, if you stare at them long enough. Green just does it faster.

even reflecting off a mirror?

slodave · slodave's Garage

Yes. Car mirrors are not the same grade as those used by NASA and such, but enough of the beam will be focused into a point on your retina and can burn that spot.

Porsche-O-Phile · Porsche-O-Phile's Garage

I'm not a D.A. but it sounds like some idiot shooting someone in the eyes with one of those should be battery at the very least, possibly even more if they're operating a vehicle.

People are idiots.

Of course now we'll get the knee-jerk response from the politicans - clearly the solution is to ban all green lasers and/or require a $300 permit to own one.

5String43 · 06-01-2012, 06:23 AM

People are idiots. There have been several cases here where I live of people using lasers on aircraft, including police helicopters, near the local airport. Why anyone would put an aircraft into harm's way seems unexplainable, but there it is. In any case, the cops are all over these guys whenever it happens. Seems there's now a federal law against this, so if they're convicted, they go away for a while.

Rikao4 · 06-01-2012, 07:04 AM

Lady at work has a son who picked up a felony rap..
he tagged his School bus driver..

Rika

Zeke · 06-01-2012, 07:19 AM

I guess that's why I drive a throw away truck. I'd have hit the brakes and held on. That guy would be having green eggs and ham for breakfast.

masraum · 06-01-2012, 07:27 AM

Green lasers appear to be more energetic than red (I'm assuming at the same power levels). I'm not sure exactly why, but it shouldn't be hard to figure out with a bit of googling.

rusnak · 06-01-2012, 07:30 AM

I wonder if shining the red laser from my scope back at him might get a message across....

speeder · 06-01-2012, 07:39 AM

I would have ruined his day. That's a *straight to jail, do not pass go* offense.

Evans, Marv · 06-01-2012, 08:00 AM

I would call the local aurhorities and give them an FYI with as complete of a description of the event at possible. Could be he's done the same thing to others & maybe the kind of idiot to do it to an aircraft.

Adam144 · 06-01-2012, 08:11 AM

I had this happen to me once late at night on the highway a few years ago, I was in my early 20's. Some idiot in a Honda Accord in front of me decided to shine his green lazer through the windshield of my lifted Grand Cherokee. He was in the fast lane going slow to pass, I came up behind him but wasn't tailgating.

Instead of focusing on getting around the car to his right he lit up the lazer then tried to speed away from me. He took an off-ramp and entered an empty mall parking lot. I drove over an embankment to cut him off and blocked him in at a wall.

He was a little younger than me, late teens and he and a friend were in the car. He got out and tried to act tough about it and quickly met his front fender and forked over the lazer. Didn't need to involve the cops.

Chasing him probably wasn't the brightest move on my part but when you're young and bullheaded that's how you react I guess.

fastfredracing · 06-01-2012, 09:08 AM

I would have sent him a get well card after his rectal lazer removal surgery .

skunked · skunked's Garage

local Police arrested some crackhead the other day shining one of those at the Police Helicopter.

Scott R · Scott R's Garage

I don't understand, what is the point of him doing this? (shining the laser) is it simply to annoy other drivers?

Tobra · Tobra's Garage

To blind them and make them crash their car.

Saw some kids doing that walking my dog. They were hiding in the bushes. I called them out, they were reluctant, so I offered to turn my dog loose. They came out, I took their laser away and told them they best be careful doing that or someone might get the wrong idea and shoot them dead.