A plea for safety, pl edition.

[Laserman532]

Handheld lasers with outputs over 5mW are directed energy weapons, and really good for nothing else. So is a bench mounted laser with a handheld mirror in the hand of an idiot or criminal sitting at a window. But the drop in price of high powered lasers is putting them into the hands of more of both, and sooner or later their ownership will require a license.

What I don't understand is why the companies making products with these high powered blue lasers in them aren't required to render the lasers inoperable if they're ever removed from the product. The products aren't designed for the lasers to be harvested. I predict a lawsuit from a burned little girl's parents against Casio or some other deep pockets corporation, because some 17 year old with a Star Wars fantasy hits her in the back of the head with a 500mW blue laser pointer and she turns her head unexpectedly. Sold to him on Ebay (who don't sell guns). Encouraged to burn things by those at LPF. Built with plans provided here.

same reason why vag burners dont stop working when in the hands of a yahoo DJ.

Same reason why a SP 168 dosnt stop working when removed from a cooper lasersonics medical product

same reason why a HGM5 dosnt stop working when removed from a hgm5

same reason a 16x diode dosnt stop working when removed from a dvd burner.

The product was designed to function as engineered, every circumstance can not be covered. same argument as...guns dont kill people, people kill people regulated bullets will only find their way into criminal hands.

Sit back, have a margarita...and watch the show, it wont be long until a mental midget on LPF trades in his pointer for a white cane...nothing will change SSDD.

[JohnYayas]

"Ralphie, you're going to shoot your eye out!"

[Morgan]

same reason why vag burners dont stop working when in the hands of a yahoo DJ.

Same reason why a SP 168 dosnt stop working when removed from a cooper lasersonics medical product

same reason why a HGM5 dosnt stop working when removed from a hgm5

same reason a 16x diode dosnt stop working when removed from a dvd burner.

The product was designed to function as engineered, every circumstance can not be covered. same argument as...guns dont kill people, people kill people regulated bullets will only find their way into criminal hands.

Sit back, have a margarita...and watch the show, it wont be long until a mental midget on LPF trades in his pointer for a white cane...nothing will change SSDD.

I apologise for the sound of this post before I make it but it has to be said that I don't think I have ever seen a post on LPF describing a member damaging their sight through the use of lasers. Most people over there respect their chosen, potentially hazardous hobby and employ safety as a first precaution. There are the, "Allens", as they seem to be called on PL that come in from time to time and are swiftly outed and discouraged. Safety IS promoted heavily on LPF and although I respect this site too and many of the members I don't actually see any immediately obvious references to safety and the law on the front page of PL. (Please correct me if I'm wrong but I did look)

The welcome page says this," Welcome to the forums!

We believe in "self-moderation" here.

Keep things on topic and you won't force us use the clue-bat. "


Self moderation? Doesn't sound like that to me right now from some quarters.

I apologised at the start of this post for what I knew it would sound like, as I do not wish to alienate, but I am a responsible member of LPF and have learnt how to safely extract diodes, (using suitable ESD precautions), build a module, control my diodes output, and all whilst looking after mine and other's sight.

You may feel elitest at times and the work you do here is truly inspiring, (I know, I was at the Surfleet LEM), and at the moment I can only aspire to it but please give other users a break. I don't want to feel I have to prove anything to anyone every time I post here simply because I learnt from LPF. I learnt all the things I should have and now want to learn more and I am sure I am not the only one.

Good will to all, and all that.

M

[Laserman532]

I apologise for the sound of this post before I make it but it has to be said that I don't think I have ever seen a post on LPF describing a member damaging their sight through the use of lasers. Most people over there respect their chosen, potentially hazardous hobby and employ safety as a first precaution. There are the, "Allens", as they seem to be called on PL that come in from time to time and are swiftly outed and discouraged. Safety IS promoted heavily on LPF and although I respect this site too and many of the members I don't actually see any immediately obvious references to safety and the law on the front page of PL. (Please correct me if I'm wrong but I did look)

The welcome page says this," Welcome to the forums!

We believe in "self-moderation" here.

Keep things on topic and you won't force us use the clue-bat. "


Self moderation? Doesn't sound like that to me right now from some quarters.

I apologised at the start of this post for what I knew it would sound like, as I do not wish to alienate, but I am a responsible member of LPF and have learnt how to safely extract diodes, (using suitable ESD precautions), build a module, control my diodes output, and all whilst looking after mine and other's sight.

You may feel elitest at times and the work you do here is truly inspiring, (I know, I was at the Surfleet LEM), and at the moment I can only aspire to it but please give other users a break. I don't want to feel I have to prove anything to anyone every time I post here simply because I learnt from LPF. I learnt all the things I should have and now want to learn more and I am sure I am not the only one.

Good will to all, and all that.

M

more than ONE ten year professional has left LPF due to the lack of respect of knowledgeable, responsible professionals of the industry. I dont put myself at the top of that heap but i found it frustrating to try to educate some allens over there...and there were a lot of them. I lost my password about x months ago and havent been back to even lurk...dont miss it a bit.

[Eidetic]

I don't care one bit about the eyesight of those using laser pointers inappropriately. I just don't want to have to pay for a license to buy lasers to use for making or showing holograms. Handheld lasers over 5mW break every rule of laser safety I learned in school to become a laser technician, and practice every day.

We never heard about idiots tracking aircraft with laser beams until pointers got into the hands of the asses of the masses, represented by those over at the LPF. Front page admonitions against tracking aircraft aren't necessary here as they are there, as this forum is comprised of adults and professionals, not children and a clique of "veterans" defined by "me too" post count alone.

[Laserman532]

I don't care one bit about the eyesight of those using laser pointers inappropriately. I just don't want to have to pay for a license to buy lasers to use for making or showing holograms. Handheld lasers over 5mW break every rule of laser safety I learned in school to become a laser technician, and practice every day.

We never heard about idiots tracking aircraft with laser beams until pointers got into the hands of the asses of the masses, represented by those over at the LPF. Front page admonitions against tracking aircraft aren't necessary here as they are there, as this forum is comprised of adults and professionals, not children and a clique of "veterans" defined by "me too" post count alone.

HAHA...Got to give +1 REP Points for that one

I was wiring in a three phase panel while it was hot (had to, that is what happens sometimes) when right when I went to put the screwdriver in the slot, BAMMMMM a big red dot from a laser pointer lit up the inside of the box...I thought I had died.... Nope I was still around long enough to see PR (some of you know who he is) laughing and pointing at me from a distance...i think that was in 1983...never forgave that prick for doing that.

Not all pointer wielding folks are pricks, some of them are very good engineers, and not every veteran PL professionals and ILDA members in good standing are responsible and kind to their audience. Nothing has changed.

You applaud some...some you slap!

[Morgan]

Laserman532, I can appreciate you, and others, have outgrown LPF and that's truly okay with me, (FrothyChimp?). I am branching out myself but still feel a loyalty to those, 'good', people on LPF. I think it is an entry level forum with basically good principles and the resources for learning are there. They may have to be spoon fed at times, as appropriate, but they are there. I am happy to do this myself to pass on the importance of safety etc, when playing around with the dangers that are not so obvious to the casual interest but I am also happy to jump on any, "Allen", who clearly has no respect or desire to learn; just burn! I want to contribute but don't want to be tagged as irresponsible just because I had to start somewhere. I think we have no problem here and I can certainly learn from the likes of yourself. It's easy sometimes to bash the lesser skilled but it's also important to stand up for them because they are often PL's under graduates. I hope I come out of this with a Master's. That's my aim anyway.

I don't care one bit about the eyesight of those using laser pointers inappropriately. I just don't want to have to pay for a license to buy lasers to use for making or showing holograms. Handheld lasers over 5mW break every rule of laser safety I learned in school to become a laser technician, and practice every day.

We never heard about idiots tracking aircraft with laser beams until pointers got into the hands of the asses of the masses, represented by those over at the LPF. Front page admonitions against tracking aircraft aren't necessary here as they are there, as this forum is comprised of adults and professionals, not children and a clique of "veterans" defined by "me too" post count alone.

Look, I think this shows a great deal. You should care about the eyesight of others if you are a laser technician. I personally have no problem if I had to have a license. If I had to have a license it would set me clearly apart from those using pointers inappropriately and give me the wherewithall to question someone else's behaviour. Would I welcome the expense? No, of course not but it would be a small price to pay to know I was doing the right thing.

You seem to be saying that it is the fault of LPF that high powered laser pointers are available to the general public. This is not true. Laser pointers are available to the public from many, MANY, sources. LPF may give advice as to where to source quality but this is never going to stop availability. If the site were shut down tomorrow, this would not stop the tracking of aircraft. In fact, I would go as far as to say that those caught tracking aircraft have probably never heard of LPF, nor PL. Front page admonitions should be of concern because if you don't inform you are liable. Granted, most of the members here are already aware of some, if not all of the safety procedures but as a mere LPFer and new member, where do I go to source extra info?

I'm not after a fight. As I pointed out in my first post, I don't want to alienate but I do want a level playing field. After all, you have the knowledge and experience I am after. Maybe I have something you want but we'll have to find that out together. LPF is not responsible for all the laser related ills of the world and go a long way to limiting them. Please bear the good that they do in mind.

Thanks,

M

[Laserman532]

Outgrown LPF?? no more like circumcised myself ouch!!!

sorry i had to have a little belly laugh with that one

[Morgan]

Outgrown LPF?? no more like circumcised myself ouch!!!

sorry i had to have a little belly laugh with that one

Getting a 4skin stuck in the zip of life eh?! Painful to remove oneself sometimes! I'm glad you're healed now. Hehe...

M

[mixedgas]

[QUOTE=Morgan;149044]I apologise for the sound of this post before I make it but it has to be said that I don't think I have ever seen a post on LPF describing a member damaging their sight through the use of lasers.

Your wrong, I can show you 5 posts in "health and safety" in the past two years asking for how to deal with retinal burns. All of them pointer related , and all of them obtained by doing things that are stupid. Some of them obtained with other people around.

If 5 LPF have them, then the sample of the general population that has them and that own high power pointer is higher.

Steve