nero_design
Wicked Lasers God
Joined: 02 Sep 2005
Posts: 1463
Picture(s): 98
Movie(s): 1
Location: Australia
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 Posted: 10/09/05, 6:14 AM Post subject: |
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There'a plenty of people in California with lasers over <5mW although they don't refer to them as 'pointers', more often they call them modules or devices so as not to inspire people to use such strong lasers as a pointer by mistake.
Take it from me though (first hand experience when travelling in the United States and playing with <5mW lasers 10 years ago): The police can be called if ANY laser is used to cause mischief. In most cases, police are unfamilliar with lasers and their outputs. They will generally only act when a concerned citizen calls in to report suspicious activity. Now a 90mW is a Class 3B laser so it's not the sort of thing you should be shining down the street or at cinema screens. Both actions can get you into trouble with a <5mW laser anyway. Using a Class 3B laser for starpointing and photographic experiments is usually pretty acceptable although it depends on where you intend to do this. A busy location in the city may not be a desirable place to do this sort of thing. It's not illegal to own a large knife for kitchen use but walking around on the street and showing people your shiny knife is going to draw the wrong kind of attantion to yourself. The police will certainly be called in such circumstances.
Usually, it's up to the individual to observe their local regulations although i should add that I reside in Australia where lasers are not regulated for individual use. In the US I would hope that the police would confiscate a laser of any strength being used for mischief. In most cases that's not likely to happen because there are many green lasers sold in California in the <5mW range.
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Regards,
Marco Nero
* Laser Gallery: http://www.pbase.com/nero_design/pro1wickedlasers
* Always use appropriate laser-safe eyewear when using higher powered lasers. |
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