Pointing Laser at Car Now Illegal in Bay Area City

Zapping a laser pointer at a passing car may seem enticingly close to something out of “Star Wars,” but it’s a menace for motorists, city officials say.

The City Council unanimously passed an ordinance Tuesday night that makes it illegal to point the device at motorists and limits minors’ access to them in the east San Francisco Bay Area community. It was not immediately clear how sales of the gadgets would be regulated.

Laser pointers, originally developed for boardroom presentations, have become popular with teenagers who point them at friends, teachers and vehicles.

But scientists say directly shining the lasers at motorists can be dangerous for someone behind the wheel because the beams have the same effect as a flashbulb going off in one’s face.

Rick Reed, a city recreation supervisor, says he has been zapped with a laser pointer twice, once while driving, another time from across a parking lot.

“I looked right into it and boy, did that nail me,” Reed said. “My vision was impaired for five or 10 minutes.”