Nov. 06, 2003 - 20:39 MST

THE WONDERING JEW

Flirtin' With A MIRT

This appears to me to be a "make news" type article in a way.

This morning in The Rocky Mountain News there is an article by Travis Reed of the Associated Press.

"Cities fear drivers will be traffic gods" "Emergency remotes to turn lights green becoming affordable."

According to Travis Reed of the Associated press, author of the article there are little devices, small in size, mounted on dashboards of emergency vehicles that can turn a traffic light to green for the oncoming emergency vehicle. I noticed this article next day after I saw a light at a busy intersection suddenly turn against the traffic in the line I was occupying, as an emergency vehicle approached the intersection. I made some silly remark to Heather, "Boy that guy has a hex on the traffic light." Hex In A Box that I never knew about. Makes a lot of sense to me that emergency vehicles have such a thing. Works by infrared from the unit in the dashboard to a receiver on the traffic light. The devices have a range of about 1,500 feet. Called MIRT (mobile infrared transmitter)

"It has the potential to be a huge problem,"�said Steve Misgen, a Minnesota Department of Transportation signal operations engineer.

Previously the units cost on the order of $650 to $1,000, now there are units that cost about $300.

There is fear in the ranks of law enforcement and politicians that Joe Average Citizen will buy himself one and cruise to work on a path of green. The article does not mention a private party caught using one yet. "And Associated Press check of eBay on Monday found some of the cheaper devices for sale on the Internet, as well as kits for building similar gadgets.

"Sen. Mike DeWine, R-Ohio, introduced legislation Wednesday that would outlaw unauthorized use of products like the MIRT."

Flashing lights on vehicles, red lights pointed forwards and as near as I know sirens have long been against the law for private citizens to use. But the MIRT can be much more dangerous than any of the preceding it looks to me. Especially here in Denver when a succession of cars illegally turn when the light goes red against them -- they just keep on going.

So, I wonder what sane, sensible way can law enforcement determine such devices are in private possession and mounted so to be used at any time ? And an officer make a pre-emptive arrest when finding one ? Should the seller be held liable ? Dashboard police ? Repair shop reporting to the law when a car is put in the shop for work and a device is noted by the mechanic ? What is a good solution to the problem that hasn't occurred yet ?

Then the utmost in silliness is the question, if two cars are approaching an intersection at right angles to each other and the driver of each car presses the button of his MIRT, just who gets the green ? I think Death looks over anyone who is Flirtin' With MIRT . . . . . . . . . . .

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