UK Commissioner Seeks To Ban Ultrasonic Anti-Teen Device

mikesd81 points out a Times Online article that discusses the legality of the Mosquito sound device, which is used to annoy and drive off younger people with sounds that are too high-pitched for most adults to hear. We discussed how annoying this device can be a couple years ago. From Times Online: "Sir Albert Aynsley-Green, the Children's Commissioner for England appointed to represent the views of the country's 11 million children, has set up a campaign — called Buzz Off — that is calling for the Mosquito to be banned on grounds that it infringes the rights of young people. 'These devices are indiscriminate and target all children and young people, including babies, regardless of whether they are behaving or misbehaving,' Sir Al told the BBC. 'The use of measures such as these are simply demonizing children and young people, creating a dangerous and widening divide between the young and the old.'"

Music

[Detritus]

You can often get the same effect by playing "uncool" music.

As to the original device, maybe the little bastards will understand how I feel every time they drive by in their car or park outside, playing the latest example of what passes for music these days, with the bass level set at "stun small mammals".

Finally!

[Smordnys s'regrepsA]

A way to make you darn kids get off my lawn!

L-U-C-K-Y!

[Smordnys s'regrepsA]

Miss, I don't think you were listing to the right music. After all the loud amplified music I listened to in my youth, a high frequency ringing is just about all I hear.

i'm sorry but

[Surt]

kids are monsters. If there's a device to drive them off that's fantastic. Is there a similar device for lawyers?

Re:Wow

[NeoHunyadi]

The police response is this: Several yellow signs have been put up on the lamp posts that have bizarre txt-speak drivel on them. A typical example is "If ur bad we'll tell ur olds."

I just have to say that that is the most stupid idea I've ever heard. It's so absurd that I can't even laugh at how stupid it is. I'm not even sure I believe you, but the nagging thought in the back of my head tells me that someone, somewhere out there, thought that was a good idea.

Jesus fucking Christ that's idiotic.

Re:Wow

[AmishElvis]

Oddly enough, I have found some references on the Internet to a technology which may be able to counter devices like this. Supposedly the US Military currently issues this equipment to soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan to help defeat noise-related threats. Does anybody know if this technology [wikipedia.org] really exists, or is it just science fiction?

Re:Typical.

[Nefarious Wheel]

In Australia we use Barry Manilow. Downside is it chases everyone away.

Does ANYBODY know

[Anonymous Coward]

where I can get one of these for my lawn?

Re:Heh.

[marcosdumay]

"For all we know the real tone may sound like Mozart."

Oh, ok. Now I see how that could put people away :)

Re:The file is bad

[jez9999]

That's no mistake. Really young kids' hearing is SO good they can actually hear silence. It drives them nuts!!

next to an arcade??

[oni]

they just hang around a couple of hundred yards away from the arcade where the thing's sited.

Some rocket scientist put a device that repels teenagers next to an arcade? Brilliant!

Engagement needed

[BenEnglishAtHome]

Indeed, I had a guy come at me with an axe a while back. I dialled 999 whilst backing off (fairly rapidly).

With credit to Massad Ayoob for his insightfulness -

You made a mistake by not helping this guy. You needed to communicate with him. You needed to ask him a deep, existential question that would cause him to question and reassess his actions, attitudes, and core beliefs in light of the impact he is having on the world and of the impact the world can have on him. You needed to ask him a question that would help him onto the path of nonviolent enlightenment.

Sometimes you can even ask such a question without using any words at all.

A question like -

"You don't really want me to shoot you in the face with this .38, do you?"

Oh, wait. You're in the UK.

Never mind...

Re:Wow

[Mister Whirly]

"It was so sad to see, after Katrina, that somehow many kids, most from the projects....came back to the city with no parents at all"

Their parents aren't dead or missing, they just knew that this was the best opportunity to ditch the little bastards for good.

ban a note?

[sgt scrub]

If your going to ban a note ban C#