Cheshire Cat Photo Blog(...said the Cat: 'we're all mad here....')

At a time when “common sense” seems to be almost ABSENT from most Americans, it’s appropriate that The Golden Gate Bridge Highway and Transportation District is installing new signs this week to remind people that flying drones over or near the Golden Gate Bridge is PROHIBITED! Officials said that the drones pose safety and security risks for pedestrians on the bridge.

Not that the signs will stop SOME morons! Although an obvious (and cost-effective) solution would seem to be the deployment of shotgun-toting National Park Rangers skilled in trap and skeet, that solution seems unlikely to “fly” in the gun-fearing Bay Area!

SFGate.com says:

“Whether due to operator error or technical problems, drones can and do fail,” district officials said in a statement. “When they drop from the sky, they pose great risk of causing traffic, bicycle and pedestrian accidents, especially given the crowded conditions on the bridge.”

Drones are also banned from flying near the bridge and its surrounding property, including National Park Service land immediately north and south of the span, according to the district.

Drones found flying near the bridge will be tracked and confiscated, while the operator will be identified and may face prosecution, district officials said.

“For decades, the only people who had access to our airspace were highly trained pilots who came from a culture where safety was deeply embedded,” FAA Administrator Michael Huerta said in a statement. “Now, thousands upon thousands of brand new users are starting to fly, and the reality is that most have very limited or no aviation experience.”

Huerta said registration “provides us with a key opportunity to teach them about the rules and regulations they must follow, and it will help them become part of the safety culture that has been deeply embedded in traditional aviation for more than a century.”