Agreed, in that if you have a legal tool that can save someone, damn well use it, if it’s at all feasible to do so. Otherwise, you’re just carrying around a dangerous pacifier/personal security theater, no? I’ll leave all argument re: that legality, itself, by the wayside.
You gotta be careful, I’ve been charged by people who got out of their car after I yelled “come-on” when a car cuts me off/almost runs me over on my bike. It’s weird that my stay safe strategy now involves never saying anything no matter how insane and dangerous a car is being.
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That’s right, in a carpool when someone side swipes you, you now have a group that beat up the tool that hit your car.
Exhibit A:
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I don’t get the getting out of the car thing. While I can certainly understand anger at a moron for doing something stupid in their car, the risks of getting shot/hurt by actually getting out of your car to confront said moron is just too high.
Case in point, I was walking down the street the other day when a car came out of the alleyway just in front of me and another couple walking nearby. The car honked as a courtesy to warn he was coming out. One of the guys walking along flipped the guy off - as is pretty typical for any downtown area.
Well this apparently incensed the driver enough to roll down his window and start yelling at the other guy. After some verbal exchanges, the guy actually got out of his car and approached the flipper-offer at the corner threatening to kick his ass for having the temerity to flip him off for doing a kindness to pedestrians (honking).
Turns out the flipper-offer was a girl and this totally stunned the driver who suddenly wasn’t sure what he should do. The girl and her partner then chased the driver back down the street to his idling car threatening to kick his ass.
The whole thing was so surreal I’m not sure it wasn’t staged but it got me thinking that if either one of these idiots had a gun things certainly would have escalated with me easily ending up collateral damage.
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Exhibit A:
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Extra points for the ST:TAS gif
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There’s always a time and a place for Swear Trek.
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No videos of the later police line-up?
Why didn’t they handle their road rage with withering glares and slow head shakes, like civilised people? You get out of your car, you’re gonna have a bad time.
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Sometimes, a nonlethal intervention is a good first move.
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Would this be the first example of a good guy with a gun?
I would argue no…seems the folks who blocked the driver off had it under control and didn’t need skippy or his peacemaker.
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I’m not engaging any conversations about guns in this thread; there are already more than enough posts for the usual gun humpers and ardent ammosexuals to ‘plead their case’ without including this one.
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For sure.
I moved to Boston fresh out of school many years ago, from out of state. The first thing I noticed was the increased number of people walking around with serious limps. When asked about the injury, the answer was always car accident.
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This is what ultimately comes from running on
Dunkin…
Though on the one hand I have learned to drive opportunistically on Boston streets, I have 100% learned that someone who drives like they just don’t care (whether on highways, side roads, cul de sacs) probably doesn’t care and is beyond caring and that it would be best to stay the hell away from them because living.
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Yeah. I’ve yelled “Whoah! That was close!” after a close pass and then been followed for the three blocks to my home by the driver, with his window rolled down, spewing nonstop verbal abuse and threats.
On the other hand, I have also had an Uber driver roll down the window and politely apologize after I chastised him for stopping in the bike lane… Not every motorist is a homicidal asshole, just most of them.
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Interestingly, Boston is among the safest cities in the United States for pedestrians. (source) At least the crazy Masshole motorists are mostly hurting each other, and not the folks who opt out of that madness…
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Charlie Baker is trying!
The latest bill includes hands free ,
along with mandatory seatbelts.
Right now, drivers can be ticketed for not
wearing seatbelts, but only if they were stopped for another violation.
This new bill states not wearing a seat belt is
a violation in itself and ticket worthy
Both are fine
IF ENFORCED…which is unlikely.
May I ask why you have so many unnecessary carriage returns in your reply? Sorry if I’m prying, I’m just curious.
