Did the police over-react?

I don't need to call the mythbusters to tell you that GAS CANS DON'T EXPLODE. They can and will catch fire, but gas cans are NOT bombs. What the berkeley kind of country do we live in if carrying anything FLAMMABLE makes you a terrorist? Hey, guess what, guys... the 91 olds had an even BIGGER container full of fuel... THE GAS TANK! I guess we should blow up cars whenever they park... just to be safe, right? If you don't support blowing up all parked cars, the terrorists win.

Woody wrote: Then I took a look at my truck, with a bag of fertilizer, two gas cans and a propane tank in the bed. I almost reported myself.

i just peed a little. this struck me as the funniest thing i've read in a while. thank you!

aussiesmg wrote:

Giant Purple Snorklewacker wrote:

noddaz wrote: The answer is no. The alternative is much worse.....

Like... the gardener comes out later and drives home as if nothing happened. Yes. That would be absurd.

Like the two cans were attached to a timer that blew up 15 minutes later as the concert let out and 357 people were killed and another 546 were severely injured. Yes. That would be absurd. Hmmm which one is less of a problem, ignore and hope or do something that caused some people a little discomfort and the city has to replace two windows.

Obviously then... we should have papers and we should have checkpoints set up at all public events in case someone means to do us harm. In fact - maybe public assembly should be banned. Some of those people could have been armed and just preventing them from gathering won't stop them plotting... so we should disarm everyone also. Perhaps some goose-stepping soldiers in jack boots performing public demonstrations would also deter....

OK, so I'm exaggerating the situation a wee bit - but as long as someone fans the fear and paranoia... the general public seems to always be willing to put with any antics to keep the terror at bay. Someone needs to calm them down before they ask the government to keep us in cages so we won't hurt each other.

This is exactly how the seeds of tyranny take root.

Wowak wrote: I don't need to call the mythbusters to tell you that GAS CANS DON'T EXPLODE. They can and will catch fire, but gas cans are NOT bombs. What the berkeley kind of country do we live in if carrying anything FLAMMABLE makes you a terrorist? Hey, guess what, guys... the 91 olds had an even BIGGER container full of fuel... THE GAS TANK! I guess we should blow up cars whenever they park... just to be safe, right? If you don't support blowing up all parked cars, the terrorists win.

Depends if they have gasoline or "something else" in them.

And it's hard to tell when you're looking through the window.

iceracer wrote: Maybe the 'Olds didn't have a floor in the trunk. I always am mystified at people using the back seat to carry stuff instead of the trunk. I saw a guy the other day put his gas can in the back seat.

I keep stuff in my back seat because my trunk has a set of ramps, a toolbox , an oil change pan and a creaper in it.

Keith wrote: By the way, the handling was fine until we used enough fuel to drop the level in the drums a bit. You'd turn into a corner and the truck would take a set. Then the fuel would slosh over, and the truck would take another set. Great way to learn how to be smooth...

Really now...

It's a tough call. Much like domestic violence cases, do you want to be the officer who saw clues but didnt react timely? Police officers do plenty of dumb things(dont ask how I know) and with terrorists winning the war on terrorism, everyone is jittery. You can expect more intrusions into your life until attacks become any every day event(if your mind can get around that concept). I dont want to think about what the world will be like at that point.

How would you feel if you were the cop who blew it off and people died................

fastmiata wrote: and with terrorists winning the war on terrorism, everyone is jittery.

IMO, if people are going to freak out over a couple gas cans in the back seat (good thing there wasn't a trunk full of ANFO) then terrorism has succeeded.

Beating terrorism means NOT freaking out over every little thing.

Sure, some people will die. Do you want safety or freedom?

The freedom to be safe would be nice

Knurled wrote:

fastmiata wrote: and with terrorists winning the war on terrorism, everyone is jittery.

IMO, if people are going to freak out over a couple gas cans in the back seat (good thing there wasn't a trunk full of ANFO) then terrorism has succeeded. Beating terrorism means NOT freaking out over every little thing. Sure, some people will die. Do you want safety or freedom?

Sure....Ill take the safety in this case. I don't think I'm ok with the "Sure, some people will die" comment. I don't know anyone I would sacrifice for freedom.

Joey

joey48442 wrote: I don't know anyone I would sacrifice for freedom.

I would sacrifice the terrorists for freedom.

Knurled wrote:

fastmiata wrote: and with terrorists winning the war on terrorism, everyone is jittery.

IMO, if people are going to freak out over a couple gas cans in the back seat (good thing there wasn't a trunk full of ANFO) then terrorism has succeeded. Beating terrorism means NOT freaking out over every little thing. Sure, some people will die. Do you want safety or freedom?

Dude, it was a couple of windows............versus lives, are you serious

Something unusual left in a public place, where people are probably quite jittery due to a recent legitimate bomb scare?

Yeah I think the reaction was entirely understandable. Maybe it was an overreaction, I'm not saying it wasn't, but bombs are probably on the forefront of everyone's mind right now. Cops are human. They're probably scared too.

And another point I just thought of. What if no one thought a cooler left in Times Square was suspicious?

aussiesmg wrote:

Knurled wrote:

fastmiata wrote: and with terrorists winning the war on terrorism, everyone is jittery.

IMO, if people are going to freak out over a couple gas cans in the back seat (good thing there wasn't a trunk full of ANFO) then terrorism has succeeded. Beating terrorism means NOT freaking out over every little thing. Sure, some people will die. Do you want safety or freedom?

Dude, it was a couple of windows............versus lives, are you serious

Also someones personal property damaged by government. If i remember correctly we in america have a document that guarantees us personal freedom and the right to private property. Of course I'm not a constitutional lawyer.

Hmm. Why are there no real trashcans in paris.. Hmm..

Did the police over react? In NYC, No. If it was in my hometown, Yes.

My neighbor carries a couple of gas cans in the back of his mini-van all the time. Not too smart IMO but no big deal with all the lawn maintenance people around here.

In NYC where you don't expect to see something like this it certainly would be suspicous. However I do think the city should pay for repairs to his vehicle.

Kia_racer wrote:

joey48442 wrote: I don't know anyone I would sacrifice for freedom.

I would sacrifice the terrorists for freedom.

But terrorist aren't really People...

Joey

Lazarus Long/Heinlein said: You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on having both at once.

In reply to joey48442:"I don't know anyone I would sacrifice for freedom." That is the most pathetic thing I have ever read.