Causality: How far is too far?

[SlimGuySB]

So are we going to start prosecuting women in low cut tops when guys take their eyes off the road and end up in fender-benders?!

 

[dong20]

I say good for the guy that gave them a good chase. It prooves how shitty and clumsy police forces are.
Of Course the police chief is going to place blame where it doesnt belong, as his department "can do no wrong".

So you condone criminal activity - as a useful means of exposing the weakness of law enforcement? How was the crash the fault of the Police department, were they flying the helicopters?

If the police can't stop the driver, then they need to STOP pursuing and putting other peoples lives in danger.
There is no reason why they can't take the plate and run it, and follow up, OR follow at a safe distance, OR track the vehicle with a hellicopter WITHOUT media coverage.

I agree about excessive, lacivious media coverage, but last time I checked that's not something over which the police, or criminals have much control, is it?

There may be many reasons, no available helicopter, bad weather, how far is a safe distance and remember they still need to travel at the same speed to maintain it. There are other methods available also, but sometimes they cannot be brought to bear quickly enough.

As for the plates, are you serious - Imagine a likely scenario; no plates or fake plates, fake registered details or, more likely a stolen vehicle. Even if not, I'm sure the criminals are going to go straight home and wait for the police to arrive aren't they?

What tactics would suggest as an alternative, by that I mean a sensible one as opposed to - oh dear they're running away a bit too fast for us, we better let them go, never mind, maybe they'll wait for us in layby or something.

The more they pursuit, the faster the speeds will go, the more lives they place in danger.

Tell that to the criminals who run. I'm sure you'll have their ear, and appeal to their better nature.

A cop in my old home town did the exact same thing. He continued to chase a car through downtown (25mph close quarters) if I remember right, in excess of 70mph, and collided with a pedestrian vehicle, killing the driver.

Accidents happen, it's a sad side effect of such chases. Remember, the cop was doing his job, the person he was chasing was merely breaking the law for personal gain.

As for the media hellicopters, that's pretty pathetic in my opinion, and the news stations should be at fault 100%.
Anybody remember the Diana crash?

Whatever one's feelings about media 'intrusion' I agree it shoudn't end in the pointless death of anyone. I'm not sure how you can characterise the death of the helicopter crews as 'pathetic'.

The Diana incident isn't a parallel, one - no helicopters and two - the media were actively involved and in a position to cause the accident.

 

[SpeedoGuy]

No, the people who tune in created this, the people like to watch it so the media will supply.

Unfortunately, I agree.

The US broadcast news media (which, in my opinion, is just a different arm of the entertainment industry) is simply responding to intense viewer demand. I think its only when viewers start refusing to watch sensationalistic live broadcasts of car chases and other criminal activity will the situation change. Since the voyeurism instinct of the viewing public is high, I'm not hopeful things are going to change anytime soon.

I make it a habit not to watch such crap but I still see it far too often.

 

[likey10]

I have felt that the newsmedia is becoming more and more aggressive in their efforts to be the first at a hot story. I had a feeling that this would eventually happen and sad to say, it finally did.

I do NOT, however, believe that the criminal has any culpability. I view it the same as people driving by an accident on the highway and taking their eyes off the road and having a collision of their own. Who is to blame for that? The perpetrator of the first accident? or the driver for not being safe?

I can't help but wonder if this tragedy will spark some new legislature to govern the limits of news reporters.........

 

[dong20]

I view it the same as people driving by an accident on the highway and taking their eyes off the road and having a collision of their own. Who is to blame for that?

Rubbernecking is a cause of many accidents. It's clearly in the nature of some to have a mawkish interest in other's misfortune.