# Got a gang? Do what you want. **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [October 23, 2014, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/got-a-gang-do-what-you-want/702266 "2014-10-23T18:01:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Whiskey\_Dickens](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/9fc348/32.png) [@Whiskey\_Dickens](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whiskey_Dickens)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2014, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/got-a-gang-do-what-you-want/702266/41 "2014-10-24T18:08:14Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > Why not tase one of them? Lay down some spike strips? Get a helicopter and 100 cops and block the road? Do something? Anything? I guess because that would be an unneccesary escalation of the situation? The police officer did the right thing. Register your official disapproval with the riders, and observe in case crimes more serious than traffic infractions happen. These are young men on motorcycles misbehaving, not some sort of incomprehensible evil that falls somewhere between ISIS and Hitler. They may seem scary to you because their face is concealed by their helmet and they seem young and vigorous, but they are only slightly different than your nephews, sons, brothers, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Emtar\_KronJonDerSohn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/58956e/32.png) [@Emtar\_KronJonDerSohn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Emtar_KronJonDerSohn)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2014, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/got-a-gang-do-what-you-want/702266/42 "2014-10-24T18:09:53Z")
If the video showed the same number of cops as there were bikers magically appearing and engaging in a high speed game of grabass there would have been fatalities. Not just these “gangsters” but cops and innocents, too. I can’t think of any crime worthy of a 150mph demolition derby on a public highway. I actually give the cop a lot of credit for breaking off pursuit. Just watching the video got my adrenaline flowing while he remained calm enough to politely and professionally tell a rider to stop and then make the rational decision not to escalate. ---
**Author:** ![Bone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bone/32/407_2.png) [@Bone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bone)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2014, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/got-a-gang-do-what-you-want/702266/43 "2014-10-24T18:16:44Z")
I don’t think there is any question that the riders engaging in the fuckwad behavior should be punished. It’s simply a question of the most effective way to do it. If anyone is suggesting that the actions of the bikers should be overlooked in general - wtf? ---
**Author:** ![Whiskey\_Dickens](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/9fc348/32.png) [@Whiskey\_Dickens](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whiskey_Dickens)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2014, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/got-a-gang-do-what-you-want/702266/44 "2014-10-24T18:21:32Z")
> [@Count\_Blucher](#): > > \*\*Got a crossbow? Aim for the spokes. \*\* > > Always been that way, always will be. > > There are very few lessons learned as well as a biker spreading his face across 30 feet of asphalt. “I don’t like that that man is breaking the rules of decorum on this highway. The best solution is to innaccurately day dream about killing him, as I am powerless and have a fetish for crossbows.” ---
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2014, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/got-a-gang-do-what-you-want/702266/45 "2014-10-24T18:53:17Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > Yes, and I can’t figure out what you think you are adding to the conversation. Lots of horrible things are “human.” It doesn’t make it acceptable. And it sure doesn’t make the behavior just “not ideal.” > > The idea that a gang can take over and not get in trouble is seriously disturbing. It’s fucking anarchy taking over our government. Society exists because we stopped giving into that stupid impulse. > > The whole point of a Pit thread or any other rant is to complain about something bad that shouldn’t be. The fact that the world is like that isn’t news, but the fucking point of the OP. It shouldn’t be that way. > > And neither should people like you go around belittling concerns because that’s the way the world works. It’s a morally and intellectually bankrupt idea. The same argument could be used about any social injustice ever. > > “Discrimination against people who are different than you may not the loftiest, ideal behavior, but it is very human.” This is 100% true. So the fuck what? **[BigT]** And I can’t figure out what you think you are adding to any conversation when you go around chastising people. **[/BigT]** ---
**Author:** ![Buck\_Godot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buck_godot/32/6573_2.png) [@Buck\_Godot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buck_Godot)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2014, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/got-a-gang-do-what-you-want/702266/46 "2014-10-24T18:57:14Z")
> [@grude](#): > > If a cop doesn’t think he can safety restore order in a situation, he has a handy little radio which he can use to request backup no? From the link in the OP > [@](#): > > Although the motorcycle officer was never able pull over any of the riders,\*\* he did call for backup while he tailed the group\*\*, Lee said. After the officer was waved off by the rider who filmed the incident, he pulled over and waited for another CHP officer to help him follow the group until they left the freeway. > > “He did what was safe,” Lee said. “The riders had no intention of being compliant. … He made the right decision.” Given the situation it sounds like the cop did everything right. The potential danger these idiots posed was that one of them would lose control of his bike and injure himself or others. I see no way he could have physically stopped these bikers without making that potential danger a near guaranteed reality. The primary goal for the police officer was to do what he cold to keep everyone safe. Given time it may have been possible for the police to safely set up a road block several miles ahead, but given that they exited on their own 10 minutes later, acting as an escort is about all that could have been expected. ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2014, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/got-a-gang-do-what-you-want/702266/47 "2014-10-24T20:05:46Z")
> [@Whiskey\_Dickens](#): > > “I don’t like that that man is breaking the rules of decorum on this highway. The best solution is to innaccurately day dream about killing him, as I am powerless and have a fetish for crossbows.” Its the internet. I could have said “Hypothetically, fire center mass til the body gets claimed, no matter how often you have to reload.” Powerless is you, suddenly comprehending what it takes to live under free speech. ---
**Author:** ![Steken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e274bd/32.png) [@Steken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steken)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2014, 6:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/got-a-gang-do-what-you-want/702266/48 "2014-10-25T06:10:20Z")
> [@Buck\_Godot](#): > > Given the situation it sounds like the cop did everything right. I’d argue that the cop that [pounded on the window of the SUV, and then lied about his actions to fellow cops](http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/undercover-lied-role-biker-beatdown-suv-driver-source-article-1.1479369) didn’t do _everything_ right. ---
**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2014, 7:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/got-a-gang-do-what-you-want/702266/49 "2014-10-25T07:42:23Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > … [these bikers](http://www.mercurynews.com/crime-courts/ci_26781495/milpitas-video-shows-reckless-motorcycle-riders-taunting-chp) … :eek: Some Dopers ask physicists about quantum-theory details in GD. I’d just like to know why these 2-wheeled (sometimes 1-wheeled) vehicles don’t fall over. :smack: > [@](#): > > The disparity that seems to be evident in how police interpret situations and threats and how they react to them is kind of pissing me off. A gang of thugs, taking over public roadways? Aw, let 'em go. A guy who won’t get out of a parked car? Tase him and take him down. A bunch of guys with guns acting as support for a thief telling law enforcement to go away? Okay, never mind. A guy who is accused of selling single cigarettes and who won’t cooperate? Take him down by any means necessary, even if it hurts or kills him. 😕 I’m not sure why you’re confused. Freeze-frame the biker video and zoom in on skin color. ---
**Author:** ![Penfeather](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penfeather/32/384_2.png) [@Penfeather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Penfeather)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2014, 7:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/got-a-gang-do-what-you-want/702266/50 "2014-10-25T07:49:33Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > The message that a lot of this seems to be sending is that if you have enough people, and especially if you have enough armed people, you can do whatever the hell you want, including telling government and law enforcement officials to fuck right off. > > Is that how we want our government to function? Actually, if you have enough people, and enough armed people, and can do whatever the hell you want, you _are_ the government, ---
**Author:** ![grude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47774/32.png) [@grude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grude)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2014, 7:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/got-a-gang-do-what-you-want/702266/51 "2014-10-25T07:52:43Z")
> [@Buck\_Godot](#): > > From the link in the OP > > Given the situation it sounds like the cop did everything right. The potential danger these idiots posed was that one of them would lose control of his bike and injure himself or others. I see no way he could have physically stopped these bikers without making that potential danger a near guaranteed reality. The primary goal for the police officer was to do what he cold to keep everyone safe. > > Given time it may have been possible for the police to safely set up a road block several miles ahead, but given that they exited on their own 10 minutes later, acting as an escort is about all that could have been expected. I stand corrected, thanks. I guess it just bugs me in a sense if you have enough people with you, you can block a public road and create a dangerous and threatening situation and just get away with it. I don’t care if you have a valid reason for protesting, or want to do stunts and pop wheelies it should never be acceptable to block a road or deny other people use of it. ---
**Author:** ![grude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47774/32.png) [@grude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grude)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2014, 7:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/got-a-gang-do-what-you-want/702266/52 "2014-10-25T07:55:36Z")
> [@Ambivalid](#): > > Huh?? Ok, then tell me how fucking fast they would have needed to arrive and put a stop to it in order to show you that police are dependable? I am not arguing that they are or aren’t, I’m just bemused by your comment here. Do you think the police have teleportation devices? I wasn’t slagging on the cops, I simply meant it drove home the point raised in a lot of gun debate threads that even at their best cops can’t teleport. A dangerous situation can arise and no matter how well the cops handle it, people can get hurt. That is all. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2014, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/got-a-gang-do-what-you-want/702266/53 "2014-10-25T23:18:49Z")
The cop did the correct thing. Not much he could do. These assholes are clearly in some sort of group. I would not at all hesitate to call it a gang. Not at all. Now it’s clearly impossible to catch all of them. And even catching one could be very tough. I propose that if one is caught, he is charged with gang activity, and gets perhaps 20 counts (or how many people where participating in this) of reckless driving (assuming it was a gang of 20) Reckless driving is probably a $500 fine or so. Ten grand. Seems reasonable. I think that’s about what a person that had a bit too much wine with dinner ends up paying over all. May not mean shit though, as I suspect that some don’t have license or vehicle registration. If that’s the case though, County jail for you (because of the gang activity, just because you don’t have a license or registration should not mean automatic jail time… or maybe not). I’m generally very forgiving of people that do idiotic things on the roads. Do it on purpose, and there should be **serious** consequences. ---
**Author:** ![Emtar\_KronJonDerSohn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/58956e/32.png) [@Emtar\_KronJonDerSohn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Emtar_KronJonDerSohn)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2014, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/got-a-gang-do-what-you-want/702266/54 "2014-10-26T00:05:25Z")
I was really hoping the cop would say “That’s enough. You’re done. You really shouldn’t have done that. You had a chance to go home tonight, and you blew it.” ---
**Author:** ![Steken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e274bd/32.png) [@Steken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steken)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2014, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/got-a-gang-do-what-you-want/702266/55 "2014-10-26T00:13:16Z")
> [@enipla](#): > > The cop did the correct thing. Which cop would that be? Surely not [the one that was filmed pounding on the window of the fucking SUV](http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/undercover-lied-role-biker-beatdown-suv-driver-source-article-1.1479369), right? ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2014, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/got-a-gang-do-what-you-want/702266/56 "2014-10-26T02:54:46Z")
lasso training should be incorporated. it worked for Roy. ---
**Author:** ![Emtar\_KronJonDerSohn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/58956e/32.png) [@Emtar\_KronJonDerSohn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Emtar_KronJonDerSohn)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2014, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/got-a-gang-do-what-you-want/702266/57 "2014-10-26T03:11:10Z")
> [@Steken](#): > > Which cop would that be? Surely not [the one that was filmed pounding on the window of the fucking SUV](http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/undercover-lied-role-biker-beatdown-suv-driver-source-article-1.1479369), right? The video being discussed in this thread is not that video. Read the OP, click the link. ---
**Author:** ![Steken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e274bd/32.png) [@Steken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steken)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2014, 7:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/got-a-gang-do-what-you-want/702266/58 "2014-10-26T07:24:49Z")
> [@Emtar\_KronJonDerSohn](#): > > The video being discussed in this thread is not that video. Read the OP, click the link. We’re discussing an event, not a specific video. ---
**Author:** ![Steken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e274bd/32.png) [@Steken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steken)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2014, 7:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/got-a-gang-do-what-you-want/702266/59 "2014-10-26T07:27:47Z")
> [@Emtar\_KronJonDerSohn](#): > > The video being discussed in this thread is not that video. Read the OP, click the link. We’re discussing the event in its entirety, not just one specific video of that event. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2014, 11:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/got-a-gang-do-what-you-want/702266/60 "2014-10-26T11:16:38Z")
Steken, there are two completely separate events bring discussed in this thread. One occurred in New York City, a few years ago. The other in California, a few days ago. Really, this thread is about the California incident, with an interesting side-discussion about the New York one. It’s okay for you to reference the New York one, but try to keep things clear, by doing so only in response to someone else’s comment about the New York one, or by making it very clear in your post which incident you are referring to. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/got-a-gang-do-what-you-want/702266.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/got-a-gang-do-what-you-want/702266.md?page=4)