Certain things, usually illegal, seems like they should happen a lot more often given the openness of our society and how, if we really think about it, we’re pretty vulnerable most of the time. Its just by good fortune that some things don’t happen with great frequency.
For example, I’ve always been shocked that more people don’t get robbed while waiting for their fast food at a drive-through. You’re in your car, usually with the windows down, with your money out. If some guy popped out of the bushes and demanded your money, most of the time you don’t have room to just drive off. Yet I never hear about crimes where people get robbed at gun or knifepoint at a drive through. That surprises me
Another thing that seems like it should happen more is people falling into the tracks while waiting for a train or subway. Look at those things, they have no rails, there’s pushing and shoving, people are in a hurry, yet there’s not an incident every week. In fact, I seem to read more stories of people being pushed onto the tracks than just fall on their own (though maybe those stories just make the news more). Still, you’d think it would happen a lot more.
Something I’m shocked by the low frequency but understand it is the small number of foreign terrorists that commit mass murders in the US. Let’s face it, lots of people from a particular area of the world hate us. And yet, these terrorist “masterminds” seem like they are more content to lob RPGs at an well-fortified embassy in a foreign land than kill Americans in the US. Yes, 9/11 happened, but that was a unique and singular incident. Why aren’t terrorists sending out youths with guns, god knows how easy it is to get one, and slaughtering up a school or a mall every month? Instead of going for the big score, if they really wanted to kill a lot of people, just ship a hundred terrorists to US soil, buy a gun from one of the numerous gun shows, and open fire in a crowded place. Maybe they are intimidated by the number of Americans already being killed by other Americans? Maybe they want big incidents that make the news? Still, it seems odd that no single cell has tried something like this. Why try to set off a complicated bomb that may not work when you can make the news running into a daycare center with two guns blazing?
I’m hesitant even to say it…but I know I’m not alone in wondering it: assassination of Supreme Court Justices and other Justices of the high level courts of appeals. They make a lot of decisions that are deeply infuriating to a lot of people, and they don’t have a hell of a lot of security.
I’ll second this one. I just can’t understand it. It’s like saying 200 + 300 x 8 = 4. It’s not just wrong, it’s not even in the same ball park! If all these people really wanted to wage war on the US, we have systems like the electrical grid that (in rural areas, at least) could be taken down by a dozen guys using SUVs and chainsaws with virtually no chance of law enforcement finding them. And yet they’ll go to great lengths to put a half-assed bomb in their underwear? (yes, pun intended).
Thank goodness for the stupidity and/or short-sightedness of terrorists. Way to think inside the box, guys.
I’m honestly surprised there are not more bike couriers hit by cabs and tour busses in downtown Chicago, all three groups drive like the streets are completely empty except for them.
I’m glad for that, but it’s probably because most nincompoops don’t realize the amount of power these folks really have…Amurricans think Obama is responsible for every law and have no idea how our system works
I would add assassinations in in the US in general. For those of use who lived through the sixties, it seemed like it was a regular occurrence. But, since Reagan in 1981, there really hasn’t been a leading figure shot at in the US.
I get that the Secret Service is on the job (recent fence jumper notwithstanding). But with all the frothing-at-the-mouth hatred of recent presidents from both sides, and the aforementioned Supremes, it is notable that no one has been shot at.
In many neighborhoods in the U.S. the mailboxes are out at the end of the driveway, at the street. The vast majority of these mailboxes do not have a locking door. It’s very common for the mail to sit in the mailbox for many hours, every day, completely unsecure.
I know mail theft happens. But it doesn’t seem to be all that common. I’ve never had my mail stolen (at least that I’m ware of), and I’ve never heard of it being a problem with family and acquaintances.
I sail. We have a reasonably busy harbor. Despite there being no brakes on a boat, and the fact that most of us are not really very good at close-quarters maneuvering, there are actually very few collisions and less damage than in a supermarket parking lot.
I think the key is that there aren’t nearly as many “bad guys” out there as the media would lead one to believe. The vast majority of us are just trying to get through our day.
I think in particular, there aren’t that many “bad guys” who are willing to put up with the consequences. Criminals don’t usually do crimes intending to get caught or killed. If I was a gang-banger I might reasonably believe that I could shoot up a rival’s house without getting caught, and I’d probably at least have a decent chance at being right. But there’s no way I could shoot up a mall or a school without getting caught, much less assassinate a politician.
There are places in the world where suicide attacks are more culturally acceptable, and they do happen more often. But even in Iraq, it’s been what, 1000 suicide attacks in 10 years? So twice a week or so. Which is bad, but if it’s happening every day, it becomes just another form of homicide. How many people have been killed this year in Chicago?
I’m surprised there aren’t more murder suicides. Considering how many suicides there are in this country, something like 40,000 a year you’d assume a good number feel (rightly or wrongly) that their suffering can be placed at least in part at one person or another. Yet they rarely happen, people just kill themselves at home.
Most of the drive-throughs around here have cameras on them. Some of the staff are starting to get pretty good at watching them and running the panhandlers off. Between the cameras and the staff and the panhandlers, I could see robbers getting nervous.
I often wonder about two lane roads. Almost certain death coming right on at you, all day long, for millions of drivers the country over-yet the number of head-on collisions in such situations seems absurdly low to me.