Re: UK police, (low audi content)

[Robert Houk - WorkGroup Server Firmware <Robert.Houk@East.Sun.COM>]

   > Steve I would assume police officers would rather be the shooter than
   > the shootee. 
   > 
   ... I fully understand that Pat ... and I must say that it wouldn't have
   bothered me nearly as much if they were aiming at something other than my
   head and chest.  How many times do you read in the newspaper about someone
   being fatally injured accidentally by the cops?  In my situation, the day
   before I had my fun, someone in the area was accidentally shot and killed in
   a very similar situation to mine.  My beef is not with them drawing on me,
   it is the standard practice of aiming to kill.  I had no problem with the
   way the officers acted or treated me during the encounter.  They were very
   apologetic and I understand that they had a job to do.  

   Look at the situation though, they are already loaded and aimed ... let's
   say at my lower extremities.  How much longer will it take me to turn, draw
   and fire than for them to wound me if they perceived a threat?

In the, ah, "real" world of action encounters, it is virtually useless
to aim any other way. Obviously, for you or I, they wouldn't even need
to offer/threaten to draw their weapons to "command" nigh-on total and
complete obedience. But if they are indeed facing a TrueBadGuy(tm),
and he goes for broke, their only chance is to be on target and ready,
otherwise they _will_ lose the encounter, unless pure dumb luck is on
their side (they get an idiot/incompetent Bad Guy). Even if they are
"on target", with their fingers on the triggers, and the Bad Guy only
has a knife, if he is truly determined, odds are that he (the Bad Guy)
can still nail at least one of the Good Guys with his knife, even as he
is being shot full of holes. Sad truth. Hundredths of a second count.
Tenths of a second are an eternity.

Much as I deplore (?deplore? Hell, *DESPISE*) much of what is foisted
off on us as "law enforcement" on the highways and byways, there are
a statistically-significant number of really bad people out there who
would readily do great evil. Much as *I* don't like being treated as
a lethal threat (and as a guy with long hair and a beard, any resem-
blance to certain religions' Savior notwithstanding, I don't want to
be taken for a Hollywierd stereotype...), I sadly accept that reality.

My rule is to always turn on the interior light (if night/dark), open
my window, and wait with my hands clearly on the top of the wheel
until the cop is comfortable with my not being a threat to him/her. I
don't even go for my wallet/license/registration until in plain view
and directed to do so.

   I didn't have too much of a problem with the policy before ... frankly, I
   never thought too much about it.  After looking down the business ends of
   the weapons and thinking about what could happen causes one to think
   seriously about the risks being endured by both sides ...

Sobering, eh?

I'm glad in the end it was nothing worse than an adrenlin rush!

					-RDH