4 ms·

"I can hardly imagine the experience of people of color being approached in their car by someone with gun and taser, knowing a failing brake light or similar ma

"I can hardly imagine the experience of people of color being approached in their car by someone with gun and taser, knowing a failing brake light or similar malfunction could lead to violence." Police don't shoot people just for traffic violations. If a drunk driver does not want to give his car keys to the unarmed civilian, then what happens? I am a "person of color" (South Asian-American) and have had my car stopped 3 times by a white policeman, each time for a plausible reason. I complied with the policeman and was in no danger of being shot. Exaggerated suspicion of and resistance to the police is what gets people killed.

mattzito 6y ago
> If a drunk driver does not want to give his car keys to the unarmed civilian, then what happens? He writes the license plate down, calls 911, and notifies police. It's not rocket science. I would say that your experience probably can't be extrapolated to everyone's experience. I can equally describe several situations I or people I know have experienced that qualify as highly aggressive, unwarranted policing for minor traffic stops. I know people who have been arrested for a broken taillight, sitting in a running car in a parking lot, driving aimlessly through a neighborhood while lost, and other scenarios. Heck, I'm a standard white guy and I got screamed at by a police officer 20 years ago at a random speeding stop because I didn't know that there was a faster way to get back to the highway I was trying to get to in an area I was unfamiliar with (this was pre-GPS). Top of his lungs threatening me, hand on his nightstick - it was terrifying.
- Bostonian 6y ago
  "He writes the license plate down, calls 911, and notifies police. It's not rocket science." Yes, but obviously the drunk driver may cause an accident before he is apprehended. A policeman has the power to prevent that.
  - netizen-936824 6y ago
    Because a civilian and a partner couldn't park a car in front of and behind the drunk driver's car?
  - netizen-936824 6y ago
    Shit, just get some wheel chocks
michael1999 6y ago
Others have a different experience. The video of this is absolutely chilling. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shooting_of_Philando_Castile https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shooting_of_Philando_Castile
cultofmetatron 6y ago
as a south asian myself (srilankan), Im quite familiar with the systematic discrimination we face. That said, it pales in comparison to what my black friends have to deal with. Violence against black men during routine traffic stops is a legitimate fear for them.

mattzito 6y ago

> If a drunk driver does not want to give his car keys to the unarmed civilian, then what happens? He writes the license plate down, calls 911, and notifies police. It's not rocket science. I would say that your experience probably can't be extrapolated to everyone's experience. I can equally describe several situations I or people I know have experienced that qualify as highly aggressive, unwarranted policing for minor traffic stops. I know people who have been arrested for a broken taillight, sitting in a running car in a parking lot, driving aimlessly through a neighborhood while lost, and other scenarios. Heck, I'm a standard white guy and I got screamed at by a police officer 20 years ago at a random speeding stop because I didn't know that there was a faster way to get back to the highway I was trying to get to in an area I was unfamiliar with (this was pre-GPS). Top of his lungs threatening me, hand on his nightstick - it was terrifying.

Bostonian 6y ago
"He writes the license plate down, calls 911, and notifies police. It's not rocket science." Yes, but obviously the drunk driver may cause an accident before he is apprehended. A policeman has the power to prevent that.
- netizen-936824 6y ago
  Because a civilian and a partner couldn't park a car in front of and behind the drunk driver's car?
- netizen-936824 6y ago
  Shit, just get some wheel chocks

michael1999 6y ago

Others have a different experience. The video of this is absolutely chilling. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shooting_of_Philando_Castile https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shooting_of_Philando_Castile

cultofmetatron 6y ago

as a south asian myself (srilankan), Im quite familiar with the systematic discrimination we face. That said, it pales in comparison to what my black friends have to deal with. Violence against black men during routine traffic stops is a legitimate fear for them.