6 ms·

It really rubs me the wrong way when the cops prioritize this sort of enforcement because it really lays bare that they don't care about harm reduction or prote

It really rubs me the wrong way when the cops prioritize this sort of enforcement because it really lays bare that they don't care about harm reduction or protecting good people, they care about using their jackboot to stomp anyone who gives the bird to their authority. The fact that they're using the surveillance state to do it is just the cherry on top. I get that side shows are inconvenient an dangerous but the acute danger is mostly limited to people who consent to their exposure and it's not like there isn't a huge backlog of criminals who's crimes necessarily create victims in the bay area to be going after. Edit: While I agree on paper it should be a serious crime to DOS infrastructure I have a hard time taking it seriously when the same government agencies have no problem doing partial or full closures when it suits them. Additionally many people would happily condone the blocking of similar infrastructure by a few hundred person protest but a few hundred people watching a dozen cars do dumb things for entertainment is not treated the same even if the result is the same.

baggy_trough 2y ago
Closing critical infrastructure such as the Bay Bridge is not merely inconvenient or dangerous. Lengthy prison terms are warranted.
- potato3732842 2y ago
  While I agree on paper it's a serious crime I have a hard time taking it seriously when the same government agencies have no problem doing partial or full closures when it suits them.
  - millzlane 2y ago
    I understand what you're saying, but if the government shuts down a road partially or even fully, it's usually not because they just want to be dicks.
    - potato3732842 2y ago
      I agree, but it's just as much of a nasty surprise to everyone dependent upon that infrastructure and you don't really know or care what the source of the obstruction is, you just know that traffic isn't moving. At the end of the day it's just so hard for me to give a crap about a law and order type crime when there's god knows how many career petty criminals doing their thing in the same jurisdiction that aren't having these methods applied to them.
      - brian-armstrong 2y ago
        Your indifference is your problem. Don't try to foist it on other people.
      - millzlane 2y ago
        Traffic alerts used to be a real problem. They still do broadcast it on A.M. radio. But now in my state it's posted all online. You can see just about everything closures and all down to the lane and mile marker and even cameras of your route you can see streams of.
  - csdreamer7 2y ago
    That is very vague and one sided. If they shut it down for political reasons that can be, and have, been sued for it. They often shut it down because of a serious accident or some other kind of disaster. In southern California it would be mud slides.
JumpCrisscross 2y ago
> it really lays bare that they don't care about harm reduction or protecting good people Sorry, how is keeping critical infrastructure open from people doing vehicular stunts in close quarters not protecting people? > side shows are inconvenient an dangerous but the danger is mostly limited to people who consent to their exposure No? You're blocking traffic. You're blocking emergency vehicles. If an accident happens it could damage critical infrastucture. > I have a hard time taking it seriously when the same government agencies have no problem doing partial or full closures when it suits them They're not drag racing on the infrastructure! (Also, it's announced.) > many people would happily condone the blocking of similar infrastructure by a few hundred person protest These are immensely unpopular, in my experience tend to backfire and also result in arrests.
matrix87 2y ago
> they care about using their jackboot to stomp anyone who gives the bird to their authority. this isn't a protest, it's just a bunch of uncivilized people. If they don't want to follow the same rules as everyone else, then they shouldn't be allowed to drive
fargle 2y ago
so lets say you drive up to one of these in a minivan and try to cross through it to pick up your kids from preschool. what are the odds do you think it would end in property damage? assault? death? pretty much 100% at least injury and destruction of your minivan, possibly much worse. participation in this is thuggery. i hope they do a lot more than seize the vehicles. this is a felony and cannot be condoned, whether it be for a BLM protest or a bunch of juvenile rickie-racers. go to the track and/or get a job. those of you who defend a bunch of bullies violently blocking a public passage for whatever selfish idea, really need to think though who are victims and who are the aggressors and where you would stack up. it's refreshing to at least see a tiny step being taken.
- potato3732842 2y ago
  How is that any different than if you tried to cross through a protest or snake your way around emergency services? I get that there are differences but I want you and everyone who thinks like you to think about what those differences are and why they are.
  - fargle 2y ago
    people who "think like me" already full well know the difference between assholes blocking intersections for bawdy adrenaline-infused juvenile behavior and closures by the proper authorities for an emergency. don't equate what is essentially a riot with legitimate emergencies.

baggy_trough 2y ago

Closing critical infrastructure such as the Bay Bridge is not merely inconvenient or dangerous. Lengthy prison terms are warranted.

potato3732842 2y ago
While I agree on paper it's a serious crime I have a hard time taking it seriously when the same government agencies have no problem doing partial or full closures when it suits them.
- millzlane 2y ago
  I understand what you're saying, but if the government shuts down a road partially or even fully, it's usually not because they just want to be dicks.
  - potato3732842 2y ago
    I agree, but it's just as much of a nasty surprise to everyone dependent upon that infrastructure and you don't really know or care what the source of the obstruction is, you just know that traffic isn't moving. At the end of the day it's just so hard for me to give a crap about a law and order type crime when there's god knows how many career petty criminals doing their thing in the same jurisdiction that aren't having these methods applied to them.
    - brian-armstrong 2y ago
      Your indifference is your problem. Don't try to foist it on other people.
    - millzlane 2y ago
      Traffic alerts used to be a real problem. They still do broadcast it on A.M. radio. But now in my state it's posted all online. You can see just about everything closures and all down to the lane and mile marker and even cameras of your route you can see streams of.
- csdreamer7 2y ago
  That is very vague and one sided. If they shut it down for political reasons that can be, and have, been sued for it. They often shut it down because of a serious accident or some other kind of disaster. In southern California it would be mud slides.

JumpCrisscross 2y ago

> it really lays bare that they don't care about harm reduction or protecting good people Sorry, how is keeping critical infrastructure open from people doing vehicular stunts in close quarters not protecting people? > side shows are inconvenient an dangerous but the danger is mostly limited to people who consent to their exposure No? You're blocking traffic. You're blocking emergency vehicles. If an accident happens it could damage critical infrastucture. > I have a hard time taking it seriously when the same government agencies have no problem doing partial or full closures when it suits them They're not drag racing on the infrastructure! (Also, it's announced.) > many people would happily condone the blocking of similar infrastructure by a few hundred person protest These are immensely unpopular, in my experience tend to backfire and also result in arrests.

matrix87 2y ago

> they care about using their jackboot to stomp anyone who gives the bird to their authority. this isn't a protest, it's just a bunch of uncivilized people. If they don't want to follow the same rules as everyone else, then they shouldn't be allowed to drive

fargle 2y ago

so lets say you drive up to one of these in a minivan and try to cross through it to pick up your kids from preschool. what are the odds do you think it would end in property damage? assault? death? pretty much 100% at least injury and destruction of your minivan, possibly much worse. participation in this is thuggery. i hope they do a lot more than seize the vehicles. this is a felony and cannot be condoned, whether it be for a BLM protest or a bunch of juvenile rickie-racers. go to the track and/or get a job. those of you who defend a bunch of bullies violently blocking a public passage for whatever selfish idea, really need to think though who are victims and who are the aggressors and where you would stack up. it's refreshing to at least see a tiny step being taken.

potato3732842 2y ago
How is that any different than if you tried to cross through a protest or snake your way around emergency services? I get that there are differences but I want you and everyone who thinks like you to think about what those differences are and why they are.
- fargle 2y ago
  people who "think like me" already full well know the difference between assholes blocking intersections for bawdy adrenaline-infused juvenile behavior and closures by the proper authorities for an emergency. don't equate what is essentially a riot with legitimate emergencies.