Policeman mistakes blind man's stick for Samurai sword and tazers him

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Proof that blind people with a walking stick can be deadly.

[video="youtube;ZKm0YeKAq9E"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZKm0YeKAq9E[/video]

Reply 21

Vionar

Should've gone to Specsavers.

But seriously, how on earth is it possible to mistake a stick for a samurai sword!

Reply 22

Taynaz

Original post by Genocidal

Am I a bad person if that was the funniest story of the week for me so far? :frown:

I didn't find it the funniest but the title did make me laugh a little. Then I burned in shame.

Reply 23

cl_steele

Original post by Sir Phillip Jones

Duplicate thread dude.. http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=2151720

My mistake :biggrin:

Reply 24

Solid.Snake

Feel sorry for the poor guy :frown:

Repost

...and some people think these guys should have guns.

:eek:

Reply 27

Sir Phillip Jones

And some people actually want the Police armed.

Reply 28

Sir Phillip Jones

Original post by Vionar

Should've gone to Specsavers.

But seriously, how on earth is it possible to mistake a stick for a samurai sword!

Absolutely crazy isn't it? I was speechless reading it.

Reply 29

LaughingBro

When you want them to shoot, they don't; when you don't want them to shoot, they do it! :facepalm:

Reply 30

Sir Phillip Jones

Original post by cl_steele

My mistake :biggrin:

No worries.

Any chance you could close yours, cheers. :yy:

Reply 31

moonkatt

Original post by Taynaz

I didn't find it the funniest but the title did make me laugh a little. Then I burned in shame.

this is the funniest story this week:

http://www.birminghammail.net/news/top-stories/2012/10/16/man-in-court-for-hitting-darth-vader-s-wife-97319-32042605/

Reply 32

Vionar

Original post by Sir Phillip Jones

Absolutely crazy isn't it? I was speechless reading it.

I first saw it on BBC News and the stick he has looks nothing like any samurai sword I've ever seen. Shocking!

Reply 33

fluttershy

I can understand if he was waving it around like a sword or something, but the way a blind person uses a stick is nothing like someone would hold a sword. The officer says he asked him to stop and he didn't, but surely if someone shouts "stop, police" and you are doing nothing wrong the reaction would be to do nothing. A blind person would have it more difficult as they would be less aware of their surroundings. Also, if he'd been deaf and not blind he wouldn't have even heard it, so the fact someone doesn't react to a command shouldn't lead to harsh action unless they are doing something that is actively threatening or dangerous. Common sense says that someone who really is a danger would either try and run or try and fight, not just carry on minding their own business. Even if it had really been a sword, there is no way the officer could justify that they were in immediate danger.

One of the problems with Tazers though is that instead of being used as a last resort, and a better option than shooting someone, they are used, and even encouraged to be used, as an easy response to someone who isn't being compliant. "I asked them to stop and they didn't so I tazered them" is not often seen as such a bad thing, and would be said by some to be a legitimate use of a tazer. It is often forgotten that they are less than lethal, not none lethal, and people have died or been seriously injured because of them.
Another problem is that because they can be used from a longer range and from behind, unlike other methods (with the exception of firearms) like pepper spray or battons, there is more chance of mistakes taking place, and the longer the range, whilst reducing the risk to officers, increases the risk of mistakes. Had the officer had to get into a position to use a batton or pepper spray there is more chance they would have realised the full situation beforehand.