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Police "Bad Judgement" - seriously, form your own opinion!

Submitted by BlakJak on Mon, 01/02/2010 - 08:27.
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Funny how the media (even the social media) can play things up for their own benefit.

Yesterday I saw a tweet by none other than WhaleOil - yes, that notorious blogger - supporting a video published by 'joegreenz' that's now in the view of the New Zealand Herald.


I watched the video and formed my own opinion; in no way is what transpired, as bad as is being made out. In fact I can't help but think that the 'anti-police' sentiments are tainting folks viewpoint, a little.

Infact there's several rebuttal points:

- the 'Drifting' referenced doesn't seem to exist. There is no drifting I see in that clip - perhaps folks should actually investigate what drifting is, before throwing the term around.

- Yes there was some driving fairly close to a bouncy castle and other such things. The speeds being travelled when in close to the bouncy castle are not that unreasonable.

- A large open field was being used, with the two cars keeping well away from eachother. The vehicles were under the full, positive control of trained drivers (Police actually undergo professional driver training; how many regular folks do?) - and the speeds weren't that horrific.

- I'd like to draw comparison with the concept of a 'Grasskhana':

The above images (sourced from http://toyspeed.blakjak.net/grasskhana) go to show that i've done the Grass thing before, at least. I wonder if any of those posting negatively about the 'offending' video clip have done so?

My first response to the video and a coupla tweets was to post on the Youtube clip that I thought the reaction was OTT, for the above reasons.

This morning not only has it hit the Herald, but the Youtube comments left by both myself and several others have been deleted, and the feature disabled.

Why, just because the majority of posts (as at ~1am this morning) were supportive of the cops, and in agreement with my view?

Sorry but this doesn't wash. You can't hide from opposing view, especially a majority, in order to make your sensationalism 'play' more to the public. This is yet another 'nothing' being blown out of proportion by a vocal minority, for publicity and hype. Even the NZHerald Tweet "Video: Film footage of two police cars skidding on a schoolground within metres of a children's bouncy castle" is OTT - was there actually skidding of any significance in proximity to the bouncy castles? Or when we talk 'metres' do we meantens or hundreds of?

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Update as of this morning!

Submitted by BlakJak on Tue, 02/02/2010 - 06:42.

Discovered this morning that comments had been re-enabled on the Youtube Video and that a lot of the hypberbole had been wound back. A more tempered viewpoint is illustrated now by the revised comments in the description and in responses to feedback received. I applaud this.

I also note that having certain other folks with a tendency to bias against the Police join your cause didn't actually help, either.

I don't see the poor judgement you claim (v. nice to see the 'Astonishing' removed from the title of the video; more unnecessary hyperbole). I see the police indulging in things which primary schoolkids are likely to respond to: Lights, Sirens, Cars doing exciting things.

Mr Macgregor, You obviously have strong feelings on what you saw, but I think the nature of the response received from the general public is quite telling.

The retraction of the sensationalist words from your video and comments brings you back to earth but I do still disagree with your message, alone I see:

- Claims of poor traction - yet on a dry field traction would be excellent (short of it actually being more dirt, less grass, and obviously it's not tarmac)
- Claims of high / unsafe speeds - The speeds observed do not seem particularly fast or unsafe for the conditions.
- Claims of loss of traction - I don't see much in the way of loss of traction at all.
- Claims of 'drifting' - I don't see any 'drifting'. I dare say the folks trying to 'educate you' on Drifting are trying to establish that you've used the term without appearing to know what it actually is.

I've done a little bit of grass work myself (see above) so I do have a basis for comparison.
So much credit to you for toning back your approach, but in the end, my position is that you're still wrong, that this was not anywhere as poor judgement as you profess, and that the safety of the public was not as threatened as you appear to believe.

This from a father of two, by the way.

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Campbell Live Covered it; Police respond.

Submitted by BlakJak on Mon, 01/02/2010 - 19:10.

The Police Press Release is here and here is Campbell Live covering it.

Watching the Campbell Live coverage today, i'm gratified to see it seems that the vast majority of folks agree with my view! I would be quite concerned with the state of the nation were that not the case.

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Stuff have it too.

Submitted by BlakJak on Mon, 01/02/2010 - 12:08.

... And the response from the Public is very telling!

Time for the media to take a step back?

(Can't make any assumptions on the part of Mr Macgregor, but may be he'd like to reconsider his viewpoint as well?)

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I feel the need to add...

Submitted by BlakJak on Mon, 01/02/2010 - 10:06.

... the comments made against the video in the Youtube post itself, and even the title of 'Astonishingly bad judgement' is what i'd call hyperbole. I'm not saying the situation was perfect - but it was in no way as bad as is being played up by folks who apparently are just looking to waggle the finger at the NZ Police.

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