DeCisions and ConseQUenCes

It is no secret that sometimes within these pages there has on more than one occasion been some criticism of the New Zealand Police and their actions and attitudes toward enforcement of the law regarding road safety in this country. This is not one of those occasions. This time they have my 100% support. Sadly we now seem to live in a society when actions no longer seem to have consequences. If something goes wrong, “someone else” always seems to be at fault, normally someone in a position of power or authority.

Lowlife “A” has made a conscious decision. He is going to steal a car. His choice, no-one has forced him into it. He thinks he has more right to someone’s property than the rightful owner. Lowlife “A”s mates have decided to come along for the ride. Again, their own decision, there is no gun to the side of their head making them get into what they know is a stolen car. Lowlife “A” and his mates then drive off in someone’s car. Yet again their choice and they must know that there is a more than even chance that the police, should they see them, may realise that the car in which they are now riding, has been stolen and that the job of the police is to stop this from happening. Yet this does not stop them from driving off. The rules of a decent society don’t apply to them after all.

Then the police do see them and as they are tasked to do by all of us, with the use of red and blue flashing lights and a siren, indicate to Lowlife “A” that they wish him to stop. Most of us, me included know that the appearance of a police car in our mirrors is a sign to pull over, even if we are not aware of why this may be. Again, our Lowlife makes a decision of his own free will. No, he is not going to stop. Instead he is going to ignore any number of laws, risk his own life, that of his mates in the car and the lives of you, me, every road user, pedestrian and police officer who may happen to cross his path.

So when our Lowlife, running from the police in a stolen car, as a result of the decisions he alone has made as a supposedly mature adult is involved in an accident, can someone please explain to me why suddenly the accident becomes the fault of the police, the only ones involved in this sorry scenario who are acting in a lawful manner?

Suddenly the media, in their idiotic cater to the lowest common denominator show us distraught family members wanting to blame the police, the law, the government, anyone but the one who made the decision to steal, run and to hell with the consequences. Of course, for the families of those involved it is a tragedy, but on more than one occasion lately, innocent bystanders have also been killed or injured by idiots running from the law. And that too, according to the do-gooders is the fault of the police. Apparently it will be a safer world for all of us if the police are not allowed to chase anyone who fails to stop when requested.

What sort of a message does that send to those who operate beneath the law? Commit a crime and all you need to do when the law arrives is take off at speed. If the “it’s not their fault” brigade has their way, that is what will happen and it is not a good thing. If anyone makes the decision to break the law and then the decision to run from the law, the consequences of their actions lay firmly on their shoulders alone. If they then have an accident, it is solely as a result of their actions and decisions. If they didn’t want to die, kill their mates or worse, someone who just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, all they needed to do was try acting like a civilised human being and stop. Does anyone really think the police want to knock on someone’s door to explain to their family that because of some stupid decisions, their son/daughter isn’t coming home? Of course not. Decisions have consequences. It is time New Zealand started making people take responsibility for their own actions.