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frodosdream t1_itt09m9 wrote

A man in Arkansas was reportedly hospitalised after a taser sparked a can of gasoline in his backpack and set it alight.

There's a LPT here somewhere.

245

pickleer t1_ittddxz wrote

Gasoline in your backpack (vs saddlebags or luggage rack) is a setup just waiting for ol' Mr Murphy to set his law in motion and make the worst thing happen at the worst time. Rack, bags or boxes on the bike, one or the other, this was THE argument against not having one.

Having said that, cops all over this land have run up a TERRIBLE record of shooting/tazing/beating folks they didn't need to. Was he positively ID'ed as an FBI Top Ten Lister? Kinda hard to believe, what with the helmet and lack of a license plate. Also, he fled like an amateur, not at all using the motorcycle's speed and maneuverability to his advantage. This was a young dummy and little more I'll wager.

So let's call that a double LPT with a heavy side eye on the protect and serve actors.

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Puzzleworth t1_ittnm3s wrote

The article in the OP kinda sucks. The guy was driving up to 100mph on the highway and city streets, so he definitely used his bike's speed.

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pickleer t1_ittnzep wrote

Huh, missed that, thanks!

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Galaxy_Ranger_Bob t1_ituiajn wrote

The guy was driving up to 100mph according to the cops. And we know about the cops inability to be honest. That means he likely never got faster than 50mph, tops.

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briefbriefs t1_itv5t2u wrote

You’re complaining about cops lying/exaggerating while doing the exact same thing yourself, just in the opposite direction. Your comment holds no value.

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Mr_Mouthbreather t1_itt56yw wrote

It’s safer to be shot than tazed?

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wobbly-cheese t1_itt9ea5 wrote

its a lot more common

3

Odd-Employment2517 t1_iu088fw wrote

Technically assuming raw totals would be 260k use of tazers per year vs 100k shootings. Death from getting shot from a gun is however much more likely at closer to 37k vs 50 from a tazer.

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MalcolmLinair t1_itt4bto wrote

While I'm typically quite critical of the police, I can't say I blame them for not realizing this guy had a half full gas canister in his backpack; I somehow doubt that was a possible scenario that came up in taser training.

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hallster346 t1_itttiia wrote

When I got trained on tasers many moons ago we were specifically taught to never tase anyone who had previously been sprayed with pepper spray because some sprays contain alcohol which is flammable which leads to people catching on fire.

Obviously not the same as above but these cops had no clue this guy had gasoline in his backpack. If they did they probably wouldn't have fired their tasers.

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bananafobe t1_itu36tg wrote

It happens occasionally. You can find other, similar stories involving various scenarios and flammable liquids (e.g., the guy who covered himself in hand sanitizer before being teased).

It doesn't happen that often, but it's valid to note that people being set on fire is a risk when using tasers. As such, police should be aware of it.

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t4ct1c4l_j0k3r t1_itvvgjn wrote

Just use the alcohol free stuff on days when you do things you can be tazed for..

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Rare-Faithlessness32 t1_iu1s7d7 wrote

>the guy who covered himself in hand sanitizer before getting teased

These kinks are getting out of hand.

1

UsedToBsmart t1_itt3dud wrote

So the idiot had a can of gasoline in his backpack and drove away on his motorcycle when police tried to pull him over, then he ran when they stopped the bike. If that all checks out, I’m not feeling too bad that the guy got lit.

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Badtrainwreck t1_itt8872 wrote

It’s clearly not the polices fault, but let’s not be dumb enough to think that someone deserves to be burned alive for running from the cops.

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[deleted] t1_ittfru1 wrote

[removed]

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bananafobe t1_itu3jzj wrote

It's not contradictory to feel empathy for someone who was harmed by their own actions.

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NGJohn t1_ituhiu1 wrote

And it's not necessarily callous not to feel empathy for someone who was harmed by their own actions.

0

ADHthaGreat t1_ituj76b wrote

Yes it is.

Empathy is about putting yourself in someone else’s shoes. Imagining if it was YOU getting set on fire.

I assume you’re thinking of sympathy.

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NGJohn t1_ituk6yz wrote

Hmmm. Yes, I think you're right, thanks.

I don't think most people feel empathy in these horrible instances either, though. Most people aren't very empathetic to begin with.

−1

ZenHun t1_itw09n4 wrote

Most people aren't very smart to begin with. So do we allow ourselves to be dragged down to the common denominator, or do we stand above?

2

NGJohn t1_itwhp43 wrote

I'm not really sure what you mean by your comment since intelligence and empathy are to a large degree innate, but whatever.

−2

Miguel-odon t1_ittqz22 wrote

I won't make that assumption without evidence.

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Burnbrook t1_ituhomw wrote

Deserve had nothing to do with it. He created the conditions all by himself.

5

WirelessBCupSupport t1_itukvnf wrote

Ever try running (from the law) with a backpack on?

Sus. He likely syphon (stole) gas for his bike (no plates) and was chased by Staties (over 100mph) to eventually leave his bike to run and got tasered.

Darwin almost got one...

7

HulaViking t1_ittrffj wrote

Now I want to know what would happen if my hiking backpack, with a container of camp stove fuel in it, got tazed.

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cas13f t1_itud70y wrote

Probably nothing, honestly. If you're talking about isobutane or propane anyway, not a container of white gas. Oh hell, probably not most containers of white gas either, since they're designed to be handled without leaking.

Just having a can of gas likely would have done nothing either, but gas cans often leak when handled, and I'm fairly certain dude took a tumble when he jumped off the bike, likely crushed the thing and covering his backpack (and himself) in gasoline.

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sawyouoverthere t1_ituzejh wrote

Or it was improperly stored in something leaky or affected by the taser

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cas13f t1_itv1poo wrote

>but gas cans often leak when handled

and if it was inside a container, which was able to be affected by a taser in a manner that developed a spark, there would have been a bit more of a boom or pop when the container then exploded (the severity of which would be related to the material the container was made of, and how strong the seal was)

Ohh, bonus, I actually didn't watch the video in the article--I saw the un-clipped video elsewhere on reddit prior to seeing this article. The one in the article cuts right when he hits the ground, to about ten seconds later. In the un-cut video, he fell and rolled, and caught the taser while we was rolling. He definitely crushed that can.

3

SnideSnail t1_ittd4bu wrote

Play stupid games...

I'm pretty sure I saw the video of this on r/winstupidprizes

3

twirlingmypubes t1_itv2ycs wrote

Police play stupid games all the time but all they get is qualified immunity.

1

davida485 t1_itxduc9 wrote

This is why it's a good idea not to run from police randomly. Totally weird things could happen like this.

3

t4ct1c4l_j0k3r t1_itvuxmh wrote

What kind of dumbass carries gasoline in a backpack?

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Mr-Nobody33 t1_ityjm6r wrote

I think it was canned fuel, like 2-stroke fuel for your weed eater or chainsaw.

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fragbot2 t1_ittotby wrote

This is a Johnny Knoxville moment.

0

twirlingmypubes t1_itv2q9z wrote

Let this be a lesson to everyone. Never carry anything on your body that's flammable because one day you WILL be tazed or shot for speeding, having expired tags, or for not fitting the description of the person they are looking for. The fireball could singe the officer's arm hair, and then you'll be facing a felony.

−2

hofstaders_law t1_ittesvj wrote

The man also suffered trample injuries from ambulance chasing lawyers.

−4

eric_ts t1_ittql6w wrote

Sometimes people just burst into flames. Cause of death: natural causes. /Repo Man

−4

[deleted] t1_ittpxu7 wrote

[deleted]

−5

McKlown t1_itttk7j wrote

Nah this was already posted here back then as well.

0