It’s hot in many places. And it’s important to control your anger. This week we have three wacky stories where people failed to control their anger, behaved badly according to the stories and now have the police on their case. Of course, everyone charged is presumed innocent. They are not presumed to be level-headed, however. The lesson from these stories is that, even if it’s hot outside, try to keep your cool.
Weapons Hot
The attitude toward firearms in the United States is difficult for sensible Canadians to understand. One concern (among many) is that it’s just too easy to turn to a firearm to settle disputes. Humans tend to take offence at simple rebukes. Even when the gesture may be a common everyday occurrence, when one is hot under the collar, the slightest reprimand can trigger a disproportionate response.
Take, for example, the Florida man who pulled out a gun after a motorist honked at the group with whom he was walking as they crossed the road. Why honk your horn? There can be many safety concerns and a pedestrian should probably worry first that the driver is warning them about a safety risk. Instead this fellow, caught on video, pulled out a pistol and shot at the truck.
I would imagine this type of behaviour could land one in jail for several years. Why do we take offence at little things? Bearing in mind that humans often do take momentary offence at such little things, the safest thing is to ensure a gun is not handy. I suggest the shooter here wishes he kept his cool.
Choupique
If you can’t stand the heat, best to stay out of the kitchen. Okay. What if it’s your job to work in the kitchen? And what if someone complains that you messed up their order?
Well, it seems to me that this is not an excuse for assaulting someone. This incident took place at the drive thru of a Popeyes restaurant in Georgia. Denetra Dawson, a customer of the restaurant, asked to speak to the manager because her order was incorrect. The manager, Tenister Evans, did come, but not to the drive thru window. She, with two restaurant employees, came around to Ms. Dawson’s car, got in and began to beat her.
The beating continued until Ms. Dawson managed to pull out a handgun that she had in her purse. The incident happened last September but we are learning of it now because Ms. Dawson is suing Popeyes. Bearing in mind the manager, Ms. Evans, has a history of criminal assaults, one could imagine that Popeyes should have known if things heated up even a little bit, she would fail to control her anger.
Vulnerable Road Users
It’s very hot in Florida much of the year and there is no respite from the heat in Georgia in August and September when the mercury climbs to 28 to 31 C most days. It gets hot in Saskatchewan too, where summertime highs average 25 and the mid 30s are not unusual.
Just this last week a 71-year old man was the victim of an assault with a weapon in Saskatoon which sent him to the hospital. The apparent perpetrator? A 25-year old woman who was apprehended at the scene by bystanders. The weapon? A scooter.
In BC we have a new definition in the Motor Vehicle Act for vulnerable road users, which includes those operating scooters. How vulnerable are you if your scooter can be used as a weapon? Aren’t scooter users chill?
This story suggests, chill or not, some scooter drivers can’t keep their cool. But we wish they would.
If you lost your cool and you now have a police matter in BC, send me an email. If you are keeping your cool in the hottest days of the summer, join me here again next Wednesday.