[*BCM*] Response to Vehicular Assault? (was: Open letter ...)

[Jym Dyer]

> And how should one behave when say... an aggressive
> motorcycle is trying to bob and weave their way through
> the mass on charles street near the gardens?

=v= I've been wondering about this for a while.  What's the best
way to stop a motorist in the process of committing vehicular
assault?  The car is running, it may have already hit someone,
it may be about to hit someone, what do you do?  The goal is
to stop the assault and, ideally, not be arrested for doing so
(or, if arrested, not convicted).

=v= I've followed a few of these incidents over the years (not
all of them involving Critical Mass), and Seattle's follows an
all too typical pattern:  those who damaged a precious, precious
car are thrown in jail, but the vehicular assaulter isn't even
charged with anything.  Some judges and juries follow the lead
of the cops here, and despite evidence of self-defense (or the
defense of others), are more upset about damage to cars than
bodily harm to bicyclists.

=v= Actually harming the driver is worse, of course.  Trying to
wrestle the keys away would seem to be the most direct approach,
but is arguably assault and battery.  (Getting anywhere near the
driver at all is something like a mortal sin.)

=v= So, what's the right thing to do?  Have Eddie Murphy shove
potatoes up the exhaust pipe?
    <_Jym_>