6/11    UNC attacker says he's sorry, asks to be released.
        http://www.wral.com/news/state/story/1491807/?d_full_comments=1&d_comments_page=0#last_comment
        \_ Automobile drivers go berserk and run people over all
           the time. I can think of half a dozen in the last year
           in San Francisco alone. Why does this particular
           example of insane car driving behavior pique your
           interest so much?
           \_ You can name 6 events in the last year in just SF where a driver
              has "gone berserk and run people over"?
           \_ Because he asks to be released even thought he claims he's sorry?
              \_ Yep. Fremont guy who drove around Pac Heights mowing people
                 down last November; the guy who flipped a U-turn after
                 arguing with a guy at 16th and Valencia and then drove up
                 onto the sidewalk, mowing down two people; two different
                 "homicide by automobile" in Bayview and a similar one in
                 The Western Addition. Add to that at least two other
                 hit and runs where the driver mowed someone down and
                 then took off.
                 Oceanview. And at least one more in The Mission back in
                 March 2006 (okay I guess that was more than one year ago)
                 Add to that at least three other hit and runs where the
                 driver mowed someone down and then took off and it is
                 unclear whether the fatality was an accident or deliberate.
                 \_ ok the guy who got ran over in the mission had an altercation
                    with the car owner.  but the random ass Fremont dude from
                    really did randomly run over people in pac heights. !op
                 \_ These all look like cases of people who got into fights
                    about something else and used their car as a weapon.  If
                    they'd not had a car they'd have used whatever else was
                    at hand.  This says nothing about car drivers, but ok.
                    \_ Bullshit.
                    \_ Keep making excuses for homicidial car drivers,
                       that's ok. Why are car vs. pedestrian fatalities
                       in The City up 100% over the last five years, but
                       gun fatalities are not? It must be all those
                       pedestrians "provoking" them, right? They don't call
                       it "road rage" for nothing.
                       \_ Because guns are not easily available while cars are.
                          When you say fatalities are up 100% in the last five
                          years the question should be "What has changed in
                          the last five years?".  "Drivers have suddenly all
                          turned insane" is not the likely answer.  The term
                          road rage dates back at least to the late 80s when
                          people in LA were shooting each other on the highway.
                          But you'll note they used guns, not their vehicles as
                          weapons.  I guess it is easier to just say drivers
                          are all assholes and killers than actually take a
                          series look at the problem.  It may even be that the
                          absolute numbers are so low (6 in a year?) that a
                          100% increase is just a statistical anomaly given how
                          few events there are to count.
                          \- above poster: do you have any ungoogled guesses
                             for how many guns are in private hands in the US?
                             (re: guns not easily avail). i'd appreciate it
                             if you'ld post what your first guess it ... surely
                             doing so anonymously wont cause any embarassment.
                             \_ nothing to do with anything but feel free to
                                continue this line of debate on your own.
                          \_ No one said or even implied that drivers are all
                             assholes and killers. I am glad you are willing
                             to at least consider the possiblity that the
                             25+ deaths and 1000+ injuries of pedestrians
                             per year at the hands of automobile drivers
                             might be a problem. Acknowledgement of the problem
                             is always the first step. I am kind of amused
                             that you think that multiple homicide by automobile
                             is crazed, but individual target homicide is
                             per year in SF alone at the hands of automobile
                             drivers might be a problem. Acknowledgement of the
                             problem is always the first step. I am kind of
                             amused that you think that multiple homicide by
                             auto is crazed, but individual target homicide is
                             normal.
                             \_ Ok so it is 25 a year.  How does that compare
                                with other cities?  I never said anything like
                                your last line about multiple vs single target
                                murder.  I have no idea where you came up
                                with that.
                                \_ "The City has the fourth-highest rate of
                                    pedestrian deaths in the United States
                                    for cities of more than 100,000 people."
           \_ Because he asks to be released even though he claims he's sorry?
              Yeah, he's really sorry, really.
              \_ Okay, he is obviously nuts, but so are at least half of
                 people who do this kind of thing. He is kind of amusing,
                 I have to admit.
        \_ BTW, what happened to the guy who struck and killed a pedestrian in
           Fremont (which happened to be at walking distance from my home) and
           then ran over 14 more people in SF?
           \_ In jail, awaiting trial.  one of the women he paralyzed
              is suing his family.
              \_ But has he apologized and asked to be released yet?