911 (997) Heroes or Vigilantes? Canadian citizens go on 100-mph chase in Porsche 997

[HighestOfHigh]

Here's the facts: Two Canadian men in a Porsche 997 encountered a woman (who jumped in front of their car) claiming that a man in a nearby Pontiac Wave (that's a Chevrolet Aveo to me and you) had just tried to assault her. The woman climbed in the back of the 997, and with the police on the phone, the Porsche boys chased the Pontiac all over Ottawa at speeds up to 170 km/h (around 105 mph). The chase, which sometimes involved residential roads, lasted about 20 minutes with the perp finally heading the wrong way through a McDonald's drive through and entering a roadblock set up by the police.

Now, of course, the police knew where the Pontiac was because of the actions of the men in the Porsche. And therein lies the dilemma. In Canada, "some [are] hailing the men as heroes while others are denouncing them as reckless cowboys." Ottawa Police Chief Vern White says that the dispatcher should have told the men in the Porsche to stop their pursuit – but didn't. As far as heroics, "When they put her in the back of the car, that was heroism," White said. "What happened after wasn't." Your thoughts?

- Heroes or Vigilantes? Canadian citizens go on 100-mph chase in Porsche 997 to catch suspected rapist — Autoblog

 

[Mr Robert]

Pure heroism.

The best part is that the girl got into the back of the Porsche and the guys sill manages to find the guy! I mean, the getting into the back must have taken some 20 minutes...

 

[Cashmere]

lol, where is the poll?

heroes fo sho!

 

[Monster]

Well, I don't know if the police will care or do anything immediately if the guys in the Porsche didn't start chasing the guy.

 

[Gullwing]

If I came across something like that or a hit and run I would chase those ***** down, don't care if the dispatcher tells me to stop.

 

[martinbo]

Unless the drivers were professionally trained and licensed (i.e. law-enforcement officers) to pursue said Pontiac at such speeds then my verdict is one of reckless and negligent driving.

The woman was safe. What if they subsequently lost control of the car at high speeds and injured her or innocent bystanders? What they did amounts to pure vigilantism - rather let the law do its job than risk the lives of innocent community bystanders. What if a child was mowed down in the ensuing pursuit? What would our attitudes have been then? Such speeds in residential areas are deadly. Why double the risk?

I disapprove.

 

[Mr Robert]

Heroes are often reckless... their status is determined based on the result, not the actions.

 

[klier]

No heroes at all. Complete and utter morons who should be in jail for doing what they did. Chasing a car is police ONLY business.

I mean, the getting into the back must have taken some 20 minutes...

Getting into the back of a 911 is about as hard as getting in the back of a 3 door VW Golf....

 

[coolraoul]

Heroes are often reckless... their status is determined based on the result, not the actions.

That is very true.

In that case... the pursuit ending in a wrong-way driving into a Mcdrive, could've caused injuries or deaths.

Totally reckless.

 

[Beemer B773ER]

Now why would you risk your Porsche to go after a little Korean made budget car? (no offense to any Koreans, but the Chevy Aveo/ Pontiac Wave is a very 'basic' vehicle).

Good rationalisation by Martin, and I agree. That's what the police are there for. Had the guys in the Porsche damaged their vehicle, they'd by whinging as to why the police aren't helping them to cover the insurance/repair bill..not to mention any lawsuits relating to injuring innocent bystanders.

Question though..... how about those police chase videos we see, where a person uses their own vehicle to block-in the criminal? No damaged caused, but the end result was successful. Is it still stupid to even put your own life and your own vehicle in that position, or are you credited as being a hero?
How about a neighbor running into a burning house to save someone? I guess in this scenario it's a tad different because if the firefighters aren't there yet, then it's heroic, but if you go into the burning house eventhough the firefighters are there, then you're being stupid or overly-desperate (though still heroic to a degree).

What about a good samaritan chaser after a purse-snatcher? What if in the pursuit he collides into someone else, but in the end still manages to catch the crook. Hero or reckless cowboy?

Hmmm...

 

[HighestOfHigh]

Unless the drivers were professionally trained and licensed (i.e. law-enforcement officers) to pursue said Pontiac at such speeds then my verdict is one of reckless and negligent driving.

The woman was safe. What if they subsequently lost control of the car at high speeds and injured her or innocent bystanders? What they did amounts to pure vigilantism - rather let the law do its job than risk the lives of innocent community bystanders. What if a child was mowed down in the ensuing pursuit? What would our attitudes have been then? Such speeds in residential areas are deadly. Why double the risk?

I disapprove.

Well here is the issue....Can you guarantee that the cops would have caught the guy if it weren't for the guys in the Porsche?

Yes, they could have hurt someone and someone also could have gotten hurt by a joy rider.

Imagine if the guy got away and hurt someone else or someones child. Who knows...these days he might have killer as well. I usually do 110mph and I never hurt anyone, but at least they were trying to do something positive.

I think they are HEROES! As much as we (not me) glorify the Mclaren F1 & M3ability to "speed", I would think everyone here would credit these guys as heros. Who knows, if they didn't do what they did someone child or teenager could be sitting somewhere dead in some woods.

 

[Gullwing]

Unless the drivers were professionally trained and licensed (i.e. law-enforcement officers) to pursue said Pontiac at such speeds then my verdict is one of reckless and negligent driving.

The woman was safe. What if they subsequently lost control of the car at high speeds and injured her or innocent bystanders? What they did amounts to pure vigilantism - rather let the law do its job than risk the lives of innocent community bystanders. What if a child was mowed down in the ensuing pursuit? What would our attitudes have been then? Such speeds in residential areas are deadly. Why double the risk?

I disapprove.

Speeds up to 105mph OMG thats like 20mph faster then what people normally do on the freeway, and they did it in a car that can do 105 in its sleep.

Lady was assulted, a week or two after a girl was saved from being held as a sex slave for 18 years. The police had been out to the house several times but never found the girl. So yes would chase them down, no guarantee that the police would find them or even look.

 

[See Ya]

...had just tried to assault her. Your thoughts?

The key word there is "tried". Nothing according to your report happened to her.

My thoughts? Pretty stupid actions on the part of the driver...and that would apply to "hot pursuits" by the police as well.

Defuse the situation and get a helicopter.

If that driver or any police would take out a family member due to their chase, I would have a field day in court with them and the city.

 

[DaSilva]

Getting into the back of a 911 is about as hard as getting in the back of a 3 door VW Golf....

no.