Man Says GTA Made Him Think He Could Outrun Cops
from the somebody-call-jack-thompson! dept
Lawyer Jack Thompson’s well-worn schtick is to blame all sorts of crimes on video games, in particular the Grand Theft Auto series. In a case that he’ll probably adopt as “proof” of his beliefs, a man in Albany, N.Y., has been sentenced to jail (via Digg) after leading police there on a car chase. Apparently, the guy thought he could get away from them because he’d done it on GTA. Of course, despite what people like Thompson might say, the mitigating factor here isn’t the video game — it’s the guy’s stupidity. Trying to make out that it’s games that cause society’s ills, rather than focusing on the real reasons people commit crimes and do stupid things is the real problem for society, since it gives people another way to abdicate personal responsibility.
Comments on “Man Says GTA Made Him Think He Could Outrun Cops”
We live in the United States of Abdication.
And first!
Better than pr0n!
And I remember the good ol’ days when you could blame porn for all your sex crimes and rock-n-roll for your drug habit.
this is so pathetic.
LSS
Well, I played Leisure Suite Larry and I could get madd hot chicks to sleep with me… I thought I could do it in real life too cause I did it in the game.
Unfortunately I’m a geek! I’m now in mental distress and am suing!
*pun*
Re: LSS
This is the funniest thing that I’ve read all day. Thanks for the laugh!
techdirt.com sucks
Re: Re:
Why do I find this hilarious?
Re: Re:
you should know what sucks!
yeah, and playing ES4 oblivion made me think I could cast “ondusi’s spell of open door” to rob houses, and when the guards come after me I’ll put on my invisibility cloak.
If the invisibility cloak malfunctions I can just use a chameleon spell.
Re: Re:
There’s an invisibility cloak in ES4? Where is it?!
So can i blame the hot coffe mod for outrageous oral sex ?
Get a life - The Sequel
We are a nation of people with far too much time on our hands, always coming up with new ways to try and blame other people for our problems and our behavior. Al Qaeda might get us but we’ll do ourselves in first, destroying this great country of ours from the inside out, one moron at a time…
Re: Get a life - The Sequel
alright, why don’t you leave then…see ya
have a better life in a third world country
Re: Re: Get a life - The Sequel
have a better life in a third world country
And from whom did you extract this pearl.
I know— Fox News made you believe that there is some sort of logic in the sentiment that criticizing America or Americans is undemocratic.Your line of thought, if I am not mistaken, is:”If you don’t want to be told what to think, go somewhere where you will be told what to think THEN you’ll appreciate being told what to think.”
Forget GTA, it’s gotta be Fox giving its followers dangerous delusions and causing them to confuse the repetition of muddled, nonsensical propaganda with clear thinking.
Re: Re: Get a life - The Sequel
Don’t be an idiot, why should he leave? Just because he criticized the state of affairs in this country doesn’t he should run off.
Martin Luther King Jr criticized this country. Does that mean he shoulda ran off? No, you doofus, by his criticism he made it an even better place. The principles of our nation is built on this freedom, to disparage so that we can all learn and benefit.
Don’t be a tyrant.
On Responsibility
You have it all wrong. It’s not about responsibility! It’s about lining my pockets!
Geek with rifle proficiency Needed....
isn’t there a rifle proficient geek out there who can just remove thompson? i’m sure if u snipe enough people in CounterStrike u’ll be able to drop a dorky attorney from 100 yards….. lol
Re: Geek with rifle proficiency Needed....
No. 400 yards is more like it…
Re: Geek with rifle proficiency Needed....
Actually, I know several among my geek circle who are proficient with rifles. 400 yards? I’ll got the gunsmith to site in the scopes.
Re: Re: Geek with rifle proficiency Needed....
You had a gunsmith site your scope? Are you retarded? You going to have someone shoot your targets for you as well?
Re: Geek with rifle proficiency Needed....
try 1500 to 2k yards depending on wind conditions…using a steyr scout of course
well heck.. i get can head shots in fps games but in real life i can’t eve hit the target.. *shrugs* just more peple wanting to escape real problems they put them selvs in
that guy's a chump.
hey i could’ve outrun those cops… they never catch me on GTA!
GTA- San AnMAKE ON EDGE PEOPLE DO CRAZY STUFF
I love GTA, that guy just had a problem. This goes back to the Harry Potter “Now my kids are wizards” ordeal. Just because I play Mario doesn’t mean I’ll go and grab golden coins and eat mushrooms all day. KEPE UP THE WORK ROCKSTAR
Get these guys to play other games.
We should try and get people like that to play frogger.
Re: Get these guys to play other games.
Id pay to see that. Lol.
“I ran across the highway because Frogger made me think I could dodge cars going 70mph.”
Re: Re: Get these guys to play other games.
haha i’d pay to see that too
Re: Get these guys to play other games.
That is by far the best comment ever. And I concur 100%!
CEO material
Whatever this man does for a living, promote him. He is obviously CEO material. (Or just remove him from the Gene pool. Some people are just too stupid to live on this planet)
CEO material
Whatever this man does for a living, promote him. He is obviously CEO material. (Or just remove him from the Gene pool. Some people are just too stupid to live on this planet)
stupid GTA
I hate GTA, it gives ALL video games and people who play them bad names. Just cuz I play battle field 2, counter-strike:source, and Call of Duty 2, dosent meen im going to go and freken go around and shoot people in the head!
Re: stupid GTA
GTA has nothing to do with giving 3rd Person shooters and their players a bad name… stupid people have all to do with that.
Be Reasonable Now
Okay, the guy is stupid. I agree. And I do not “blame the game” for his stupidity. In the end, it is the responsibility of parents, community and the individual to help mold people into productive and educated citizens who abide by society’s agreed rules and laws. But I think a person shows their own “ignoring of reality” when they attempt to dismiss the effect media can have on an individual’s perception of reality.
Given, the above premise is true, games DO affect peoples reality when given inappropriate time and importance in an individuals life. We are NOT all created equally when it comes to learning, physical abilities and perception of reality. We are NOT all on equal circumstances of our living conditions and environment. I think it is certainly possible that this individual interacted with the game enough that, in the moment, he may have thought he could control life and reality (ie. the physics of the car and persistance or intelligence of the real officers) from his “over-experience” with the game. Your ability to deal with hours of game-play and someone elses are not the same and to assume as much is naivity on your part.
Do I suggest that the game becomes an avenue of escape for responsibility for this person? Not really. But I do believe it can be a legitimate factor in the pyschology of the individual. So, in my opinion, besides jail time appropriate to his actions, I believe part of his sentence should include probation (if not a life-time restriction) of gameplay of this kind. He has shown that he simply cannot deal with it appropriately.
Send the guy to jail with an Atari 2600, 19″ Black&White television and Tic-Tac-Toe. Jail time and therapy. And comprehensive solution. 😉
Re: Be Reasonable Now
I understand that you’re trying to see it from his perspective (I try and give the one at fault the benefit of the doubt), but in this case it just seems that he was over-confident. I’ve played games with violence in them (we all have), but I know that it takes a lot of practice and skill to become what the characters are portayed as being able to do (besides the occassional defying-of-gravity, etc). For this man to think that he is able to out-run cops he has forgone several steps in logic:
1. Cops aren’t likely to just disappear after a few minutes of a car chase; I’ve heard of some that have gone for hours, until someone ran out of gas.
2. Helicopters are play a huge part in police chases. They can tell the ground units where the subject is heading and what roads he is taking, even if he is able to outrun the cops’ Chevy Impalas.
3. When you run into something, the car is usually damaged far beyond the driving limits, unlike it is in video games where you have to literally remove the steering wheel from the dash to make it undrivable.
I have no sympathy for this fool. He assumed way too much and didn’t think about it rationally in the moment. Too bad emotions get in the way too much…
Re: Be Reasonable Now
Good point. Just the same as how some people aren’t able to act responsibly with alcohol.
thinking
I don’t know do you think this guy actually believes what he is saying?
i don’t think so i think he just came up with an exuse for his actions. i wouldn’t be surprised it had never actually played GTA at all. I mean people run from the cops all the time even before video games were invented
the irony is back in the old days you actually had a chance of loosing the cops these days good luck you’ll need it!
Move them, they'll never know
Given all people are not equal, but all morons are. Let’s tell them they’re going to disneyland. Recreate they’re life tell them uhhhh nature changed the scenery,(theyll buy it) and get rid of them. But video their new lives and air it on TV.
Ratings will go through the roof and it will ultimately determine which is true
Darwin or creation
Learn English
It’s not “abdicate” it’s “abrogate”.
What an idiot
I know why he didn’t get away, he forgot to buy his rocket launcher from ammunation.
Re: What an idiot
Heh, he should ave had his car painted, that throws the cops off your trail every time.
dropping thompson
Does anyone have a good aimbot for a sniper rifle? that would make it easier to no scope him
*pun*
Just F@#$ING STUPID
sorry…im a young kid i know…but i have had vice city and san andreas since their release, both of them…and that means i was about 11 when vice came out…and im not violent…but how in the hell can you honestly think that a videogame could make someone do something? really…im sorry…but humans are hard wired to accept society, and that is against society…therefore it is a defect in this man’s wiring…
When will government ever learn
You simply cannot legislate against stupidity. Reacting to people like this with legislation, where pressure groups try to ban video games because SOME people cannot distinguish fantasy from reality (or claim that at least) simply does not work. Why pander to these morons? No one should be able to claim that a game “made” them do something and be allowed to sue for it.
Respondents who say it is an abdication of responsibility are right, we are in a blame culture across the world, in which idiots are being given leave to sue others for their own weaknesses and foolishness. But the principle to follow is simple, if you are (or wish to be treated as) an adult, it means taking responsibility FOR YOUR OWN ACTIONS. The further we go down an alternative route, the fewer freedoms we are left with.
As a Libertarian, I say allow adults to do what they want as long as it does not hurt others. Conversely, If a person’s action does hurt others then that person must suffer the consequences. Not the victims and not the rest of society in general.
It was not the makers of GTA (or any other game) who took the action which caused this guy to do the wrong thing, HE did!
the suv did it!
He got pwnt, what a nub.
GTA LIED TO ME
I wanted to shoot up my block so I tried to do the weapons codes and NONE OF THEM WORKED. WTF?!
8~
There have been car chases for over 100 years and GTA has been around like 10. I think violence causes games, not the other way around.
ahem VIDEO GAMES DON’T INSPIRE VIOLENCE! IDGETS LIKE JACK THOMPSON AND HILLARY CLINTON DO!
INVISIBILITY ROBE FOR OBLIVION
hey tom, use one of your sigil stones from the oblivion gates and enchant yourself a robe….
For what it’s worth, I’ve played Need for Speed so much at various times that when I got behind the wheel of my “real” car, I had to take a moment to absorb the fact that I couldn’t do all those controlled slides and stuff.
I was just playing Black and White 2 for about an hour and when I came to this website I though I could zoom in and out with my mouse wheel.
Yes, the guy is stupid for admitting it, but I can understand.
Re: Blurring the lines of reality
I used to play ALOT of Splinter Cell (stopped when it just got too damn difficult) and after big sessions of it on Xbox, every time I saw a fluorescent light I wanted to shoot it, particularly if I was in a car park. Thank God I didn’t because my NV and thermal goggles aren’t working too well right now.
Geek with rifle proficiency Needed....
Hey, I’m an 18 year old Southern gamer chick. I think I could snipe Thompson and still look innocent. *BIG DOE EYES* And I know I can hit.
See, GTA is a public service. Giving stupid crooks more and more stupid ideas.
GTA may not be the best influence, but you have to be really stupid to be influnced by it.
I played Dune (1992) and now I think I can outrun giant underground worms that come to eat me. Damned worms
I’ll sue!!!
Life sucks
We get to fat, so we sue Mc’Ds or Jack or The King.
We get anorexia, we sue Dr Atkins or Weight Watchers.
We get busted for trying to ditch the cops. etc. etc. etc.
It’s called responsibility folks!! People want to point fingers and not assume responsibility for thier actions.
haha, I don’t know who’s a bigger idiot – the guy who thought he could get away from the cops of Jack Thompson for calling himself a lawyer and not even having the skills to make money ambulance chasing!! He’s gotta resort to this! lol
KEY WORD HERE
CHOICE. We all have a choice in what we do. We may be somewhat influenced by propaganda, but in the end it is our CHOICE to do so. Thats what makes us human. No matter where we are at, we have a CHOICE.
Video games don’t make people more violent, and I’ll kill anyone who disagrees with me!
video games
With all the lawsuits on them, Take-Two (gta maker) is in BIG financial trouble and may go under. If you do like something sew till it goes away!
Too much editorializing
>Trying to make out that it’s games that cause society’s ills,
>rather than focusing on the real reasons people commit crimes and
>do stupid things is the real problem for society, since it gives
>people another way to abdicate personal responsibility.
Too much editorializing — it’s pretty obvious what’s going on, no need to make the obvious statement. In fact, it might be more powerful to let the reader make the conclusion herself. Think about it — the presentation of the facts is so tilted in one direction that the conclusion is naturally on the reader’s mind. When the conclusion comes from within [the reader’s mind] it has a lot more force since the reader then “owns” the idea and is less likely to try to come up with alternate explanations. If you write the words then the reader will read them critically — here, maybe considering whether the lawyer is just out for a buck regardless of what impact there is on society. That suggests that the problem isn’t social indulgence, but rather the structure of the legal system…
Misconceptions
Ive come to the conclusion that people are stupid, hypocrites, irresponsible, senile, mentallu deficient, etc.
You can get a hooker in GTA..wow you sit in a car and it rocks around, i get wood(sarcasm). I get into a cop chase, kill twenty cops, then get out and shoot the gas tank of a car. it blows up…
i mean come onif anything this game is making people less wanting to go out and doing these things, see people are lazy, why bother getting in trouble in RL for doing something stupid, if you can do it in a video game…ecen better the horrible depictions of the sex scenes in gta makes kids want to aly off having sex until they are physically mature..
peace out yealls shoot some cops heads off for me.
take responsibility
take responsibility for your own stupid actions dont blame it on video games
Bevis n Butt Head Started all of this
I remember when Bevis n Butt Head popped on the scene. I knew then that our society was being dumbed down for a reason and here it is. Whatever makes someone think that you can outrun the police and their technology. DUH!!!!!
Maybe, maybe not
This man may not be devoid of thought after all: maybe his motives were to gain attention; from “lawyers” like Jack Thompson (wether his motives are real or for monetary gain) to argue his case, or maybe to gain press attention and have “concerned” parents be involved politically – thus potentially impacting the outcome of his trial. I’m not saying he isn’t retarded to start with – but someone in his situation may have seen a viable alibi.
dont blame the game
i too think that violence is not the gaming industry’s fault, its those kids stupid parents who buy it for them and later complain becuase thier kid says and does stuff bad. heres a message to all you parents who get mad at video games, IF U THINK YOUR KIDS ARE GOING TO CHANGE BECUASE OF IT… DONT BUY THE GOD DAMN GAME!
that is if u think of it at all, some parents dont care wat thier kids do or say
influences
what about he bible, how many wars were started because some book said this is right and this is wrong? videogames, like religion are a scapgoat for “bad guys” to blame their problems on. the reality is that daddy wasnt around, and mom was a coke whore. or uncle jimmy touched them when they were 4 and they havent seen a counsler yet.
Personal responsibility vs training and environmen
Of course one should take responsibility for one’s actions since he will have to pay for them. Nevertheless, this doesn’t discount the powerful effect video has on inclinations, attitudes and yes, actions. Of all training media, video is perhapps the most effective, especially participatory video such as games. This is why violent videos are dangerous when used by children and the weak minded.
So if I fly a simulator?
So if by these ppls standards if a video games makes you know something, does that mean that because I spend 50+ hours a week playing FS2004 I can fly a 747? I really doubt it, if you can say GTA made you do this, tell me plz what car comes with Dual analog?
Re: So if I fly a simulator?
That one car from Men In Black 2 had dual analog for flight mode…. but I dont think that one counts.
Game Blame
You know Thompson is just trying to get a sentence reduction by blaming a video game. Seriously, millions of people play GTA and are totaly fine. You have to be creazy already to have a stupid video game affect your decisions.
All your GTA are belong to us….
Be Reasonable Now
ChocoTuar,
I think you might’ve thought the original author was suggesting to blame the game in the end. But I think the author was merely suggesting that, due to this persons development, he isn’t able to handle the effects of the video game properly. Thus, probation of a GTA style gameplay would be necessary for his and others safety. The blame isn’t on the game, the blame is on his lack of development.
Re: Be Reasonable Now
A video game is a video game is a video game. The only feasible way to censor a video game is in the interest of National Security, otherwise it is under the blanket of the First Amendment. The video games are the personal expressions of their creators, and thus protected by the Constituion. Jackie-boy can get mad all he wants, but in the end there is nothing he can do but complain and hope that the creators take him seriously.
In my post I was meaning to degrade the fool for not thinking it through all the way. He didn’t think it through because none of the three points I mentioned crossed his mind (if they did, then he’s a bigger fool than any of us imagined).
Video Game Makers Need to Be Careful
Well, alone or not, I will say that video games need to at least bare the weight of some responsibility to society. As an example, when people make movies, a lot of times, in consulting, past con-artists help them to make a “con” that isn’t readily reproduceable or immitatable by people… so that there’s a sense of reality, yet not an opportunity to screw shop owners or other people that haven’t seen the show (when the imitators come rolling in).
Like announcing the vulnerability in a software product without discussing with the maker, so they might have at least an opportunity to fix it. Things like “bad behavior” doesn’t HAVE a “fix”, and the imitators will inevitably come.
So, you have this guy playing Grand Theft Auto… and looking at it over and over, realizing that… Hey… it really *does* map the city he lives in… and, well, well… after a few games, he’s getting ideas… “this really could work”. For people with some self-respect, future, and options… why would you steal a car? Too much risk. For people with nothing to lose and surrounded by other people with nothing to lose, suddenly its an opportunity that they keep asking themselves everyday… “Do I think I could do it? Why not?”
Is it GTA’s fault? Hell, no… but the videogame makers aren’t being responsible citizens by encouraging the sensationalism of stealing a car. For that alone, I don’t absolve them of shame. Society is imitative. Hello… that’s how celebrity endorsments work. Just because their sensationalism sells games, doesn’t mean its *right* to do a game that… doesn’t simply “feature” it… but ENCOURAGES it. It’s some pretty LOW stuff to be trafficing in.
A friend and I were talking the other day about this. Like… what would happen if: A videogame maker came out with a “rape simulator”, where you could stroll through central park hunting women… or a video game maker came out with an “al queda” simulator, where you could find a sect in America, and get your way past immigration… go to weekly meetings… visit the training camps… and work your way to becoming a terrorist on 9/11… just because.
All in the name of free speech. At what point do we actually turn to the videogame maker and say, “Dude, that’s F’ed up. What are you?” Overtly trafficing in the simulation and sensationalisation of a crime isn’t exactly the highest road to be travelling in my opinion.
Re: Video Game Makers Need to Be Careful
“Like… what would happen if: A videogame maker came out with a “rape simulator”, where you could stroll through central park hunting women”
They already have those. I would put a link, but children might be on.
some ppl do have problems
well, i honestly think some ppl outthere shouldn’t play games, and other shouldn’t try to analyse’em.
since when candy/sweet drinks etc. companies had to pay dental treatment / diabet ?
since when a product used by most without problems is already a problem?
like other said: too much time on hands and too much brain work on loose i’ll add.
ppl demonstrate they smart finding problems, but distructive not constructive. if that idiot is so stoopid to blame game for his mistakes, make-him play a kind of game he’s gonna develop some usefull skills, better, but in jail where he belongs for breaking the law.
and for the lawiers who fight this addictions 1 word, try some gym, use brain is about to fry!!!
GTA and car chases
You really can’t fault this guy too much. The sad fact is that about 80% of Americans are stupid. When as few as 50% of the people vote in a national election and 100% of them complain about the results — that’s STUPID. However the fact that NO ONE HAS EVER won a car chase should give you some idea of the mental level of those involved.
Re: GTA and car chases
There are a lot of prople who have escaped the cops. Thousands from prisons alone.
Real Reason
The Bible says the reason we commit crime is because we are full of evil selfish desires.
Repent of your sins guilty people!
The judgement of the Lord is coming upon all who do not recognize and repent of their own sin.
Lame lame lame
Adults that do stupid s4it should not be allowed to sue anyone…you drink coffee…coffee is hot…you spill coffee on you…it will burn…you will yelp…and move on. No this part is important so repeat after me…YOU WILL NOT SUE!
Parents…you should really police your childresn video games…the ratings are there for a reason and on top of that you can go to Gamespot.com and read about the game before you rent/buy for your kid.
Now I played inappropriate games for my age when I was a kid (Leisure Suit Larry comes to mind) but I have never lost my grip on reality. Sure sometimes I like to drive my car a little reckless…and sometimes paintball is a little more like Black…but I know where I am at and who I am and what my limitations are.
This guy was an idiot…he should not be let off the hook because of a game and if anyone defends this asshole then I feel sorry for us all!
I'll be a Hero!
If i ever save someone’s someone’s life, i’ll say i learnt my techniques from some video game then we’ll see what Jacko would have to say about that.
PacMan did it!
PacMan made me think that small yellow plastic balls are edible. I’ve suffered extremely unpleasant and embarassing procedures to resolve the consequences.
So I have this to say: ball manifacturers, damn you all to hell!
TechDirty?
Apparently, comments here are now being editorialized here on Techdirt, or there is something wrong with the site.
I saw postings well in advance of once shown, then have been removed or misplaced for some reason on here.
Are the editors editing out valid commentary? or is there a problem with the site?
For example, there were satirical postings about frogger making people run across streets blindly, and pacman making people put plastic in their mouths posted previously that have disappeared.
EDITING? or a MALFUNCTION?
techdirt watchdog
Re: TechDirty?
Techdirt watchdawg,
Apparently, comments here are now being editorialized here on Techdirt, or there is something wrong with the site.
I saw postings well in advance of once shown, then have been removed or misplaced for some reason on here.
Please back up those accusations. We do not delete comments on Techdirt, unless they are spam, or directly harmful in some manner.
Are the editors editing out valid commentary? or is there a problem with the site?
Neither. I think you may have rushed to judgment for some unknown reason.
For example, there were satirical postings about frogger making people run across streets blindly, and pacman making people put plastic in their mouths posted previously that have disappeared.
I still see both of the comments you reference. No one here has touched them. They’ve been up since they were posted.
Please do not us accuse of such things when the accusations are absolutely false.
Besides, why would we ever edit out satirical comments… especially amusing ones like that?
Refuggingtarded...
Stupidity wins again…
2 fast
Actually in the original GTA, the cops got the fastest cars, so it was easyer to shoot them than to outrun them.
So he should have taken his basooka and kabum!