This poor guy almost got shot because he's an idiot.  Apparently he was riding his scooter in Taiwan and got pulled over for a helmet violation.  When he tried to get away (on a freakin scooter), the cop drew his gun and disuaded the hardened criminal (tongue in cheek).  While some of the people I've talked to think it's ridiculous, I'm not so sure. 

If the cop says stop, stop.  If the cop says put your hands up, put your hands up.  There are ways to deal with a-hole cops, and none of them are on the side of the road, mano y mano.  While I've run into the same kinds of overbearing, full-of-themselves, punk cops, I believe that almost all of the cops who have been stern and short with me were acting in their own best interests of self preservation and safety.  The very few that weren't have their's coming.  Yes it's a dangerous job.  Yes, people learn to detest individuals in uniform until they need help.  I think it's a shit job, and I'm glad they do it.

What strikes me the hardest is the Taiwan police chief's comment.  He said that the officer was not out of line, and that if you don't listen to the police, these things can happen.  Meanwhile, last year in Los Angeles, the police chief backed down and criticized HIS OWN OFFICERS for non-lethal retaliation including bean bags and pepper spray at protestors who were throwing rocks at the police.  If you throw a rock at a cop, you deserve a beanbag to the chest.  If you try to spit in his eye, you deserve some pepper spray in yours.  I'm not saying the cops HAD to do it, but I understand.  After all, they weren't protesting the cops.  The cops were just there to keep the people from throwing rocks at anyone.  In fact, I think each and every one of the attacking protestors should have been beaten down by someone sensible enough to do a good job of it.  Props to the Taiwan police chief.