UK Dad Assaults Teen Over Game

Well, we're clearly dealing with an unstable individual here. I imagine that he's not that hard to set off even outside of a gaming environment. So blame the person, not the game.

This guy needs a new hobby.

 

I don't know .... normally tranquil people often flip out when doing certain things, like gaming, driving, and golfing. These activities are obviously lightning rods that channel one's inner rage. So I blame golf.

 

And for every person who flips out with road rage, there are hundreds, if not thousands who do not. So again, I'm not really disposed to blame the activity, but rather to blame the temperment of those who apparently can't deal with less than ideal situations (i.e. sitting in traffic when they'd rather be doing 80MPH; flubbing a shot while golfing; getting chewed out and then shot by a 13 year old while playing a game). The fact that some of these people might be "normally tranquil" doesn't mean they don't have anger management issues or other related issues. The ones who bottle it up until they explode are often the most dangerous.

Well adjusted folks should be able to handle such situations without great anger or violence.

 

I was being sort of tongue-in-cheeky, but there is no tongue-in-cheek smiley so I couldn't let on.

 

Most sane people want to pummel every thirteen year old they have the misfortune to talk to....

 

How come the teen got away with the malicious verbal comments? that is an offense

 

Sure... they *want to* which is a far cry different from actually acting out on the desire.

When I think about the number of drivers I've make-believe neutronized from a series of imaginary lasers mounted to my car, just because I didn't want to be bothered with their presence when driving home -- well, the death toll must be in the millions by now (I generally go big, and neutronize every driver on the road except for me).

We all have wicked thoughts. But the guy who actually walks 200 yards to put a 13 year old into a stranglehold because he cyber-killed him is... just a tad over the top.

 

What's a 13 year old doing playing an 18 rated game? He should have choked the mum, but then, knowing Plymouth, she probably wasn't much older than the kid...

 

Read the article, Barms! She's 33

Personally, I blame the Simpsons. Which teaches us that a father of three can get away with strangling a young boy and pass it off as humour

I must admit I liked the "Give him back his pocket money and go to your room" style punishment though. Along with a bedtime.

 

Yes, the curfew was quite ironic, I wish he would have to write "I will not attack people who kick my ass at games" 100 times on a blackboard too .

Then again, I'd also like it if the teen had to apologize over his online insults either. A "sorry for calling you ********" is well worth 80 pounds, isn't it?

 

Agree completely. The guy was 46, and went over and tried to strangle a 13-year old. Way to go tough guy. And the house is 200 yards away. Assuming it's correct saying that he "walked" to the house, he had about a minute to cool off. This isn't a split-second freak out where you lose your head for a couple of seconds and need to come to your senses. He is a dick-head, as the kid said.

 

There's a world of difference between "ur pwnd" and carrying on hours, even days on end against someone you happen to diss for whatever reason.

There's no excuse for this overreaction if it's about the first, but borders on understandable (while still not OK) for the latter. Hard to tell by the stories told so far.

Edit: Although in general, anything that actually gets the idea across that pointless badmouthing *just because* you think you're protected by internet anonymity is a Bad Thing (tm) and can, in some circumstances backfire (and rightfully so) is a good thing in my book.

 

surely this stuff must fall under the malicious communications act?

 

I tend to agree. People do some really, really, really awful stuff while hiding behind internet anonymity. While I don't condone adults going out and strangling teen internet antagonists, I do feel some degree of delight* when people who game the system get burned because someone went outside 'the rules' and showed them that the rules don't always work. Welcome to the real world, junior. Go forth and behave accordingly.

(*Assuming the antagonist actually has it coming. Think of it this way: does an a-hole school bully who pushes some kid around all day and basically wrecks his life for a few months deserve to get his ass kicked, even though it's against the law to kick his ass? I say yes, and I don't cry a single tear on the rare occasion when it happens. I also don't encourage anyone to do it, because it's unlawful, but hey, a lot of the time the law doesn't actually protect you. Just ask all the women with restraining orders who've been murdered/assaulted by their exes over the years.)