Did they over-react?

[anotheoldgit]

This is regarding a bus on which a passenger saw smoke coming from a fellow passengers bag and contacted the police.

The bus was stopped on the M6 toll motorway, and surrounded by Armed officers, troops, fire-fighters, ambulances and bomb disposal experts.

This was discussed this morning on the Nick Farrai show LBC radio who seemed to think they had over-reacted, and he nearly burst a blood vessel when a caller disagreed with him.

He attempted to shout the caller down by shouting "IT WAS JUST A HARMLESS ELECTRONIC SMOKING DEVICE FOR GOD'S SAKE" and that the police could have sent along a patrol car with a couple of officers, one who could have entered the bus and approached the passenger and say "excuse me sir do you mind telling me what you have in your bag"?

Yes that would have been all right if they had knew it was only a harmless electronic smoking devise, but they didn't, and if it had been something more sinister the lives of the buses passengers, along with the police officer could have been at risk if not immediately, but certainly by the time all those emergency response teams had finally arrived at the scene.

All very well to be wise after the event, Mr Farrai.

But what do fellow ABers think?

[anotheoldgit]

Sorry;

http://www.telegraph....n-bomb-scare-bus.html

[rojash]

"Did They Over-React?"
No.

[rojash]

Oops, hit submit too soon.
Imagine if the police had taken a casual approach and it had turned out to be a genuine terrorist incident. No doubt the same guy would have been screaming about police incompetence.

[wolf63]

I would rather they over-reacted than for people to die. There job is to protect us.

[Baldric]

Can you imagine the fuss if they hadn't done anything and the Bus was turned into a Fireball?
No, they did not overeact imo.

[Old_Geezer]

It does seem over the top, but in fairness they did not know what they were dealing with and would have caught a lot of flak had a coachload of passengers been blown up because they asked to look in the bag and a detonator was pushed. It's just a pity some feel the need to use these taunting smoking toys. Not sure why they have to have realistic fumes anyway.

[Kiki-frog]

Damned if they do, and damned if they don't. The police can't really win in this kind of situation, can they? If someone calls the police about a suspected bomb, the police have to treat it as real.

[friedgreentomato]

yes total over reaction but from the passenger not the police

[youngmafbog]

Of course they did not over react. As we get closer to the Games they will have to be ever more vigulant. Mr Farrai needs to wake up and smell the coffe.

[Baldric]

fgt, I would be interested to hear what in your opinion the passenger should have done?

[Mamyalynne]

This was handled perfectly and most definitely not an overreaction.

[anotheoldgit]

/// It's just a pity some feel the need to use these taunting smoking toys. Not sure why they have to have realistic fumes anyway. ///

That is an all new discussion O_G, one could say the same about 'Gum' chewing, what is that all about, the stomach waiting to receive food, which never arrives? :0)

[wolf63]

Who calls their kid 'Vermilion von Kangur'?

[keithlbw]

Over reaction by the passenger ---- NO
Over reaction by the police ---- NO
Is Nick Farrai being a bit stupid ---- YES , without a doubt. There has been cases when someone has tried to detonate a bomb and it has not exploded but has smoked.
I wonder how Nick Farrai would have reacted if he had been on the bus .

[anotheoldgit]

/// fgt, I would be interested to hear what in your opinion the passenger should have done? ///

Yes friedgreentomato please tell us.

[anotheoldgit]

http://i.dailymail.co...005DC-456_306x382.jpg

Vermilion von Kangur on the left.

[Hopkirk]

I was listening to radio traffic reports, and long after they knew it was a false alarm, the M6T was still shut, with traffic chaos.

Surely as soon as they knew it wasn't a terrorist incident they could have got normality back quickly?

[Wordist]

If nothing else, it gave the security services a good opportunity to practice their reactions to such an incident.
I think they did a very thorough and professional job.

[friedgreentomato]

speak to the coach driver - orgod forbid speak to the passenger!!

funny i remember the days when people used to speak to each other!!

[wolf63]

AOG - Vermilion will be on the next celebrity big brother.