If you saw a current Bills player do something stupid, would you lean towards giving him a pass?

[Draconator]

This happened to me yesterday, so I'm putting this out there for the general TBD population for your takes on this.

 

French Rd in Cheektowaga, NY (bordering West Seneca) is a 4 lane road with a center turn lane. With is being a residential street, the speed limit is 35mph.  I was driving down going about 45mph, keeping up with traffic. (The cops allow 45mph on most days down French).  I'm in the left hand lane, behind an SUV, with a pick up truck driving along side of us in the right hand land.

 

In my rearview mirror I see this Chevy Camaro flying up behind us. It wasn't a stock Camaro either, definitely newer model, top of the line package. The guys was looking for every opportunity to pass us. We all pull up to a stop light, I look at the Camaro, the driver has his window rolled down, and it Greg Rousseau. I wave, he gives me the peace sign back. The light turns green, the truck pulls away first, and Groot flies around the truck, pulls in front of him to make a right hand turn onto Union. 

 

Normally I would be cursing the driver of the Camaro out for being such an idiot. With it being Rousseau, I was just like, "young kid, boys will be boys". That's not the correct reaction to have, but that was my first reaction. 

 

What would you have done is someone like Allen or Miller did something that if it were any other person, you'd think to yourself, "what an idiot"?

[boyst]

i'd think to myself what an idiot but not at all care in the long run. the world is filling up with bad drivers - and an increasing amount of people who now pass in the right on ramp merge lanes. let them be stupid and when they f-up hold them accoutnable.

[strive_for_five_guy]

I would not give them a pass bc of who they are, that’s how some of these guys turn out like AB!

[bmur66]

I was an idiot with a red camaro at that age. I drove like one too. I didn't have millions though.

 

By the way, I have heard thru friends whose kids went to college with Greg R. that he was really a good kid.

Edited November 1, 2022 by bmur66

[YoloinOhio]

Was he racing dareus and Hughes to the Mongolian bbq? 

[Buffalo Boy]

   Living in the south and driving professionally I’d think to myself:

   “ Self, surprised to see so much restraint from a kid in a muscle car.”

   When I come back to Buffalo, I need to consciously drive super slow with three to five car length distances between doing 30 on dry pavement.

   Another thing I don’t miss about living there ⚡️

 

Edited November 1, 2022 by Buffalo Boy

[Dave in Avon Lake now]

I love the Bills but people regardless of celebrity need to be accountable for their accidents. I speed sometimes but dangerous moves like that should not happen.  We have a huge tailgating problem in Ohio where people are in such a hurry to get where they are going they cross double lines to pass. Apparently there is a problem with people passing school buses. Sorry to rant but celebrity shouldn’t be a reason for not obeying traffic laws.  Ask Henry Ruggs if he regrets his decision.

[Draconator]

9 minutes ago, Dave in Avon Lake now said:

I love the Bills but people regardless of celebrity need to be accountable for their accidents. I speed sometimes but dangerous moves like that should not happen.  We have a huge tailgating problem in Ohio where people are in such a hurry to get where they are going they cross double lines to pass. Apparently there is a problem with people passing school buses. Sorry to rant but celebrity shouldn’t be a reason for not obeying traffic laws.  Ask Henry Ruggs if he regrets his decision.

Good point about Ruggs. Different scenarios, but really the same. Not obeying traffic laws. 

[SageAgainstTheMachine]

22 minutes ago, boyst said:

i'd think to myself what an idiot but not at all care in the long run. the world is filling up with bad drivers - and an increasing amount of people who now pass in the right on ramp merge lanes. let them be stupid and when they f-up hold them accoutnable.

The f-up is the action they take, though, not the result right?  You drive irresponsibly and you either get lucky or unlucky. The morality isn’t predicated on the luck.

[Don Otreply]

They get no special dispensation because they play football, all people do stupid stuff, especially young people, so treat him like everyone else, folk who speed up just to turn right in front of you are being an azs hole. Jmo.

[NewEra]

It’s 2022-  shut your mouth or risk getting shot.  
 

I’d do exactly the same thing I’d do if it were a Joe Schmo.  Nothing.  The only other option we really have is to call the cops.  Anything else could get you killed.  People shooting each other for the stupidest things nowadays. 

[MarkyMannn]

What I've noticed driving lately, people passing using the left hand turn lane. Union Road. Not often, but you'll see it

[Draconator]

1 minute ago, MarkyMannn said:

What I've noticed driving lately, people passing using the left hand turn lane. Union Road. Not often, but you'll see it

I've seen that too in parts. 

 

If this was any other person, I would be like, "You ***** idiot" and go about my business. What got me thinking is I was picking up my step daughter from work. I told her about this, and her only reply was "rude". It was rude, but I tried to give him a pass. That was wrong.

[Bangarang]

I greatly dislike people that intentionally drive like morons. 

[BigBuff423]

Personally, I'd think that he was a poor driver and worry that he would hurt himself or someone else at some point. If he was weaving in and out of traffic like he was intoxicated or inebriated in some way, then I judge his character and would be disappointed. Otherwise, I think he's young and foolish and hope he gets it out of his system without injury to himself or others and simply go about my day. As others have stated, many people these days are bad drivers or inconsiderate of other people on the road...I don't think it makes them bad people, but poor drivers and at times reckless.

[Royale with Cheese]

If I see Allen and Diggs robbing a bank...I will literally tell the Police it was two 5'5 Asian men and the getaway car was a Rav 4.  

[Dablitzkrieg]

Oh noes.....somebody was speeding? You may have an aneurysm when you find out what Deshaun Watson did

Edited November 1, 2022 by Dablitzkrieg

[AuntieEm]

23 minutes ago, SageAgainstTheMachine said:

The f-up is the action they take, though, not the result right?  You drive irresponsibly and you either get lucky or unlucky. The morality isn’t predicated on the luck.

  

   Maybe follow him on Twitter and just message him you are concerned he could cause accident driving as you witnessed.  If he is the good kid which I believe we ve is true I bet he'll reflect on that and realize the few seconds he saved was not worth the risk of causing an accident.  Equally I'm not sure he has lived in wny long enough to really learn the way to handle slick icy roads as the weather here turns.  Sometimes the cold slick roads are not the best place to peel rubber from a stop regardless of any traffic nearby.  Could easily just cause only an accident with his own vehicle in the right conditions that he never dealt with in FL.  It's a concern for his safety as well as safety of any other person that could be involved in an accident when one or both parties are not following driving laws. 

 

 

 

Edited November 1, 2022 by AuntieEm

[Dablitzkrieg]

Just now, Royale with Cheese said:

If I see Allen and Diggs robbing a bank...I will literally tell the Police it was two 5'5 Asian men and the getaway car was a Rav 4.  

Exactly.  Or he looked like this guy

I can relate to his driving.  I can't stand all of your old asses in the fast lane.  Move the eff over

[HOUSE]

This is a tough question,  if he had 5 more sacks I probably just let it go.

[Dave in Avon Lake now]

I forgot about Myles Garrett rolling his car and missing a few games with injuries. He was going really fast and rolled his car. His car didn’t make ou too well either.

 

[KDIGGZ]

Summer 2019, I was on the 90 heading south before the 219. It's 55 mph there but everyone goes 60-65. I was probably going 65 (10 mph over the speed limit) and a black Shelby Raptor pickup went flying by me like I was standing still. It was Josh doing what must have been 80-90+ in a 55. I yelled out the window "I wanted Rosen!" True story...up until that last part

[BillsFanSD]

I think your expectations are wildly out whack if you expect all 53 guys on the active roster to scrupulously obey all traffic laws.  I mean, come on.  That's a "you" problem.  

 

I'm sympathetic to the argument that teams should decline to roster players who have been convicted of domestic abuse and other serious violent crimes.  But I don't care if they got into a bar fight in college, have a DUI, have speeding tickets, don't return their shopping carts back to the corral, or whatever.  We all work around a bunch of coworkers with stuff like that in their background and it's no big deal.  Why should pro athletes be treated any differently?

 

(Of course, if a player gets pulled over for a moving violation, we all know the correct play is to remind the officer that you're a member of the Buffalo Bills and you are worth millions.  That always goes over well.)

Edited November 1, 2022 by BillsFanSD

[Bruffalo]

It's not like this is a new thing.  Does anybody else remember the "Fredonia 500" when the players would zoom down the 90 after training camp was over in Fredonia? 

 

I was a kid then but I definitely remember people talking about it.  

You can only be as safe as you can be.  I try not to get mad about anything anymore, it's just not worth it.  I'm not very good at succeeding, but I'm trying. 

[Bill from NYC]

27 minutes ago, NewEra said:

It’s 2022-  shut your mouth or risk getting shot.  
 

I’d do exactly the same thing I’d do if it were a Joe Schmo.  Nothing.  The only other option we really have is to call the cops.  Anything else could get you killed.  People shooting each other for the stupidest things nowadays. 

EXACTLY!!!

 

The best thing you can do is ask yourself if you are a police officer. If the answer in no, keep driving. If the answer is yes and you are off duty, keep driving.

 

Police Departments do not want their officers to get involved in traffic incidents/disputes. Doing so tends to bring about lawsuits and bad publicity.

 

People cut me off constantly. As long as nobody is hurt I don't care at all, and btw, when you see 2 cars speeding in and out of traffic on highways at very high speeds, they are often on their way to a location to make a drug deal and need to be there at a specific time. I also don't care about them. If they kill themselves I am not glad, but I certainly would not give it much of a second thought.

[Ethan in Cleveland]

I hit 122mph in my new BMW m240i this weekend...i'm 51. Driving stupidly is not an age thing....

[Bill from NYC]

Boomer Esiasson once passed me on the Long Island Expressway in a 2 seater Mercedes and was doing well over 100 mph.  I think that this was stupid behavior but I didn't care then and I don't care now.

[Rico]

I would give everyone a pass except for maybe Lil’ Dummy.

[SageAgainstTheMachine]

29 minutes ago, Bill from NYC said:

Boomer Esiasson once passed me on the Long Island Expressway in a 2 seater Mercedes and was doing well over 100 mph.  I think that this was stupid behavior but I didn't care then and I don't care now.

I think it’s worth caring about a little.  Tens of thousands of people die every year because of others’ reckless behavior on the road.

[eball]

A young 20-something-year-old driving fast?  Doesn't make a blip on my radar screen as long as he wasn't under the influence of drugs or alcohol.  If he hits somebody it's negligence and he has insurance to cover that.

 

In general, I would let acts of simple negligence go without much of a second thought.  Activity that is criminal, or morally/ethically questionable, is what I'm concerned about.

 

[Bill Lewes]

I'm  no Pollyanna (and certainly not when it comes to the speed limit), but this is about more than a muscle car getting into someone's head -- that sh!t makes your community (your kids?) less safe, and is a risk to the football team as well.  Call the team, you'll probs get some PR dude, and tell them someone needs to pull that kid aside and tell him to wise up - he's putting himself, your community, and the team's multi-million dollar investment at risk.  Football playin young men don't HAVE to be stupid.

33 minutes ago, eball said:

A young 20-something-year-old driving fast?  Doesn't make a blip on my radar screen as long as he wasn't under the influence of drugs or alcohol.  If he hits somebody it's negligence and he has insurance to cover that.

 

In general, I would let acts of simple negligence go without much of a second thought.  Activity that is criminal, or morally/ethically questionable, is what I'm concerned about.

 

I'm not sure his insurance will cover the grieving of the family - and the damage to the locker room?

[DC Greg]

I probably wouldn't have called him out by name on an internet forum. 

[MAJBobby]

2 hours ago, Draconator said:

This happened to me yesterday, so I'm putting this out there for the general TBD population for your takes on this.

 

French Rd in Cheektowaga, NY (bordering West Seneca) is a 4 lane road with a center turn lane. With is being a residential street, the speed limit is 35mph.  I was driving down going about 45mph, keeping up with traffic. (The cops allow 45mph on most days down French).  I'm in the left hand lane, behind an SUV, with a pick up truck driving along side of us in the right hand land.

 

In my rearview mirror I see this Chevy Camaro flying up behind us. It wasn't a stock Camaro either, definitely newer model, top of the line package. The guys was looking for every opportunity to pass us. We all pull up to a stop light, I look at the Camaro, the driver has his window rolled down, and it Greg Rousseau. I wave, he gives me the peace sign back. The light turns green, the truck pulls away first, and Groot flies around the truck, pulls in front of him to make a right hand turn onto Union. 

 

Normally I would be cursing the driver of the Camaro out for being such an idiot. With it being Rousseau, I was just like, "young kid, boys will be boys". That's not the correct reaction to have, but that was my first reaction. 

 

What would you have done is someone like Allen or Miller did something that if it were any other person, you'd think to yourself, "what an idiot"?

Wait that is not normal????  My Wife does ***** like this all the time????

 

Seriously I felt more safe on the ASRs in Iraq than I do riding shotgun with my wife

Edited November 1, 2022 by MAJBobby

[eball]

11 minutes ago, Bill Lewes said:

I'm not sure his insurance will cover the grieving of the family - and the damage to the locker room?

 

Obviously there are varying severities of automobile collisions...which would be taken into account.  My comments are related to "simple negligence."  Gross negligence is another matter.

 

 

[Draconator]

19 minutes ago, DC Greg said:

I probably wouldn't have called him out by name on an internet forum. 

Then the point would be moot, and I would have endless private messages and quotes asking who it was.

[Donuts and Doritos]

I'd call 911, press charges for reckless driving, reckless endangerment. Contact the press & NFL HQ & insist on a lengthy suspension. But that's just me. Don't sweat it, you probably handled it right.

Edited November 1, 2022 by Donuts and Doritos

[muppy]

I love you Groot but if you are a bad driver I think you need cut it out.   Athletes are idolized and I get it. But not caring about public safety shouldn't be one of the perks of the job. You have a lot to lose young man. Smarten Up.

[Big Turk]

It's amazing with all the dumb stuff these young players do there aren't more off the field injuries

2 hours ago, NewEra said:

It’s 2022-  shut your mouth or risk getting shot.  
 

I’d do exactly the same thing I’d do if it were a Joe Schmo.  Nothing.  The only other option we really have is to call the cops.  Anything else could get you killed.  People shooting each other for the stupidest things nowadays. 

 

100000% this...I mean it's at the point now where people ask someone to move their cart out of the way at Walmart and get stabbed and killed...people are literally crazy and you never know what mental state a person is in that day that could make them snap.

 

 

[msw2112]

When I was that age, I drove like that.  I also still drive 80+ all the time on the highway (just did a bit on my way to work this AM), but I only do so when the traffic conditions permit it.  I wouldn't hold it too much against Rousseau.  I'm sure he has better hand-eye coordination than I do or ever did.

 

I do NOT give guys a break that put their hands on women and children or commit serious crimes.

[Beck Water]

3 hours ago, Draconator said:

This happened to me yesterday, so I'm putting this out there for the general TBD population for your takes on this.

 

French Rd in Cheektowaga, NY (bordering West Seneca) is a 4 lane road with a center turn lane. With is being a residential street, the speed limit is 35mph.  I was driving down going about 45mph, keeping up with traffic. (The cops allow 45mph on most days down French).  I'm in the left hand lane, behind an SUV, with a pick up truck driving along side of us in the right hand land.

 

In my rearview mirror I see this Chevy Camaro flying up behind us. It wasn't a stock Camaro either, definitely newer model, top of the line package. The guys was looking for every opportunity to pass us. We all pull up to a stop light, I look at the Camaro, the driver has his window rolled down, and it Greg Rousseau. I wave, he gives me the peace sign back. The light turns green, the truck pulls away first, and Groot flies around the truck, pulls in front of him to make a right hand turn onto Union. 

 

Normally I would be cursing the driver of the Camaro out for being such an idiot. With it being Rousseau, I was just like, "young kid, boys will be boys". That's not the correct reaction to have, but that was my first reaction. 

 

What would you have done is someone like Allen or Miller did something that if it were any other person, you'd think to yourself, "what an idiot"?

 

I'm a bit unclear by what you mean by "give him a pass". 

 

What would you do for anyone else?  Send your dashcam video to the local police station?  Call 911?

 

Most of us witness 1 to 100 stupid actions by other drivers a day (number a function of how many hours a day you drive, not where you live).  Do you really get worked up about each and every one of them?  I admire your energy and endurance.

Edited November 1, 2022 by Beck Water