This was not a “go back” type of event. This was a standoff between two people that was going to rapidly affect more people. The police left the standoff instead of ending it.

Yes, it was a stupid standoff but honestly, to me that means that it’s more likely that people will do something even more stupid in reaction.

Violent assaults do occur in drive through windows, and inside at fast food places, over trial crap like that. Context is everything.

You know those stories about people calling 911 because McDonalds forgot their fries or the dipping sauce or somesuch? Should the cops respond to those calls “because what if they go back through the drivethru with a howitzer”?

LOL!

“Look here, now!” the North-Going Zax said, “I say!
You are blocking my path. You are right in my way.
I’m a North-Going Zax and I always go north.
Get out of my way, now, and let me go forth!”
“Who’s in whose way?” snapped the South-Going Zax.
“I always go south, making south-going tracks.
So you’re in MY way! And I ask you to move
And let me go south in my south-going groove.”
Then the North-Going Zax puffed his chest up with pride.
“I never,” he said, “take a step to one side.
And I’ll prove to you that I won’t change my ways
If I have to keep standing here fifty-nine days!”
“And I’ll prove to YOU,” yelled the South-Going Zax,
“That I can stand here in the prairie of Prax
For fifty-nine years! For I live by a rule
That I learned as a boy back in South-Going School.
Never budge! That’s my rule. Never budge in the least!
Not an inch to the west! Not an inch to the east!
I’ll stay here, not budging! I can and I will
If it makes you and me and the whole world stand still!”

Except that according the the thread, Karen herself said she was afraid to back up her vehicle.

While you’re on the sexism train you should note that you assumed Karen was a bad driver and needed help from the police just to back up her car but Chris did not.

Why couldn’t they help Karen back up so she won’t hit something? If I didn’t have a back up camera for my minivan, I would be nervous about backing up too.

It would make more sense for Karen to back up because she’s in the parking lot and (presumably) not blocking traffic while Chad may have more danger if he backs up. So just help Karen.

While I am definitely pro-cop (two brother-in-laws are state troopers), they could have solved the problem in 5 minutes and should have helped because the standoff also keeps other people from entering and exiting the parking lot.

Instead, they chose to make fun of two people and were rude (at least on Twittter) to Karen.

I agree with the premise of your article that sometimes you need to let people work it out…but this is a bad example (in my humble opinion).