Andover woman nabbed in snowball rage incident

Boston Herald ^ | March 18, 2005 | Franci Richardson

[Hatteras]

As a matter of fact, I think the kid felt like he could mouth off to this lady because he didn't feel threatened. Dollars to donuts, if the car blocking his path was filled with 3 or 4 brothers from the other side of the tracks he wouldn't have expressed his concerns and opinion. Why do you suppose?

[-YYZ-]

Yeah, that's it, blame the victim. Someone being a smart mouth gives you the right to pepper-spray them now? It might not have been the smartest thing to do, but it doesn't excuse her actions.

This should have kept this whack-job in jail for a weekend to give her a chance to cool off.

[Jim Noble]

So the guy who just wanted her to move her improperly parked car got what was coming to him, I guess?

Actually, that's exactly what he got.

Laws that prevent people from getting what's coming to them breed monsters.

And publically humiliating adults who slap down bratty teenagers do that even more so.

[rickmichaels]

Huh?

[G Larry]

It's Andover, MA.
You may only use the phone to defend yourself.
Anything that could possibly protect you from victim status is illegal.

[Hatteras]

So let me get this straight, as an "innocent bystander" (I would interpret that to mean that you happened to be there and witnessed the incident), you watch this lady get her car bombarded with snowballs, you watched her get out and start chasing the kids involved and when she came back to her car, panting and cursing under her breath, you decide you are going to open your pie-hole and kindly ask her to move her car? Here's a clue: She was walking back to her car, what did you think she was going to do? Camp out in the middle of the street blocking all traffic until the kids showed back up again?

And if the kid had to get to work, what was he doing standing around watching a bunch of kids attacking a woman with snowballs in the first place?

Hey, I was a kid once, too. I know better. The kid that got sprayed was a wise-ass who got what was coming to him. It's too bad his parent's didn't teach him when to keep his mouth shut.

[Fierce Allegiance]

In the bottom of my post there is a #3. This means I am referring to your post #3 where you said No doubt they're the demon offspring of environmentalist wackos. . To which I asked what you based that statement on. Pretty basic question. Got it? So what's your answer?

[libstripper]

A little more than thirty years ago I was deriving along a road in my home town in the winter when a kid threw a snowball up into the air like a mortar round and managed to land the thing right on top of my car with no damage. I thought it was funny then and he was a great shot and I still think so today. This woman needs to have her meds adjusted.

[Sloth]

The kid that got sprayed was a wise-ass who got what was coming to him. It's too bad his parent's didn't teach him when to keep his mouth shut.

Let's park my car behind yours and see how long you keep your mouth shut.

[rickmichaels]

The fact that the kids threw snowballs at an SUV, frog. If you need further explanation, well then...

[Hemingway's Ghost]

No doubt they're the demon offspring of environmentalist wackos.

As someone who grew up in Gaydover and attended AHS, I can assure you you're probably balls-on correct.

[Hemingway's Ghost]

When did pepper spray become illegal?

In MA, it's illegal to carry pepper spray without an Firearms Identification (FID) card.

[Hatteras]

"Let's park my car behind yours and see how long you keep your mouth shut."

Well, I would take in to consideration what your intent was. If I see you chasing a bunch of boys with a tire iron and then come back to your car, huffing and puffing from your impromptu morning jog, then I would be more inclined to consider my words a bit more carefully. I would also give you the benefit of the doubt that you will be moving your vehicle as soon as you get back in it and take a few seconds to catch your breath.

[cspackler]

I'm so glad I don't live in the suburbs.

Yeay, cuz we know that in the city, they never do anything as heinous as throwing snowballs at cars.

Well, except maybe shooting at them.

I'm so glad I don't live in the city.

[cgbg]

Both the kids and the women were upholding the honor of their state.

Surely you have heard what outsiders call them--Ma**holes!

;-)

[FreePaul]

All of this violence will cease when global warming removes snowballs from our cities.

[Tribune7]

you watch this lady get her car bombarded with snowballs, you watched her get out and start chasing the kids involved and when she came back to her car, panting and cursing under her breath, you decide you are going to open your pie-hole and kindly ask her to move her car?

And if you should, should you be peppersprayed? This was not an act of self-defense. Being angry is not an excuse to commit assault.

This lady is very much in the wrong and she's going to go through a lot of aggravation over the next several months and she deserves to.

[eeriegeno]

Three witnesses told police kids outside of Andover High School threw snowballs at her Honda SUV.

Do they actually have 'police kids' in Andover?????

[Sloth]

I would also give you the benefit of the doubt that you will be moving your vehicle as soon as you get back in it

"I have more important things to do."

[Hatteras]

Being pepper sprayed for something like that? Remember, he didn't get pepper-sprayed for asking her to move her car, he got sprayed because he felt it necessary to say something sarcastic and inappropriate after her warning. Let's just call it disciplining a child that is probably too big to spank. Something his parents should have done a long time ago.