hugging police, cyclists & free helmet- Denmark

[shootingstar]

Don't know where in Denmark this was filmed.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ODzmoLhwD-g

Notice, police hugged only the male cyclists....as part of the helmet campaign.

I can't imagine this happening anywhere in North America. It would be a radical step.

[kenyonchris]

Huh. Because of their jackets I could not see if they were armed or not. Here, I don't hug anyone I don't know while in uniform (and most of the people I do know don't want to hug me, I am pokey). I have two pair of handcuffs, a knife, spray, my ASP and, of course, my gun, that are exposed. Distance is my friend. You just don't know who you are hugging.
But maybe Denmarks police are not armed, or just more trusting.

[papaver]

people aren't armed in Denmark... and the ones that are, don't ride a bike. And you can clearly see that those 2 policemen aren't armed either.

[bmccasland]

Aw, Kenyon, we'll hug you. Pokey bits and all. Just leave the mace can alone...

[MartianDestiny]

people aren't armed in Denmark... and the ones that are, don't ride a bike. And you can clearly see that those 2 policemen aren't armed either.

I can CLEARLY see a gun on at least the "hugging" policeman at the 36 seconds mark...

[kenyonchris]

people aren't armed in Denmark... and the ones that are, don't ride a bike. And you can clearly see that those 2 policemen aren't armed either.

Yeah, the point was not that the cyclists were armed, but that the COPS were...and they were doing the hugging. Unarmed cops hugging anyone is one thing, armed cops hugging are putting themselves in a vulnerable position.

[papaver]

I can CLEARLY see a gun on at least the "hugging" policeman at the 36 seconds mark...

Yep you're right...

[smilingcat]

Maybe its my upbringing... I like police officers. I wave at them when I ride. I smile at them... Maybe they might get little concerned but hey I want to be on their good side.

Still if I were in the video in that situation, I would feel bit weird... Okay really weird to be given a hug from a stranger albeit Der Polizei.

The thing that struck me is that hardly anyone wore a brain bucket (helmet). What is going on???

[Geonz]

That's the culture.

I most definitely wave and smile at police ... but that's a cultural thing, too. I've lived where I smiled and waved and was grateful I was of a profile less likely to get shot by them.

An Irish teacher here has said he is absolutley going to get me a reflective jacket per the law's requirements where he's from... he can't imagine people riding without them.

I think it does make a lot of sense to emphasize something that's likely to *prevent* an accident.

[kenyonchris]

Yay for waving and smiling at the police...we like that.