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Playing GTA On Phone Leads To Bomb Threat?
SteelGator writes "You're playing a relaxing game of Grand Theft Auto with a friend's child. You're also on the phone with a co-worker who's at a restaurant. As a warning to the child, you say "There's a bomb in the building. Everyone needs to get out!" Your co-worker thinks it's a real bomb threat. Uh oh!" While awaiting trial, perhaps this guy could check out a new screenshot from GTA: San Andreas, showing lead character Carl Johnson (extravagant rumors claim to be voiced by 50 Cent?) "outside the Los Santos convention center, which bears more than a passing resemblance to the home of E3."
Once again, Evidence that you should not do stuff like that. At the very least, cover the phone's mouthpiece before you do that. Fecking idiots.
...as stupid does.
My mom always said, "Jim, you're 1 in a million." Given the current population, there are 7000 of me. God help us all!
I can't believe that... *sigh*
Hmmm.
Are the prosecuting the person who took him seriously also? You'd think that the person on the phone at the restaurant would have said something like "Are you talking to me?" or "How do you know?"
.. Then I woke up at the hospital and started the mission from scratch!
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world was created 5 seconds before this post as it is.
How could something this -dumb- happen? Seriously, I'm baffled. Wouldn't the conversation have gone something along the lines of:
Bob: blah blah blah.
Steve: blah blah blah there's a bomb in the building.
Bob: Blah.. What?
Steve: Oh, just talking to my kid.
Bob: Ahh.. Anyway, blah blah blah...
They don't give us enough information, but judging from that fact that two intelligent, rational people would have had a conversation similar to the above, I can't but determine that at least one of the people involved was indeed a complete moron. A tool, if you will. One of the parties involved had to have overreacted in the extreme. There was absolutely no possible excuse for this getting out of hand, and one of both of these gentlemen are asshats of the highest (lowest?) calibre.
Sorry, I'm just really -really- tired of people being dumb. It's been a long day, and it isn't even lunchtime yet.
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That's what the idiot gets for playing a video game while on the phone with his employer. Work and pleasure rarely mix well, and this is an extreme example of that.
Seems like it was a bit stupid on the guy playing the game's part when you see what happened to him, but, I'm sure he had no reason to think he would be misinterpreted when he said that. Kinda scary how a relatively innocent comment can be taken so seriously by people. Makes me worry one day that I'll say something about "Augh, so-and-so drives me nuts, I could just kill him/her!" and be hauled up by the police for making a threat on their life. When, you know, I wasn't. Not really. Seems it all could've been avoided. Though am I the only one who finds it kind of odd that the guy's friend disconnected his phone? I mean, would he really have had to worry about getting tons of calls about it?
>insert witty sig file here
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I've played both GTA and Vice City on the PS2 and I can't think of scene where a bomb was in a building I was in and had to maneuver out of...
What about the RC helicopter mission where you set bombs and then get out before they blow?
Or the place right after you "KILL ALL THE HAITIANS".. you set bombs there and then must get out before they blow (which is tricky because the way you came in is blocked).
I've had enough abrasive sigs. Kittens are cute and fuzzy.
I really do hope that this guy gets off scott free. It seems to me that the people at the restaurant were just a little too jumpy, especially considering they were talking to a regular employee and they jumped at the first mention of bomb.
What if the situation was a bit different, lets say the guy called the restaurant to warn them of an actual threat he somehow came across, either seeing somebody plant something, or someone else telling him. So to warn people is bad, only if your wrong? And that's another thing, the words spoken over the phone convey the message of warning, not threat.
I'm sure it won't be long before someone calls a videogame store and some kid gets into this kinda trouble for saying "Doom 3 is da bomb!".
True Crime was horrible, worst sound track ever. And snoop dog swears way too much
What about the RC helicopter mission where you set bombs and then get out before they blow?
Or the place right after you "KILL ALL THE HAITIANS".. you set bombs there and then must get out before they blow (which is tricky because the way you came in is blocked).
I do not think I would need to be told about bombs if I was the one that planted them.
"Only one thing, is impossible for god: to find any sense in any copyright law on the planet." Mark Twain
Full of crap.
From the article the police had to trace the phone not just ask the coworker who it was. This inidicates the "there's a bomb in the building. There's a bomb in the building everyone get out!" is the only thing that he said. Not just slipped into the middle of conversation.
On a side note how do these news pages pick there related articles.... one was about a clown and child porn how does that relate.
Then the co-worker mustn't have know who the call was from, so the guy must have phoned up, said stupid bomb statement and then one of them must have hung up.
And anyhow, what's he doing letting a child play GTA3?
Has this ever happened to you?
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The guy did it on purpose and now he is trying to blame a game. There are no bombs in buildings in GTA (3) or GTA(4 Vice city) and you play alone so "everyone needs to get out" makes no sense. (maybe they were playing rainbow six?).
Anyway (unless he actually shouted it out) that was a private conversation no one needed to eavesdrop to, they could be talking about a movie or anything else. If I was this guy lawyer he wouldnt pay a cent, and I would probably sue whoever DID spread the panic (who is a paranoid idiot by the way).
Go ahead MOD my day!
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In my opinion, if your kid wants to play that game that everyone plays, tbere are two options : Either make use of your parental powah : And say 'no'.
Or buy the game, and let it be played while you are around : Thus you being able to ridicule most of the things happening in-game, as well as doing something -with- your kid (as opposed to chucking them kids behind a console : 'because its so easy').
Also, the game spoken of is GTA, which i assume would be the first part, which is graphically way less violent. (allthough im still clueless, after finishing GTA for two times, whereabouts there was a bomb misssion where you had to get out of a building :/)
The friend could not be reached for comment Tuesday because his phone has been disconnected, and BellSouth has no new listing for him.
I wouldn't call the co-worker "a friend" if he gets me arrested. Sounds like he is hiding out now so no one can ask him why he over reacted and got some arrested.
What about the RC helicopter mission where you set bombs and then get out before they blow? Or the place right after you "KILL ALL THE HAITIANS".. you set bombs there and then must get out before they blow (which is tricky because the way you came in is blocked).
So... what would be the point of saying "theres a bomb in the building!" you placed the bomb yourself so you are pretty much aware of it. Also "everyone needs to get out" most of the time you are alone in GTA who exactly is "everybody?".
The guy pulled a prank and now he is blaming "GTA" about it like everyone else.
Headline of the future: "A guy gets cancer in his finger WHILE playing GTA!"
Now, that would have gotten more laughs from me and the guy arrested (sooner) just imagine if he had explained someone how to play manhunt over the phone.
Go ahead MOD my day!
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Here's a possible (and I think most likely) situation for you:
Person "A" is playing some game with his cell phone in his pocket and has forgotten to lock the key pad. He accidentally dials person "B" while he's talking about bombs or something in his video game. Person "B" doesn't realize what happened and makes a fuss. The cops get called in and track down person "A". Felony charges ensue.
If that was the case, then I don't think a crime actually occured - if anything, person "B" or the restaurant manager are at fault. Did they actually talk to the guy on the phone? Did they try to call him back? I would have looked for a bit more confirmation before I called the cops and evacuated the restuarant.
In no less than 2 years, games.slashdot will consist of a news post, followed by moderated posts conisting only of the dates of PA comics (we'll be too lazy to link). We'll all laugh, and then distribute karma appropriately.
Bills of Materials, BOMs, should never be discussed in airports, either.
Slashdot: Failed Car Analogies. Amateur Lawyering. Anecdote Battles.
Here you go...from another comment/discussion about the same thing.
Yeah, something doesn't seem right about this story. It's not really clear whether or not they were in the middle of a conversation, or if he just called up and said "There's a bomb in the building!" Afterall, the report says the police had to trace the call, but if the cook had known who was on the other end of the phone, they wouldn't really need to trace it, would they? Plus there's the common sense that if they were in the middle of a conversation, the cook probably would have asked him if he was serious, and not just ran off and evacuate the building. Maybe he accidentally called him, but it sounds like to me like this guy is using this as an excuse...I really can't imagine anybody getting so excited watching a friend's kid play GTA that I would start yelling "There's a bomb in the building! Everybody needs to get out!" I mean, the "everybody" makes it sound like he was concerned about the wellbeing of the random NPC's that get run over and shot by us on a regular basis in the game...something isn't adding up.
IIRC The mission itself revolves around getting into a coffee shop in a mall dressed as a cop and setting off a bomb after one of your lackys botched the job of rigging the bomb in the first place. The mall is swarming with police and thus you need to get some uniforms to get into place. Once you actually get in and fix the timer you RUN LIKE HELL, because a) the bomb will take you out if you dont and b) every cop in Vice City is looking for you (a wanted rating of 5 stars).
I can see how this could relate to someone saying theres a bomb in the building and you need to get out.
-- Enditallnow
PS Anyone looking for info on the Copland mission should look here.
about somebody playing GTA with a child.
Coincidence?
Next week: parent sues school after Manhunt show-and-tell scars boy for life.
What's the story here? American Greeting?
You don't have to get out of the building when you are controlling the RC-helicopter. Obviously, since it's remote controlled, you don't die if the chopper dies.
I think the posters "story" is Hypothetical...the main point of the post was the new GTAandreas screen shot.
I do not think I would need to be told about bombs if I was the one that planted them.
Yeah, but that's assuming that you have intelligence. Keep in mind that this is the dude who apparently called work, didn't bother identifying himself and then just hung up after saying something about a bomb...
Kids (well at least mine) tend to not read the instructions, or the on-screen help cause they're boring, and then just push every button to see what they do. Drives me crazy during RPGs...he'll just quickly page through the NPC conversations without reading them, and then get upset cause he can't figure out what to do next. (Ummm, the quest that guy just gave you. What quest? How was I supposed to know that was important?)
He decided to just watch the government, and kind of scale it down to size, and run his life that way. --Laurie Anderson
I agree.... He'll get nailed with charges for this "bomb threat" prank, and right after that, he slaps a lawsuit on Rockstar games.
Some people need reminding that they purchased something hot after ordering coffee from McDonald's, you insensitive clod.
BTW, it wasn't that funny.
Never greet your friend Jack when on an airplane". There's a deleted scene in the movie Airplane! that had this exact gag. Sort of similar, except what the restaurant guy said can't be misconstrued as anything else.
He did something stupid and is trying to wriggle out of it with this unbelievable excuse.
He is reported to have said "There's a bomb in the building. There's a bomb in the building. Everyone needs to get out!" and then hung up.
Apart from the fact that saying that is criminally dumb anyway:
1) That is obviously and instruction to more than one person. If he was talking to only one person, that is very strange phrasing.
2) I can't think of anywhere in GTA3 or GTA:VC where you are inside a building that explodes. The only exploding building I can think of is a construction site in GTA:VC, which you can only blow up by dropping bombs from a RC helicopter. It doesn't really sound like valid advice to a GTA player.
Without a semi-relevent Penny Arcade link.
"Sic Semper Tyrannosaurus Rex."
Convict:
Jones: sheeeeeeeeet, grand theft auto... for real man.
What a wacky situation. I feel sorry for that guy, he must be pissed at his friend.
-RPG
"You're playing a relaxing game of Grand Theft Auto with a friend's child. You're also on the phone with a co-worker who's at a restaurant. As a warning to the child, you say "There's a bomb in the building. Everyone needs to get out!"
Into this:
You're paying a relaxing game of Hitman: Contracts with a friend's child. You're also on the phone with a co-worker who's at a restaurant. As a warning to the child you say "The building is full of mentally ill people, run like hell!"
If you are the co-worker, do you run like hell?
if you are playing, you can say to your co-worker, "sorry i'm playing a game"
To me, this is more FUD against GTA Games.
The package said "Windows XP or better. Pentium Class Processor or better"... So I got a Mac with OS X
And you don't even have to read the quest description that thoroughly, sinde they're always something like this:
."
"The Blacksmith said he was going to the Wind Cave to get some mythril
I seem to remember something else vaguely similar to this a while back. Somebody at an airport said, as a joke, that she had a bomb in her bag. IIRC, she was given a fine and held in custody for a total of 1 night.
This guy, on the other hand, made a mistake. Maybe he didn't, but let's just assume he did. A genuine accident. He could be in jail for 15 years, and has a $5k bail.
I dunno about you, but I'd've thought a joke, where it was entirely intentional, would get a worse punishment than a mistake. Especially since a bomb scare at an airport would mean delayed flights and other side effecs, compared to which merely evacuating a restaurant would be infinitely preferable.
Just me?