Ryan Lochte Told a 'Whopper'?

[Buckeyebowman]

On 8/27/2016 at 2:44 PM, natureboy said:

I'm certainly glad I don't have to deal with that level of street crime. It's a real problem. Rio / Brazil clearly has some structural issues.

There's probably also a little bit of playing to local opinion in the response from Rio authorities to Lochte.

I have no doubt! Lochte called "shame" to their faces! The authorities don't like that!

It made me laugh when it was announced that Brazil is going to "file charges" against Lochte! Lochte will never set foot in Brazil again, and why would he? It's a third world hell hole!

[natureboy]

11 hours ago, Buckeyebowman said:

I have no doubt! Lochte called "shame" to their faces! The authorities don't like that!

It made me laugh when it was announced that Brazil is going to "file charges" against Lochte! Lochte will never set foot in Brazil again, and why would he? It's a third world hell hole!

A bit over the top IMO.

I found his attempt to deflect attention / blame for his bad behavior on Rio's issues kinda sleazy and arrogant. Wasting their time with a fabrication was likely the bigger offense for the authorities. Making points with the public was pure gravy.

If he genuinely thought he was being 'robbed' he should have waited for the authorities to arrive or filed a complaint after he left the scene. He clearly was trying to avoid getting officially sanctioned (a ticket likely) for his behavior and protect his image. Look how that turned out.

If you are for law and order, I don't understand why you're defending this boor/tool? He's over 30 and doesn't qualify for 'youthful indiscretion' anymore.

Even with these real issues, Rio has a lot of attraction as a tourist destination. Not for you or Lochte, fine. Your choice. Before the clean water act, the waters around New York City were pretty nasty. Times Square used to have lots of sketchy characters. Still was a major tourist destination. Rome has a problem with pick-pocketing of tourists too despite ample policing, but no one's calling it a hell-hole. There are probably cities around the world that fit that characterization far better than Rio.

If Brazil bothers (unlikely) to put out an arrest warrant, Lochte might also have to be careful not to travel to a country that has an extradition treaty with Brazil. Maybe not an issue, but extra headache that could have been avoided pretty easily by a more humble response IMO.

Edited August 29, 2016 by natureboy

[Buckeyebowman]

On 8/29/2016 at 0:23 PM, natureboy said:

A bit over the top IMO.

I found his attempt to deflect attention / blame for his bad behavior on Rio's issues kinda sleazy and arrogant. Wasting their time with a fabrication was likely the bigger offense for the authorities. Making points with the public was pure gravy.

If he genuinely thought he was being 'robbed' he should have waited for the authorities to arrive or filed a complaint after he left the scene. He clearly was trying to avoid getting officially sanctioned (a ticket likely) for his behavior and protect his image. Look how that turned out.

If you are for law and order, I don't understand why you're defending this boor/tool? He's over 30 and doesn't qualify for 'youthful indiscretion' anymore.

Even with these real issues, Rio has a lot of attraction as a tourist destination. Not for you or Lochte, fine. Your choice. Before the clean water act, the waters around New York City were pretty nasty. Times Square used to have lots of sketchy characters. Still was a major tourist destination. Rome has a problem with pick-pocketing of tourists too despite ample policing, but no one's calling it a hell-hole. There are probably cities around the world that fit that characterization far better than Rio.

If Brazil bothers (unlikely) to put out an arrest warrant, Lochte might also have to be careful not to travel to a country that has an extradition treaty with Brazil. Maybe not an issue, but extra headache that could have been avoided pretty easily by a more humble response IMO.

 Please! Spare me!

He had no opportunity to wait for the "authorities" to arrive because they were already there! In the uniformed guise of off duty prison guards! Who had weapons drawn!

As far as fabrications go, maybe Lochte exaggerated some aspects of it, like having a gun pointed at his head. I'll tell you what, you pull a gun on me and point it at my big toe, I'm crapping my pants! It's pretty quick to go from big toe to "center of mass"!

And yes, there are problems all over the place, but they are far worse in certain locations overseas than they are here! When's the last time you were pulled over for a traffic stop, had the cop pull a gun on you, and tell you that if you put a couple hundy in his palm you can drive away without a ticket!

And Rio is a hellhole! The facade is nice, but the interior is rotten to the core!

 

[Hardspoon]

31 minutes ago, Buckeyebowman said:

When's the last time you were pulled over for a traffic stop, had the cop pull a gun on you, and tell you that if you put a couple hundy in his palm you can drive away without a ticket!

True...in the US, you don't really even need any cash:

http://metro.co.uk/2007/05/23/policeman-in-porn-star-trouble-400990/#ixzz1m5tfowIv

[natureboy]

2 hours ago, Buckeyebowman said:

As far as fabrications go, maybe Lochte exaggerated some aspects of it, like having a gun pointed at his head. I'll tell you what, you pull a gun on me and point it at my big toe, I'm crapping my pants! It's pretty quick to go from big toe to "center of mass"!

And Rio is a hellhole! The facade is nice, but the interior is rotten to the core!

I'm very glad that law enforcement in the U.S. tends to be among the most professional in the world.

Lochte also lied about the guards pulling up next to the swimmers while they were in the cab. If they were not officially empowered police or deputies he could have asked the cab driver to call the 'real' police to the scene (and hopefully an interpreter) to clear things up. He decided that $50 was worth not having to go downtown to get booked. Personally, if I thought I was being shaken down, I'd damn well take the time to file a complaint let alone inform my country's embassy.

All I see is an attempt by the security guards to get a lock and sign repaired. Yes $50 was probably more than needed given Rio cost of living, but each guy wasn't asked for a 'donation' only the one responsible and there was no shakedown or personal property taken. It's not clear to me from the testimony that Lochte himself didn't suggest paying for the damages.