The Hollywood Strangler

I was living out in West Hollywood when a Hollywood

strangler was strangling women.

Every night there was a panel discussion on TV about

the strangler, speculations about his habits,

his motives, his methods. One thing was clear about

him: he only strangled women when they were alone,

or with other women. And the panel members would always

end the show by saying:

Now for all you women, listen: don't go outside without

a man. Don't walk out to your car,

don't even take the garbage out by yourself; always go with a man.



Then, one of the eyewitnesses identified a policeman

as one of the suspects. The next night,

the chief of the police was on the panel, and he said:



Now for all you women, whatever happens,

do not stop for a police officer,

stay in your car. If a police officer tries to stop

you, do not stop, keep driving and under no circumstances

should you get out of your car.



For a few weeks, half the traffic in LA was doing twice the speed limits.