People react in different ways, Allan. Three of the four cyclists, who were mere feet away from the head shot, just watched, slowed down, and then went on while the other one (Chaney) was alert enough to have slowed down and then come to a stop. If I'm not mistaken, at the very end of the clip, he even looks back toward the building.
It was basic mass confusion not only by them but by everyone else. Yes, the one guy throws himself down while Altgens doesn't. Big deal. It means absolutely nothing. I just shot a wedding party recently and took a photo of the bride smashing the cake into the groom's face. You can clearly see the audience in the background. There's a wide variety of reactions - some smiling, one person threw their head back in laughter, a few staring in stony silence.
The entire Dealey sequence was very short - no more than 6 seconds - and no one was standing around saying, "OK...wait for it! Here it comes! Boom!"
Is that the proper way to react when you are acting to protect the President? What was their purpose? If anything, they should be getting in the way so that additional shots cannot be landed! Their umbrella of protection should not be removed! That is the purpose of an escort is it not? To serve and protect? As I said Clint Hill made a dash for the car to protect Jacqueline. Who was there to protect the President? John Ready? No one! Instead, the car slowed down when you would expect an immediate acceleration after the first neck shot was landed.
If driver Greer was studying the President since the neck shot occurred, he sure reacted properly by slowing the vehicle down to take in more shots!!! Certainly the head swing of the driver between frames is ridiculous. That is not proper protocol or common sense when bullets are striking your vehicle to slow the vehicle down. It is ridiculous for a well trained SS to slow down the car to a crawl rather than to flee the scene as quickly as possible after the neck shot. If you want to believe that he had his eyes on the President for the time in between neck shot and head shot and doesn't react by accelerating the car - there is something wrong with this picture!
