Kevlar Vests for Tech Writers?

An amusing thread on the TECHWR-L list yesterday:

[Excerpt]

“If engineers and managers don’t go running for cover and diving under their desks at the sight of the approaching tech writer, you’re being too easy on them.” — Gene Kim-Eng  Mike Starr

Tony Chung wrote [in response]:

You could always lose the department title on the door and instead

walk around with a bullet-proof vest with “WRITER” emblazoned on the

back… Kind of like Richard Castle.

[\Excerpt]

Why are we, as tech writers, so maligned?   How can we get development teams to appreciate us more?

My emails and reported usability problems are frequently ignored, so if  such a bullet-proof vest were available, would I buy one? Hell, yes.