What the fuck is wrong with people?

[Liar]

I just got back from a round of food shopping. Whenever I'm out of cashew nuts of pickled garlic, I get grumpy, so it was time to refill the storage. Winter is here big time and the streets are a lethal combination of clear, slippery ice and a thin layer of snow effectively concealing the most dangerous spots. So you walk with care.

Now, I live not far from my grocery store, a 150 meter stroll downhill. I see the parking lot and entrance all the way from my house. And what I saw there, as I walked towards it, was truly disturbing. A small figure, an chouched down old woman, caught a "blind spot" in the pavement, slipped and hit the asphalt hard. She didn't get up, but remained where she fell. I couldn't see if she moved at all.

It was a busy afternoon, so there were plenty of people around, scurrying in and out of the store, to and from parked cars, and so on. I thought for sure that they'd rush over and see how the old lady was doing, to help her up, etc.

Nothing. Not a reaction from anybody. They just passed by, getting on with their business as if notying had happened. A young girl took notice and tugged on her mom's jacket to make her slow down, but was swiftly ushered on by both parents. Ten, maybe fifteen people passed by the old woman, but noboby did anything. Confused, I increased my pace to get to her and make sure she was ok. Maybe she had been offered help by the passer-by's but declined it? Yeah, that must be it. Right?

Wrong. When I got to her, she was still lying there, breathing heavily. I asked her if she was all right.

"I think I have broken my wrist" was the reply. "Please help me." And then something in a language I didn't recognize.

A gang of local teens, the kind that would, stereotypically, be suspected of robbing little old ladies like this one, had also run over with the same concern as I had. One of them recognised her by her mumblings as Kurdish, same as he was, and he tried to calm her down in her own languare, while I called for an ambulance.

"Did you ask any other people for help before me?" I then asked her.

She had. They had looked at her, and hurried on. So, it was a street gang of shoplifting macho wannabe teens, and me, that gave a damn, that had the decency to stop and help an old woman who had fallen and hurt herself. Not other senior citizens. Not families. Not career suits. Not even the store employees collecting chopping carts from the parking lot.

I haven't felt like punching someone in the face for ten years, but it was close this time, when the family with the little girl who wanted to help came out of the store, passing by with as little as a glance as the medics loaded the woman into the ambulance. I didn't, though, but I gave them a loud piece of my mind about their behaviour. I don't think I got through to them, but maybe their daughter realized that what mommyand daddy did was a bad thing.

Fucking cynic world I have to live in.

#L

 

[Guest]

Liability concerns.

I help people. But everytime I do, I wonder if it isn't going to cost me the contents of my 401K.

 

[ABSTRUSE]

I just got back from a round of food shopping. Whenever I'm out of cashew nuts of pickled garlic, I get grumpy, so it was time to refill the storage. Winter is here big time and the streets are a lethal combination of clear, slippery ice and a thin layer of snow effectively concealing the most dangerous spots. So you walk with care.

Now, I live not far from my grocery store, a 150 meter stroll downhill. I see the parking lot and entrance all the way from my house. And what I saw there, as I walked towards it, was truly disturbing. A small figure, an chouched down old woman, caught a "blind spot" in the pavement, slipped and hit the asphalt hard. She didn't get up, but remained where she fell. I couldn't see if she moved at all.

It was a busy afternoon, so there were plenty of people around, scurrying in and out of the store, to and from parked cars, and so on. I thought for sure that they'd rush over and see how the old lady was doing, to help her up, etc.

Nothing. Not a reaction from anybody. They just passed by, getting on with their business as if notying had happened. A young girl took notice and tugged on her mom's jacket to make her slow down, but was swiftly ushered on by both parents. Ten, maybe fifteen people passed by the old woman, but noboby did anything. Confused, I increased my pace to get to her and make sure she was ok. Maybe she had been offered help by the passer-by's but declined it? Yeah, that must be it. Right?

Wrong. When I got to her, she was still lying there, breathing heavily. I asked her if she was all right.

"I think I have broken my wrist" was the reply. "Please help me." And then something in a language I didn't recognize.

A gang of local teens, the kind that would, stereotypically, be suspected of robbing little old ladies like this one, had also run over with the same concern as I had. One of them recognised her by her mumblings as Kurdish, same as he was, and he tried to calm her down in her own languare, while I called for an ambulance.

"Did you ask any other people for help before me?" I then asked her.

She had. They had looked at her, and hurried on. So, it was a street gang of shoplifting macho wannabe teens, and me, that gave a damn, that had the decency to stop and help an old woman who had fallen and hurt herself. Not other senior citizens. Not families. Not career suits. Not even the store employees collecting chopping carts from the parking lot.

I haven't felt like punching someone in the face for ten years, but it was close this time, when the family with the little girl who wanted to help came out of the store, passing by with as little as a glance as the medics loaded the woman into the ambulance. I didn't, though, but I gave them a loud piece of my mind about their behaviour. I don't think I got through to them, but maybe their daughter realized that what mommyand daddy did was a bad thing.

Fucking cynic world I have to live in.

#L

You are the bigger person, my friend. Kudos to you for giving a damn.

 

[minsue]

It's a mad, mad, mad, mad world, Liar. And an infinitely better one with you in it.

 

[zeb1094]

Liability concerns.

I help people. But everytime I do, I wonder if it isn't going to cost me the contents of my 401K.

Depends on whether the state you live in has a Good Samaritian law in effect. Most states do, so the average citizen can help someone with out fear of liability.

 

[Liar]

Liability concerns.

I help people. But everytime I do, I wonder if it isn't going to cost me the contents of my 401K.

Eh?

What's a 401K?

And where does liability come in in stopping and asking "Do you need help"?

 

[Rattlesnake1775]

I help people within in reason. And I tell my wife to be very careful when rendering assistance, but that is because I'm a bit paranoid. But I don't think it has anything to do with liability, but with apathy. Case in point, a while back my grandmother-in-law fell and slipped on some ice when leaving a theater in St Louis. A man came by and helped her up and to the hospital.

So, to ensure that the karmic balance stays even I help people out, mainly so that next time she gets hurt, somebody will be there to help her out. A lot of people just don't think that way, and a lot of people just don't want to get involved. It is much easier to just move, keep the pace of life going and don't have no ripples.

There's the famous story of the lady who gets murdered and is screaming for help, but nobody helps her. That doesn't come out of nowhere. That starts somewhere, and I think it starts with ignoring the small things like this.

Disgusting.

 

[minsue]

Eh?

What's a 401K?

And where does liability come in in stopping and asking "Do you need help"?

The US is a very litigious society. In some states, you can be sued if you accidentally injure someone, or aggravate an injury, while trying to help them.

 

[Liar]

The US is a very litigious society. In some states, you can be sued if you accidentally injure someone, or aggravate an injury, while trying to help them.

I wasn't preforming any damn surgery on her. None of us even touched her, because we aren't medically trained and didn't want to make things worse. I called an ambulance - at her specific request. Are you telling me I could get sued for that? Jesus I'm so not ever coming over.

 

[carsonshepherd]

That sucketh, Liar. I've seen so many people do that kind of thing. I'm so glad there are people like you in the world.

Those people will get theirs. Karma is a bitch.

You'll get yours too, only yours will be good

 

[matriarch]

The US is a very litigious society. In some states, you can be sued if you accidentally injure someone, or aggravate an injury, while trying to help them.

I knew this was a bizarre country........that settles it, we're moving to UK.

 

[entitled]

I wasn't preforming any damn surgery on her. None of us even touched her, because we aren't medically trained and didn't want to make things worse. I called an ambulance - at her specific request. Are you telling me I could get sued for that? Jesus I'm so not ever coming over.

Yes, you could be sued for that. It would be your word against hers on whether you actually moved her or not, and whether you aggravated any injuries she might have had.

 

[Stella_Omega]

Liability concerns.

I help people. But everytime I do, I wonder if it isn't going to cost me the contents of my 401K.

I have nothing to lose- so I don't let liability worry me any more.

I have- driven seven miles out of my way to get a lady and her groceries home in the dark;

Dropped my kids off at a corner to walk the rest of the way home, so that I could take an old woman and man to the hospital

Missed a play party, goddammit, in order to stay with a girl who'd gotten hit by a car whlie she was in the emergency room

Offered a "big, scary-looking black man" a ride to the gas station in the rain- his motorcycle had run out of gas, and he looked like a normal joe to me. And he was.

Harbored runaway children, and in two cases, convinced them to go home again, and in a couple others found shelters for them.

lectured several young teens on safe sex, and pregnancy, and "Letting him do that to me" (And "letting me do that to her", I always say- "You do that together!")

Sat with my daughter while she was online with various troubled friends, helping her figure out what to say to talk them through assorted crises

Once, I offered to hold a baby for a distraught young mom, so she could finish her shopping. She was incredibly uncomfortable with that idea- thank you, sensationalist press- so she held the baby while I put her items in her basket, instead.

There is a newsletter that I get, called Heroic Stories. It's about these kinds of actions, and is one of the most positive things I've ever found on the internet.

http://www.HeroicStories.com

 

[Colleen Thomas]

It's easy to say, oh I would help or oh, I would do something. I seriously doubt anyone would say, oh fuck that, I'd just ignore her.

The proof though, is when you're there and that's when the person you are comes out. I'm glad you helped. In small ways, one person at a time, one situation at a time, we all have the capacity and opporunity to make the world a better place.

 

[patricia51]

I don't think its anything new though. 20 years ago when I was a police officer I answered a call about a hit and run accident. When I arrived I found a 10 year old with a broken leg and a bent bike in a convenance store parking lot. Vehicle and people wre coming and going and no one was sparing a second glance for this boy. I called for an ambulance and laid down with the boy and talked to him until it got there. We did get a crowd then, people stopping to see the silly woman cop laying in the parking lot. No one, of course, saw anything. At least someone did call.

By the way, this was in a small southern college town, not a big city. Yes, it was 3 in the morning (and that's another story, why was a 10 year old on the streets at that hour) but it was a well lit area and heavily traveled.

On the other hand, to be positive, I was chasing a drunk from a bar fight through an apartment complex one Saturday night. He decided he was tired of running away from a female 6 inches shorter than him and tried to overawe me (figuring, possibly incorrectly, that I wouldn't shoot him if it came to hand-to-hand). While I was pulling my mace canister out a group of frat boys living there snowed him under and held him so all I had to do was handcuff him.

 

[Liar]

Yes, you could be sued for that. It would be your word against hers on whether you actually moved her or not, and whether you aggravated any injuries she might have had.

On the other hand, it's her word against mine whether she slipped on the ice or I pushed her.

You can't ever protect yourself from false accusations.

 

[ABSTRUSE]

I have nothing to lose- so I don't let liability worry me any more.

I have- driven seven miles out of my way to get a lady and her groceries home in the dark;

Dropped my kids off at a corner to walk the rest of the way home, so that I could take an old woman and man to the hospital

Missed a play party, goddammit, in order to stay with a girl who'd gotten hit by a car whlie she was in the emergency room

Offered a "big, scary-looking black man" a ride to the gas station in the rain- his motorcycle had run out of gas, and he looked like a normal joe to me. And he was.

Harbored runaway children, and in two cases, convinced them to go home again, and in a couple others found shelters for them.

lectured several young teens on safe sex, and pregnancy, and "Letting him do that to me" (And "letting me do that to her", I always say- "You do that together!")

Sat with my daughter while she was online with various troubled friends, helping her figure out what to say to talk them through assorted crises

Once, I offered to hold a baby for a distraught young mom, so she could finish her shopping. She was incredibly uncomfortable with that idea- thank you, sensationalist press- so she held the baby while I put her items in her basket, instead.

There is a newsletter that I get, called Heroic Stories. It's about these kinds of actions, and is one of the most positive things I've ever found on the internet.

http://www.HeroicStories.com

You kept someone busy until they fell asleep and prevented a major drama from taking place.

 

[sophia jane]

Stella- You're a gem.

 

[cloudy]

Offered a "big, scary-looking black man" a ride to the gas station in the rain- his motorcycle had run out of gas, and he looked like a normal joe to me. And he was.

I did that one time, similar situation. And he was BIG - probably 6' 8" or so. Turns out he was one of the Harlem Globetrotters in town for an exhibition, and had gotten left at the hotel.

My family got free tickets.

 

[Liar]

Cool link, Stella. Thanks.

 

[Stella_Omega]

You kept someone busy until they fell asleep and prevented a major drama from taking place.

Parts of that was easy- I'm on the west coast- I wasn't sleepy!

 

[ABSTRUSE]

Parts of that was easy- I'm on the west coast- I wasn't sleepy!

I will no longer make fun of West Coasters.........at least for another week.

 

[Stella_Omega]

I did that one time, similar situation. And he was BIG - probably 6' 8" or so. Turns out he was one of the Harlem Globetrotters in town for an exhibition, and had gotten left at the hotel.

My family got free tickets.

Cool, huh!
I just got a heartfelt thanks, and a compliment on my bravery. But, I think I can read people pretty well, after all these years. A guy pushing a Honda in the rain... just doesn't look like danger, and besides, his body language was 100 percent middle-class, if you know what I mean.

 

[Stella_Omega]

I will no longer make fun of West Coasters.........at least for another week.

So I have a whole week in which to make a total fool of myself?
Ooh, the possibilities!

 

[ABSTRUSE]

You always hear the bad stories but rarely the good ones. I believe there are a lot of unsung heroes out there. Unethereal guardian angels that have no time for selfishness.