What would you do?

This past week Deb fell on the ice and no one stopped to help. Last nite I watched a clip of someone getting punched out in a pizza place and no one helped.

If you saw someone hurt, or needing help, would you do it?
Respond to this topic here on forum.oes.org  
By help, you mean... call the police then 100% of the time yes and we called 911 almost weekly in AK whenever someone was stuck in the snow. If someone fell, I would definitely stop to help whether that person saw that I saw them fall or not ...as I would hold the door open for everyone.

However, if someone was being punched out, or needing a ride, robbed, etc, etc... in houston absolutely positively not. I am not only a woman, but I have two kids at home that need me. I "MAY" be apprehensive even if they were very young hitting another kid unless it was a friend of my kids, a neighbor, or my child b/c of what they may have in their pocket ...and again my life being in danger. I think it's a case by case situation.

In AK, we had a general rule as far stopping for someone who was stuck in the snow. If it was a guy, they'd live and do fine. If it was a woman, we always stopped to see if they had a cell. Of course ...keep in mind, you could barely go a mile w/o running into TWO people stuck on the highway DAILY during the winter season.

Here in Houston, many people who innocently give food to the hungry have been reported to getting beat up or have the food they gave thrown in their face (b/c they were high, drunk, or not wanting food but alcohol).
^^^^^ and why did you want to move there????^^^^^^

A brother of one of Todd's friends just moved back to MN from the Houston area to leave the violence and gangs down there. They have older kids than yours and didn't want them growing up down there. (They are very well off too, so they were in a good neighborhood).

I usually stop, and for sure always call 911. As a trauma certified nurse, I am pretty much required to if it is a medical issue. And I would never just leave someone without making sure they are OK. I even gave 1st aid in the thrift store when an older lady passed out and her daughter was calling for help. (she was OK, taken to the hospital)
We are lucky to live in a good neighborhood, as well as have kids going to the best school, ...and that's usually enough b/c good parts of H are BEAUTIFUL. ...BUT Houston really went downhill after many people came here from Katrina. Schools, malls, and pretty much everywhere took a noticeable rise in crime.
I think it depends on the situation as to how much I would help. Someone slips and falls, or is laying on the ground yes I would stop. See a robbery, call 911 yes. Try and help or get involved, not a chance. I like breathing.
What I do would depend on where I was. I've called 911 many times when the situation arose-- one the exact situation that Deborah was in. If it's appropriate to do so, I'll stick up or say something if I think I won't get damaged in the process. However, there's certain places where I'm not going to risk my own safety. I'll do what I can to help by calling the proper authorities but I'm not inserting myself into an altercation or a potentially dangerous situation. Some of the areas I drive through on my way home are places I don't even want the windows open so there's no way I'm getting out of the car!

The reality of the matter is that I'm not going to be much help and I'd probably end up getting hurt myself or in the way of others who could help. I'm not a first responder or in any way medically trained. As a rule, I don't like to touch bloodied or broken people.
Like dawn said, if you have the training you are legally bound to help. It doesn't mean you put yourself in harms way by running across an 8 lane highway for a fender bender but the little stuff becomes automatic.

The only time I received a present from a patient's family was when I was off duty and stopped to help. Call it a great bonus!

I remember one time when I was little and we were coming back from a scuba diving trip ; my dad and several friends were re certifying their dive stuff. Suddenly the. Caravan of emt's, paramedics and fire fighters sees a group of people all kneeling around this prone figure in a yard. There was a flurry of activity and it looked like they were doing cpr! The whole caravan pulls over, everyone jumps out and runs up the hill to the group, gear in hand, ready to help save a life. About 2 minutes later they all coming wandering back to the cars and we drive off. I asked what happened. They were stuffing a scarecrow!
^^^^^^

You made me laugh!! Did they revive the scarecrow, :lol: now that would be a good one.
Stuffing a scarecrow...lol!!!

That's a really good question. I think it all would depend on one's adrenaline after seeing something happen. If there was a bad car accident and you witnessed it happen, you feel your heart pumping. Or a child swimming in the deep end and you are wondering where the parents are when the child looks like it's struggling to swim.
Sometimes it DOES happen when people just don't think and they react to a situation automatically.

I don't have a weak stomach probably because I've studied forensic anthropology and have seen some really crazy things, but my sister on the other hand can't see blood or "broken stuff" at all. She'll get sick. Does that mean I'm going to go after a mugger with a bat, don't think so...lol I would jump out of my car to if there was an accident and see if people needed help.

I saw news footage (a few months ago) of an elderly man crossing the street who had gotten struck. He was lying in the middle of the road and no one helped for minutes. Traffic was just driving by him. Not one person helped, however people did call for help -
I would definitely stop and help someone in Deb's situation, especially if they had a dog with them.

It's really sad, but you have to be careful stopping to help strangers today, as we constantly hear of criminals targeting the angels of our better nature in order to steal, or worse. I used to give people the benefit of the doubt, but no more. It's just too dangerous.

There was a burglary in our neighborhood this summer, and a robbery in my SIL's neighborhood a couple of weeks ago. (We both live in nice suburban areas.) In my SIL's neighborhood, they tied up the family, and luckily no one was hurt. As the economy worsens, people are getting desperate, and criminals are upping the ante. I used to be pretty casual with our house alarm, but now I use it even when we are home. ( I figure it won't bug Oscar if it goes off accidentally! 8) )

Laurie and Oscar
Yes, I would always stop and help in any situation if I was able.

My husband and I were sent a $20 gift certificate to Friendly's once for helping some seniors change a tire. :D

I also tend to stand up to people who are being inconsiderate and rude. In certain situations I should probably keep my mouth shut. I always think I will end up dead for telling someone to pick up their trash that they just threw on the ground... :roll:
i have always stopped to help and will continue to do so.......i don't give food or money to homeless people on the street ( but i do volunteer time and money to help those in need) that's just how i was raised i guess...... it's very sad that nobody stopped to help :(
My sister was a pshycologist in a woman's prioson where the women would tell her stories about how they were decoys for violent theft/killer/rapist boyfriends. they would act out being hurt or broken down and get people to stop.

I don't stop too often these days since hearing those stories.
We live in a good area. If I had seen "ME" laying on the ground, with a dog, if I wasn't comfortable to help, I would have called 911, and hung around til they got there.

Like I said, I was really hoping the police would have come by.

I won't want to put anyone in harm's way, but we all have cell phones now, and can help by making a call.
I wasn't commenting so much on your accident but rather the general trend the thread was taking. I would have stopped - If I had seen you, I hope the people that passed you were just not looking to the side of the road.
I always try to help if I can. I remember last spring this dear little old lady had a flat tire in grocery parking lot. It was pouring down with rain, and my dear sweet husband changed her tire. She wanted to pay for it and he wouldnt accept so she tried to pay me and I wouldnt take anything either. THings happen and we should always try to help regardless of stories we hear in the news and etc. Most of us have enough common sense to assess a situation before we jump into a potentially dangerous situation. I wouldnt stop on a deserted highway or darkened alley. But I would stop if I saw some poor lady laying in the street especially if a cute dog was attached obviously there was something wrong. Even if you dont stop you should at the very least call 911 and report what you have seen. With cell phones now it doesnt take much to help anyone. Besides if you see something that doesnt look right, you can still stop report the incident tell the operator you dont feel safe to stay in that area and move on. One phone call is all it would take.

I will always stop to help someone. regardless or do what I can. One day I was at a store and I heard this little guy screaming "I WANT MY MOM" I looked over and saw this guy carrying this kid in an awkward sort of way. I went over to him and said in a very LOUD voice to get everyones attention. Excuse me but is this your son and then asked where the mother was. The kid was just throwing a fit because he didnt want to leave with his dad and the mom straightened everything out. BUT I felt better knowing that the little boy was okay and not int trouble. Was I embarassed NO Just think what happened to Adam Walsh. HELL NO I wasnt embarassed. I would do it again.
soory the kid story made me laugh - my daughter is adopted and Asian (we aren't ). when she was very little she used to try to get away with stuff when we were in public places by claiming she would yell and tell people we weren't her parents :D she never did - and she never got away with anything either.

Last time I called 911 for someone else- they made me stay till they got to the scene. It might make me think twice about doing that again in a scary location ...
kerry wrote:
Last time I called 911 for someone else- they made me stay till they got to the scene. It might make me think twice about doing that again in a scary location ...


They can't make you stay. They can't even use language that would intimidate you into staying. If it's an accident and you've reported it and you feel that you are in danger or it isn't safe; you can tell them you are leaving and they can question you later at a safer location or you can report to the closest police station if you need to make a statement.

There are some even scarier scenarios going on right now with people getting robbed. We really do need to be careful of the situations we get ourselves into and let the professionals handle things.
Cheyennebuford, I'll send you a PM with some of what's going on in the area.
Maxmm is right, they cant force you to stay they can ask but they wont force you to stay. Last summer I witnessed a little boy hit by a car. I heard screeching tires and looked in my rear view just in time to see to legs in the air. I stopped and so did everyone else. It was in town, a block from the fire station. I told them I couldnt stay I had to get home because of my son they took my name number etc said there were other witnesses and said I could go.

The little boy wasnt hurt just shook up. In the paper it said the driver just tapped his elbow but I swear I saw his feet in the air higher than the car that hit him.
Didn't find exactly what you're looking for? Search again here:
Custom Search
Counter

[Home] [Get A Sheepdog] [Community] [Memories]
[OES Links] [OES Photos] [Grooming] [Merchandise] [Search]

Identifying Ticks info Greenies Info Interceptor info Glucosamine Info
Rimadyl info Heartgard info ProHeart Info Frontline info
Revolution Info Dog Allergies info Heartworm info Dog Wormer info
Pet Insurance info Dog Supplements info Vitamins Info Bach's Rescue Remedy
Dog Bite info Dog Aggression info Boarding Kennel info Pet Sitting Info
Dog Smells Pet Smells Get Rid of Fleas Hip Displasia info
Diarrhea Info Diarrhea Rice Water AIHA Info
Sheepdog Grooming Grooming-Supplies Oster A5 info Slicker Brush info
Dog Listener Dog's Mind Dog Whisperer

Please contact our Webmaster with questions or comments.
  Please read our PRIVACY statement and Terms of Use

 

Copyright 2000 - 2012 by OES.org. All rights reserved.