If you saw someone in dangerous trouble would you help?

[Kyle]

I'm just curious to see what people's reactions would be.

Today I was leaving TMNT when I saw what seemed like an angry argument break out on the street with a man yelling at a woman in a way that made a girl ahead of me stop and hide for cover in the subway staircase afraid that something was going to happen. Nothing did. But I waited to see if it would escalate (if I stepped in too early, that could potentially make it worse), it ended - if it did escalate I was more than prepared to step in and confront the guy (he looked like a biker, but I didn't care about that).

Maybe it's living in hero city (NYC) that does it to me, I don't know. Even though it's the second false alarm I was about to step into, and if it happened the third time I would have acted upon it. It reminded me of this Ryan Gosling video that went viral:



Just have an inclination to do something. But that incident made me wonder how many others would and have you?

 

[DA_Champion]

In the hypothetical, most people say they would help. They are angry at the prospect that most people won't help.

In practice, most people do nothing, or sometimes actively contribute to the trouble. For example if there's bullying, the reaction of many people is to side with the bully and exacerbate the bullying, so they can extract joy and social status from the power involved.

During the holocaust, a few people helped, and a lot of people did nothing. That's the norm for human beings.

On a more simple level, there have been tests done, where if a woman is having trouble carrying her luggage onto an escalator, how long it takes for someone to help her depends on how beautiful she is.

In my life, I can think of cases where I helped, and cases where I did not. It depends on a lot of factors.

 

[Kyle]

I wonder what differentiates the fight or flight people or it's just a natural hard-wired response; it's part of what makes me feel really guilty for pursuing the arts instead of becoming a cop. Had to save two people in my life already, at 28 from actual violent attacks - oddly both involving knives and one time was when I was 9 (which may have been what started it). Only time I didn't step in was once and that was when my grandmother was close to dying from cancer and the only reason was I didn't act was because I didn't want to increase the pain my family was going through and make her final days harder - complete disregard for my own safety lol, didn't even enter my thoughts - just how if things went wrong that would inflict more pain at that particular time. Just always been curious about it.

 

[Lantern Venom]

For the most part, I'll try to help in any situation where I'm sure what is happening. We as humans have a moral imperative to stop others from being harmed if at all possible. The problematic part is when two or more people are in conflict, sometimes the right course of action isn't so clear.

 

[Kyle]

The problematic part is when two or more people are in conflict, sometimes the right course of action isn't so clear.

That's why I staid back and waited. I wanted to step in immediately. But, the guy was manic. Chances are if I did that, it would set him off even more and make things even worse. Why it's always important to asses a situation and the various outcomes.

 

[Lantern Venom]

That's why I staid back and waited. I wanted to step in immediately. But, the guy was manic. Chances are if I did that, it would set him off even more and make things even worse. Why it's always important to asses a situation and the various outcomes.

FFR, if someone knows he/she is being watched and possibly recorded, it can diffuse situations. Add in the possibility of the police being called, and it can further stifle aggressive behavior. However, there are rare instances where bodily harm is imminent, and that's when people in close proximity have to act.

 

[Kyle]

FFR, if someone knows he/she is being watched and possibly recorded, it can diffuse situations.

So that action alone, watching and waiting, could have been what diffused it.

The guy came off as a wife or girlfriend beater.

 

[Thundercrack85]

Depends on a variety of circumstances. If my life is threatened in the process, probably not. But in that case I would alert the authorities.

Also depends if I am in a group, or angry. I have done things, brave, but stupid things, which I would have never done if I wasn't angry.

 

[Lantern Venom]

So that action alone, watching and waiting, could have been what diffused it.

The guy came off as a wife or girlfriend beater.

Taking interest in a situation like that makes you a possible witness. Now the aggressor in the situation has to consider that. If you take out your phone and start recording the event, then there is hard evidence for an arrest and possibly a trial. These aspects could be more worrisome to that person than the possibility of a physical confrontation.

 

[Victarion]

I'd get the commish to fire up the Arrow22 signal.

 

[Kyle]

These aspects could be more worrisome to that person than the possibility of a physical confrontation.

Actually, was gonna just try to keep it to talking if it came to that if possible first. Just bring it to his attention that someone has noticed, that he's scaring some of the people around him, and to let her go. Don't believe in using any sort of violence unless absolutely necessary and in extreme situations.

 

[Pink Ranger]

Yes, but prudently. Unlike Batman comics, going in with fists flying makes things even worse 9 times out of 10.

I'll give you an example. A couple of years ago, I was exiting the subway station late at night to go home, a short distance from the staion. It was well lit, and still fairly busy despite the hour. I heard some shouting and screaming (a male voice) from the tunnel area. I had already passed the paid gate, so I didn't go to investigate (there were a couple of transit employees around) but I hung around for some reason, pretending I was checking my phone as the voices got louder.

Ends up some guy and his friends were being escorted out of the subway station by a transit employee, for being drunk, drugged and disruptive as far as I could see. The transit employee was a black woman, and the most vocal of the three guys who cursing her out using every word under the rainbow (n-word this, n-word that, pretty much, and these were skinny white guys, and they were totally not using the word in a hip-hop way). I hung around and still pretended to check my phone, but had my eye on what was going on, and took off my watch and put it in my pocket. Obviously, it wasn't okay what was going on, and I was tempted to intervene, but the lady had the situation 100% under control, and if I started in on these guys it would 100% make the situation worse. So I kept observing until the guys had completely left the station.

In hindsight, the one possibly stupid thing I did was follow them out, at a distance (about one city block behind them, for about 5 blocks walking distance) in case they doubled back or went after someone else. Still, I consider this more or less the benchmark for how I would react to a future situation.

 

[Warhammer]

This is why when you are in trouble, yell "fire," not "help."

 

[Kyle]

This is why when you are in trouble, yell "fire," not "help."

Hilariously and sadly true.

 

[Clark-Kent]

http://www.fox4news.com/news/139641385-story


None of the neighbors calling in would intervene for fear of own lives.

 

[DJ_KiDDvIcIOUs]

Do I have a whistle? I'd blow the crap out of that thing in most situations to "help".

 

[Reek]

 

[terry78]

[YT]tbg1e4zFlIM[/YT]


This happened a couple days ago.

 

[Erzengel]

I was at the movies and there was a couple and I heard a little back and forth between them that got my attention. I looked at my wife and said, I have to do something, so I leap the line before they got to the ticket window. In the end, they wound up not seeing Batman v. Superman thanks to my warning.

 

[terry78]

I do find it a little unsettling how couples can actually get into scary sounding fights in public. It's like they don't care at all, or just know no one will interfere. The chance they're carrying a weapon is also there, but hey.

 

[Pink Ranger]

I do find it a little unsettling how couples can actually get into scary sounding fights in public. It's like they don't care at all, or just know no one will interfere. The chance they're carrying a weapon is also there, but hey.

If it's clearly a two-way argument, I don't get involved. As men of colour, we need to be really careful about trying to be a hero in these situations, because if/when the cops show up our word isn't going to count for much.

 

[Six]

I almost intervened in a bum fight the other day on my birthday, in the worst part of town, probably would have been a bad time for my family for me to get killed so I didn't step in I just watched with one foot in their direction in case it escalated past yelling and shoving. One time this asian lady in her car was screaming at her husband in a parking lot, just yelling at him and he wasn't doing anything, so I just walked a couple feet away from them and just stared, didnt look away once, didn't blink, just watched without making any effort to hide it. She stopped, and I just stood there til they drove off. If you're going to scream at someone do it away from my ears please.

 

[chamber-music]

I would intervene if the situation called for it.

I live in London and people seem willing to step in often. The metropolitan commissioner was on the radio today saying people should step in if they can do. He was talking about it because some jihadi wannabe tried to decapitate random people on the subway last year and people stepped in to try and shout him down/corner him.

 

[chamber-music]

If it's clearly a two-way argument, I don't get involved. As men of colour, we need to be really careful about trying to be a hero in these situations, because if/when the cops show up our word isn't going to count for much.

If I was African American I would probably avoid the cops like the plague. It seems like very few African Americans have had a positive interaction with law enforcement for whatever reason.

 

[Pink Ranger]

I almost intervened in a bum fight the other day on my birthday, in the worst part of town, probably would have been a bad time for my family for me to get killed so I didn't step in I just watched with one foot in their direction in case it escalated past yelling and shoving. One time this asian lady in her car was screaming at her husband in a parking lot, just yelling at him and he wasn't doing anything, so I just walked a couple feet away from them and just stared, didnt look away once, didn't blink, just watched without making any effort to hide it. She stopped, and I just stood there til they drove off. If you're going to scream at someone do it away from my ears please.

Growing up in an Asian family, I would bet she was likely just asking him how to reset the factory settings on their blu-ray player.