Stop and ask!

[Electric_Andy]

Tricky one. I fully support stopping (safely) and asking from a distance if everything is ok. The trouble is, like with anything, the actions of a few have tarnished the good surface of humanity. You might get scammed, or hurt, or a mouthful of cheek (as I did once - stupid girl, she can sort her own problems out next time).

But looking out for others is a must IMHO. The next person you see might be desperate for help. And it doesn't usually cost you much time or money.

The other thing is the "someone else is probably helping already" mentality. Or "I can see a phone in their hand, they must be able to call someone" or "if they wanted help they could have flagged me down".

 

[screenman]

Perhaps this is the rub.

You are more exposed to people, both in need and not and have experience of both.

Many people don't, they just get on their train, see the same passengers and are never challenged. When they are, they don't know what to do, how risky it could be or how to ensure that they are safe, so just carry on by....feeling guilt and doubt but also feeling safe.

I would be guessing but I reckon ex and current service, police, emergency staff are more likely to stop and help than most people.

How about ex south London Car dealer.

 

[jonny jeez]

How about ex south London Car dealer.

You are never an ex car dealer.

You can take the trader out of sarf London....

But to your point, yes perhaps, a car dealer will have plenty of interaction with many social types, some street knowledge, some savy and is most often "local" so know the manor and its inhabitants.

 

[screenman]

Bu, going back to the start, there must have been a 100+ cars go past this poor women sitting in freezing drizzle wrapped in what looke like a dressing gown. Surely not all those people were lacking in confidence, I think for sure they had plenty of cannot be bothered.

The old fellow of ancient years struggling to get his wheel off for over 45 minutes, again hundreds of cars and lorries going past, the old fellow in his seventies pushing his bike for 2 1/2 hours on busy roads without one person stopping, I could of course carry on.

In reality I feel a lot of people think, I cannot be bothered, rather than what if.

 

[lutonloony]

MAy be it's a generation thing? I was brought up to help people if you could. the younger generation (obviously a major generalisation) seem to be so self centred they have no time for anybody else

 

[Salad Dodger]

A few months ago, as I was driving home from work about 5pm on an Autumn evening and it was cold and just getting dark, I saw a MAMIL cyclist stopped by the side of the road, hunched over his bike and looking not quite right. It was in a bit of a deserted place, so if he had broken down he might be in a difficult spot.

I stopped about 50 yards up the road and ran back to see if he needed help, at the same time trying to figure out whether I would be able to get his bike into the back of the car if he needed a ride home.

It turned out that he had just ridden up a long hill out of the local town, and had bettered his Strava time for that road quite considerably - but at the cost of nearly bursting his lungs in the effort! He was grateful for someone bothering to stop and check on him........

 

[screenman]

MAy be it's a generation thing? I was brought up to help people if you could. the younger generation (obviously a major generalisation) seem to be so self centred they have no time for anybody else

I find the complete opposite in these parts.

 

[summerdays]

MAy be it's a generation thing? I was brought up to help people if you could. the younger generation (obviously a major generalisation) seem to be so self centred they have no time for anybody else

The current youngsters have really had it drummed into them "not to talk to strangers", and probably mixed less with their general community, than those who are slightly older. However I've seen plenty of teens who have got involved in many ways to help strangers.

 

[lutonloony]

Having pooh poohed the younger generation , I feel that maybe I should redress the balance. Whilst in a shop the other day, due to staff restocking shelves there was a very narrow gap. All the youngsters that came through said sorry, thankyou etc, it was in fact the old biddies that just pushed through with no comment. Maybe it's a sad fact that there are arses whatever age

Also find it very annoying when you get no thanks when you try to help, from holding doors open and beyond