NationStates Jolt Archive

Sorry if this has already been covered. I have not seen a thread about this.

http://news.aol.com/story/_a/bystanders-ignore-hit-and-run-victim/20080605164309990001

The last car in the video that pulls up to the victim is a police car that happened to be passing by. Appearantly no one called 911.

I certainly hope they identify the car that hit him.

That's terrible. It was evil of passersby not to summon medical attention.

Lets see four people called 911 within a minute. The first police were there within two minutes of the call. This also was in the inner city from what I read. Sounds a bit like the norm for run down areas unfortunately.

Wow.. just wow... things like this always surprise me.

Okay, I don't think it was that bad.

The very worst thing was the driver who hit him speeding off like that, that I see as despicable.

As for the bystanders, it's quite a shocking moment, so people slowly approach while discussing the 'shock' of the moment, within a minute there's a crowd discussing what to do before the police car arrives.

Often, people assume someone else has already rung the police, people don't realise it's their responsibility. This is a perfectly natural phenomenon.

What are you supposed to do, granted call an ambulance but better not to move him, better to wait for professional help.

It's not like people were poking him with sticks or anything.

Okay, I don't think it was that bad.

The very worst thing was the driver who hit him speeding off like that, that I see as despicable.

As for the bystanders, it's quite a shocking moment, so people slowly approach while discussing the 'shock' of the moment, within a minute there's a crowd discussing what to do before the police car arrives.

Often, people assume someone else has already rung the police, people don't realise it's their responsibility. This is a perfectly natural phenomenon.

What are you supposed to do, granted call an ambulance but better not to move him, better to wait for professional help.

It's not like people were poking him with sticks or anything.
People should have immediately called for medical attention. Redundant calls to dispatchers are better than none at all.

People should have immediately called for medical attention. Redundant calls to dispatchers are better than none at all.

'Should' blah, blah, people don't, we all think we'd react perfectly in these situations, perhaps some of us do but the larger a crowd, the less likely the call will be made.

'Should' blah, blah, people don't, we all think we'd react perfectly in these situations, perhaps some of us do but the larger a crowd, the less likely the call will be made.
I'm not disputing that people do not do the right thing. But you asked what people are supposed to do. So I suggested calling for medical attention.

I'm not disputing that people do not do the right thing. But you asked what people are supposed to do. So I suggested calling for medical attention.

Well, I'm fairly sure that if the police car had not arrived as soon as it did, someone would have shortly asked whether anyone had called an ambulance.

I just don't think it's the statement on society that the reactions quoted in the article suggest.

I don't care.

Well, I'm fairly sure that if the police car had not arrived as soon as it did, someone would have shortly asked whether anyone had called an ambulance.

I just don't think it's the statement on society that the reactions quoted in the article suggest.
I'd say it's a statement about the particular people who failed to respond post haste after seeing a speeding vehicle on the wrong side of the street hit a man causing him to go flying.

Though it did look like a few people had cell phones out, but it is hard to tell from the picture.

I'd say it's a statement about the particular people who failed to respond post haste after seeing a speeding vehicle on the wrong side of the street hit a man causing him to go flying.

Though it did look like a few people had cell phones out, but it is hard to tell from the picture.

Possibly, I don't really see anyone casually walking past, anyone on the pavement stops, asks what happened and the crowd slowly gathers around. It's not like people casually walked on by.

For those present at the moment of impact, that was pretty damn shocking, you see the nearest person walk towards and then walk away but she doesn't leave, I think the overall shock just caught her.

The scooter guy is pretty, I don't know, but then I can't say that he isn't racing off for help, other than that there's already what seems to be a crowd of people beginning to deal with the situation.

Personally, I think it's all a fairly normal situation, while it remains true that people in cities are more wary of helping people in trouble out than elsewhere, more a statement on living in a city than individual people.

Barringtonia is probably right. Besides that, I'm sure that someone in the background made a call.

As for the driver, I dare to say, it's not unnatural to panic and experience a shock. It's easy for us, sitting on a desk behind a computer, say that this is unacceptable, but in the end, what matters is what we would have done in their place...

Barringtonia is probably right. Besides that, I'm sure that someone in the background made a call.

As for the driver, I dare to say, it's not unnatural to panic and experience a shock. It's easy for us, sitting on a desk behind a computer, say that this is unacceptable, but in the end, what matters is what we would have done in their place...

You are probably right. I personally would turn the car around and run over the crowd gathering. No witnesses = no problem. ;)

If there had only been a single bystander, the victim would have most likely gotten help practically immediately. It's a problem with crowd psychology, not a matter of apathy. When there's a crowd people are more likely to think "why isn't anyone doing anything" than "maybe I should do something". If you're victim in such a situation and still able to speak, the way to get help is appeal to a specific person.
It is perhaps something people should be trained to deal with, but it's not their really fault they weren't.

You are probably right. I personally would turn the car around and run over the crowd gathering. No witnesses = no problem. ;)

Yeah, as I originally said, the driver's pretty despicable, my first reaction would be to hit the brakes immediately but then they didn't seem to be particularly responsible drivers.

Given I don't have a driving license, it would be pretty irresponsible of me as well if I think about it but the point remains.

Yeah, as I originally said, the driver's pretty despicable, my first reaction would be to hit the brakes immediately but then they didn't seem to be particularly responsible drivers.

Given I don't have a driving license, it would be pretty irresponsible of me as well if I think about it but the point remains.

Considering where this happened within the city there are not to many responsible people around. This doesn't shock me at all. If this happened in Suburbia we wouldn't be talking about it now.

It's not like people were poking him with sticks or anything.

The first guy to step out looked like he was taking pictures with his cell phone. Thats pretty much the modern equivalent of poking with a stick.

I don't care.

You beat me to the obvious joke, so now I'm going to beat you with that big stick some guy gave Obama. :p

Gotta stop posting at 5 AM I get weirder than usual when I can't sleep.

The first guy to step out looked like he was taking pictures with his cell phone. Thats pretty much the modern equivalent of poking with a stick.

Or he was collecting evidence to show the officers/display in court as a witness.

Lets see four people called 911 within a minute. The first police were there within two minutes of the call. This also was in the inner city from what I read. Sounds a bit like the norm for run down areas unfortunately.

Did you read the article?

"Several cars pass Torres as a few people stare from the sidewalk. Some approach Torres, but most stay put until a police cruiser responding to an unrelated call arrives on the scene after about a minute and a half."

Did you read the article?

Some people read more than one article...

Roberts had said Wednesday that he was not aware if anyone had called 911. But Torres said, "Within one minute of the victim having been struck, there were four 911 calls to the city of Hartford, calling for ambulances and describing the vehicles and the direction that those vehicles were headed.

Link (http://www.courant.com/news/local/hr/hc-civility0606.artjun06,0,1638632.story)

Always worth checking these things :)

Sorry if this has already been covered. I have not seen a thread about this.

http://news.aol.com/story/_a/bystanders-ignore-hit-and-run-victim/20080605164309990001

The last car in the video that pulls up to the victim is a police car that happened to be passing by. Appearantly no one called 911.

I certainly hope they identify the car that hit him.

The bystanders did the right thing. The man probably broke so many bones that it would have been a definite mistake to move him. But you really can't tell if 911 was called because the man was only there for 2 or so minutes before the police car came. In my experience it takes quite a good deal longer for the ambulance to arrive.

It's called the Bystander Effect. It's not a moral issue, it's a psychological one with crowds. Look it up on wiki. There's an upside however, namely the fact that people that know about it are less likely to fall for it. I know because I managed not to exactly due to the knowledge. :)

*Watches as a cartoon soldier goes "and knowing is half the battle".

*Watches as the cartoon soldier gets maimed by a cartoon IED.

*Helps, but only because there's no big group around.

Did you read the article?

I watched a news conference about it. The police chief was setting things straight.

the whole thing does look shocking-from the one car brushing the guy and the second nailing him-and both continuing on.

The one that hit him squarely then makes an immediate right hand turn-I think that driver fully realized what happened and decided to get the hell out of there,putting a few turns between himself and anyone that would read his plate#.

The guy laying still and alone is troubling because you want to see people rush to him and make and effort to prevent the next cars from running him over, give him some comfort or possible first aid.

You want to believe you would do so if you were there and cant imagine why no one else in teh video does.

In my experience with accidents,the ones I have been at or involved in, I have always encountered someone there that has some fist aid experience.Maybe cooincidence but I've seen off duty EMTs, police and emergency room nurses that just happened to be near and had gear and experience with them.

We need more good people trained and equipped and willing to help victims in their first moments of need.

It's certainly depressing, but it's nothing new, and as others have pointed out, it's rather a textbook case of the bystander effect. The message one should take away from these events is less "people are scum" and more "if ever I see such a thing, I won't wait for someone else to do something, but just do it myself."

*The OP*
Obviously not, or you wouldn't have asked, now, would you?

The guy laying still and alone is troubling because you want to see people rush to him and make and effort to prevent the next cars from running him over, give him some comfort or possible first aid.

You want to believe you would do so if you were there and cant imagine why no one else in teh video does.

In my experience with accidents,the ones I have been at or involved in, I have always encountered someone there that has some fist aid experience.Maybe cooincidence but I've seen off duty EMTs, police and emergency room nurses that just happened to be near and had gear and experience with them.

We need more good people trained and equipped and willing to help victims in their first moments of need.

A trend I've noticed here in Chicago is companies or office buildings sponsoring CPR/defibrillator training during the workday. The guy who came to our office was great, because he talked a lot about people's concerns about helping (what if I do something wrong, could I get hurt if I try to help, etc.) and he drummed it into the audience that doing nothing was just as much of a choice as trying something, and almost always the wrong choice at that.

Given how every office seemed to be doing this at the same time, it may have been a government-subsidized thing, related to disaster-preparedness. If so, it was money well spent.

Barringtonia is probably right. Besides that, I'm sure that someone in the background made a call.

As for the driver, I dare to say, it's not unnatural to panic and experience a shock. It's easy for us, sitting on a desk behind a computer, say that this is unacceptable, but in the end, what matters is what we would have done in their place...

I know what i wouldn't have done. I wouldn't have been racing my car around town, as it seems these two were doing. Its irresponsible and dangerous, just the other day I had to wait to get out of a parking lot becasue two cars were racing (in a circle) around the lot like idiots. Thankfully I've never hit anyone, but I would contribute that to me being careful and considerate as opposed to lucky.

Maybe they all just really hated the old guy. Has no one considered that?

Or he was collecting evidence to show the officers/display in court as a witness.

I'd give 80-20 odds in this case. 80 that he's texting his friends with "OMG LOOK AT THIS THING I SAW" and 20 that he's collecting evidence.

This is not apathy at all these people did the right thing. Unless you are a trained professional (ems, doc, nurse, police, or someone trained in first aid like me [lifeguard]) you should absolutely not touch someone under those circumstances you saw how that man was thrown he most definitely had some form of a neck injury that would require stabilization and moving him out of the street. something no bystander could do without inflicting futher injury. I aplaud those people on the street for waiting for the pros to come in. the other drivers that followed the h&r car should have run him off the road

Forgetting the Bystander Effect, the cynic in me can't help but wonder how many of them did nothing because they feared they would get sued for malpractice if they did, wrether they would cause any real harm or not.

Many people know that moving someone in that situation could make the injuries worse... even fatal.

add to that the common perception of Liability and that most people don't know about the Good Samaritan laws...

all in all, I called 911 when I came upon a hit and run. infact several people did. So no, apathy hasn't taken over.

There ARE some things even a totaly untrained person can do. Talking to the man is one thing. Morale has a HUGE effect on whether or not a person can survive an injury, and even if it looks like he's unconcious, it cant hurt.
Calling 911 is another good idea.
Or just trying to keep the crowd back a bit so he doesnt get stepped on or something.

Just standing around gawking isnt very helpful at all.

HELP HIM, DON'T STAND THERE LOOKING AT HIM LIKE AN IDIOT, HELP HIM! :mad: