Nobody Bothers to Help Hit and Run Victim

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,363493,00.html

Amazing. This guy is hit by a car and lies motionless on the ground while other pedestrians do nothing and numerous cars just drive by him. I hope they weren't inconvenienced too much to have to drive around the body.

that is just wrong on so many levels... hits on probably #1 pet peeve of mine!! (ppl who do not see that there is a world going on around them, too self involved)

The drivers were probably too busy talking on their cell phones.

Of course the hittee wasn't the smartest tool in the bag either...don't see no cross walks where he was trying to cross the street.

Agreed but at the same time, the car(s) were driving on the wrong side of the road and had crossed a double solid line. I tend to agree with the city official who said that it reflects a city that has lost its' moral compass. I just can't imagine witnessing that and not helping if I could. I also heard there was great delay calling the police. Probably too busy using the camera on their phones to dial 911.

Simply unbelievable! I don't know, 'maybe' the pedestrians were in a state of shock having just witnessed this, but that's a weak excuse. I noticed the one vehicle (maybe a mini-van) that was right there when it happened. The driver pulled off to the side, then had a few cars pass by, and then proceeded on their merry way. Again, just unbelievable...

What else is there to say, you all have already said it so well.

But I do have a question, in another thread about 20/20 and helping a child; some on here said they would not help, how is this any different?

moondrop wrote:What else is there to say, you all have already said it so well.

But I do have a question, in another thread about 20/20 and helping a child; some on here said they would not help, how is this any different?

Yes, that was me and I had the same thought.

moondrop wrote:What else is there to say, you all have already said it so well.

But I do have a question, in another thread about 20/20 and helping a child; some on here said they would not help, how is this any different?

Just taking a stab at this...

I think when it comes to kids, sadly, people are afraid to help out a kid that looks lost or something because they don't want to 'appear' to be trying to kidnap the kid or be thought of as a pedophile.

I did see some more of the video than what was on the link, and roughly a minute in, a group of people did go up to near the guy. I'm starting to think though that maybe some of the bystanders may have been employing the "don't move the victim unless there is immediate danger" method, but still, you would think that someone would have come to his side and maybe tried to alert other vehicles to steer clear of the victim.

moondrop wrote:What else is there to say, you all have already said it so well.

But I do have a question, in another thread about 20/20 and helping a child; some on here said they would not help, how is this any different?

It wasn't me, but I think whoever said that was looking at it from the perspective of possibly being labeled a predator if they help a child. And as I recall, the child in that story was not hurt. Still doesn't make it right, but I think that was the story.

I hate to judge the onlookers who did nothing because I have never been in a situation like that and therefore can't say for sure how I would react. But I'm pretty confident I would do something. Heck, go out there and stop traffic, call 911, something.

Well you check his heart beat and I'll check his wallet lol joke

That was something I saw the video this morning in my hotel room unreal flick
Man that is some city!!

I saw two cars hit the guy and then speed up and take off jeesh!!!!!!

Cincy Fan 44 wrote:
Just taking a stab at this...

I think when it comes to kids, sadly, people are afraid to help out a kid that looks lost or something because they don't want to 'appear' to be trying to kidnap the kid or be thought of as a pedophile.

I did see some more of the video than what was on the link, and roughly a minute in, a group of people did go up to near the guy. I'm starting to think though that maybe some of the bystanders may have been employing the "don't move the victim unless there is immediate danger" method, but still, you would think that someone would have come to his side and maybe tried to alert other vehicles to steer clear of the victim.

Nice stab!

I agree, there was no mortal danger to the 20/20 kid, and the guy was laying in the middle of the street. I bet people were thinking "should I stop traffic?" what if that caused a larger accident. There is nothing you can do to the body in the time span of 1 minute that could have improved his odds/chances was there? I mean most of what happens when someone is hurt is people running up and gawking at the injured. I hope people were calling 911 on their phone reporting the accident. That wouldn't have been caputred on the video, and after all, we're ALL just amateur armchair judiciaries aren't we?

I had a client who had a stroke in his car a couple years ago.. sat in his car for over a day because he couldn't move, remembers seeing numerous people come up to the car (he was parked in a cemetery) and look at him but not do anything, heard one person actually say they should call the cops but didn't want to get in trouble if nothing was wrong (there were 2 people there).

I think that's the problem anymore... not that people don't care, but that they are all worried that if they call the cops either they'll get in trouble for reporting something that is really nothing, or someone will come after them.

After hearing more about this, and then seeing the video I realized there was more to this issue.

If you watch the video, to me it looks like the guy is drunk or distracted. he kind of rambled into the street in the middle of the block. It appears that he made no effort to move after the first car missed him and the second went out of its way to avoid him but still grazed him. The third car hit him.

The neighborhood is very bad according to reports. It has a history of violence and crime so most of the locals are jaded to seeing a man down. Historically people there completely avoid the cops and it is not surprising that they don't want any involvement with police, no matter the circumstances.

As for the people who drove by...
Apparently there were at least 5 calls to 911 for help from passers by.
Most of the people were passing thru, and due to the nature of the neighborhood most just want the hell out of there and stopping was never a consideration.

With today's sue-crazy world, many people opt not to step in, less they get hammered with a suit, or worse attacked for getting involved in someone else's buisiness.

As far as the moral compass issues...Who of us have been in traffic that has slowed to a stop? Sometimes an accident on the side of the road is tough enough to see, imagine the difficulty seeing something on the ground, literally next to your car...that is in every one of your blind spots?

Chances are that you would be looking ahead following in the tracks of the guy in front of you. You certainly wouldn't bee looking for a guy on the ground if you came after the accident and traffic blocked the view. Frankly I am surprised the no one ran over him, again.

How many of us has seen an accident and thought the surely *someone* (else) has called the police?

How many of us would REALLY step out of the car in a crime riddled neighborhood, to help a guy the we almost never saw util we passed him, to give aid to him when we weren't qualified, when you assumed that help was on the way?

I am in no way defending the rubberneckers and passers by, but I can see how and why people make choices *not* to help.

Oh, we all intend to help until the right, or wrong, circumstances arise.

Oliver's Army wrote:Oh, we all intend to help until the right, or wrong, circumstances arise.

SCORE!

I have been witness to a few accidents (some really bad) and I jumped in to help everytime. Use common sense on what you do to help, of course you do not want to hurt the person anymore than they already are. Sometimes just talking to the injured really helps them or directing traffic. I would hope someone would do the same for me.

As far as a child crying by themselves in public, I would and will check everytime.

Sorry, if I offended anyone. I did not mean any one or two posters on this thread. I do not remember who said what on the 20/20 thread. This thread just reminded me of that one.

Well Put Oliver's Army !!! I have the same thoughts