People Aren’t Helping
THE ROAD TO HELL …
By Mande Wilkes
FITSNews – June 8, 2008 – Not since Kitty Genovese has there been such a well-publicized display of inexcusable public apathy.
Last week, a 78-year old Connecticut man lay still in the street after he was struck by a car. Oncoming traffic swerved and pedestrians stared; nobody helped.
He was left there in the street, motionless, apparently nothing more than a toppled human traffic cone.
But was this scenario really fueled by apathy, or was it something else that paralyzed the bystanders?
Frankly, we doubt that apathy really played any part whatsoever; rather, it was fear that caused these people’s un-reaction.
The government has done such a thorough job of screwing everyone over in our hopelessly-litigious society that many people unfortunately prefer to “stay out of it.”
It’s the “I just work here” mentality, the rush to not get involved.
Bryant Hayre, one of the onlookers, expressed precisely this sentiment, explaining that he didn’t feel comfortable offering help. Which sucks, but we get it.
Seriously, you just never know when some random and harmless act of helping someone out in their time of distress will come back to bite you.
There are so many thousands of laws and causes of action and ordinances and regulations that it’s probably prudent to walk straight, look down, and avoid all contact.
In fact, there are even a set of laws designed expressly to address bystanders who aid in a crisis.
Ironically termed the “Good Samaritan Laws,” these statutes are aimed at encouraging onlooker assistance, but do nothing to prohibit the imposition of civil and criminal liability on a person offering help.
And so people are routinely sued and prosecuted for being “Good Samaritans,” and although it’s probably not quite as dire as ordinary people believe, it is the “ordinary people” who need to feel secure offering assistance.
The very existence of the liability provisions is completely contrary to public policy: It punishes helpful actors, thereby encouraging a non-reaction – which people tritely refer to as apathy.
After all, wouldn’t you want somebody to help if it was you lying in the street?
Comments
By b on June 8th, 2008 at 7:17 pm
show me one lawsuit… Who keeps giving this ignorant hooker the keyboard?
By H.R. Pufnstuf on June 8th, 2008 at 9:24 pm
This is a terrible post. So far, I’ve not been impressed by the new contributor.
It’s Primary Week in the Palmetto State, and we get this garbage? WTF Fits?
By Gillon on June 8th, 2008 at 9:27 pm
Let me understand this now—if we just had less government then people would be more apt to aid 78 year old victims of hit and run drivers who lay helpless in the street? Wow, are you sure that this despicable act of public apathy wasn’t also caused by their taxes being too high? Or maybe it was because they didn’t have school choice?
By Guero on June 8th, 2008 at 9:42 pm
She’s a proud member of the Repugnant Party, don’t confuse her with the facts. “b”’s right. There are no lawsuits, only ignoramuses like her.
By Waldo on June 8th, 2008 at 9:42 pm
Maybe everyone thought he was gay. You’ll understand that as a reason to look the other way (assless chaps jokes, anyone?)
By Believe It Not (a.k.a. Sic Willie's Stalker) on June 8th, 2008 at 9:58 pm
sic(k) willie, you brainless slug. Since this story first “broke” is has been shown that Brazillions of people called 911. Are you trained in EMS?
By Mande on June 8th, 2008 at 11:55 pm
“Brazillions of people” called 911? Umm…try 4.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24989558
By AngelsInTheOutfield on June 9th, 2008 at 4:58 am
I think you all just proved Mande right. Callousness run amuck.
By Toyota Kawesaki on June 9th, 2008 at 7:16 am
Mande this is Mork calling come back to Mars.Leave earth now and denounce your earthly name come home Mindy me and E.T. are here for you
By Dude on June 9th, 2008 at 8:02 am
“Ironically termed the “Good Samaritan Laws,†these statutes are aimed at encouraging onlooker assistance, but do nothing to prohibit the imposition of civil and criminal liability on a person offering help.”
South Carolina Code section 15-1-310. Liability for emergency care rendered at scene of accident.
Any person, who in good faith gratuitously renders emergency care at the scene of an accident or emergency to the victim thereof, shall not be liable for any civil damages for any personal injury as a result of any act or omission by such person in rendering the emergency care or as a result of any act or failure to act to provide or arrange for further medical treatment or care for the injured person, except acts or omissions amounting to gross negligence or wilful or wanton misconduct.
HISTORY: 1962 Code § 46-803; 1964 (53) 2164.
By Bobby McGill on June 9th, 2008 at 8:31 am
Uhmm… the video is nice.
Bobby
idlewordship.com
By Silence Dogood on June 9th, 2008 at 8:41 am
Dude, you beat me to the punch. I realize the enjoyment and group think mentality of blaming everything on the “evil trail attorneys” who go about their days cooking up frivilous law suits, but let’s face it, our own apathy would rank among at least a few things we can’t blame on trial lawyers.
I would rank this more as a societal problem rather than a litigous problem. Also, for anyone who has every had emergency rescue medicine, one thing you quickly learn is that people who don’t have any training or ability to help will usually just look onward with concerned stares and just do nothing or walk in confused circles around the problem – from this ridiculous post I realize now that it is based on thougths of “Oh my God! this guy is going to bleed to death – Damn it all, I’d love to apply pressure to his leg, raise his arm above his head or even tie a tourney, but I’m probably going to get sued by John Edwards!”
By Silence Dogood on June 9th, 2008 at 8:51 am
Scratch my last comment, I just watched the video and help arrived after like 50 seconds or less, and to the:
“Oncoming traffic swerved and pedestrians stared; nobody helped.”
The only oncoming car after the wreck actually stopped and the next car to arrive was the police.
There were several people standing out in the street with him – I assume traffice was “swerving” around these people also but I missed it?
This is actually one of the fastest reponses I have every seen, and frankly if the people on the scene weren’t first responders they probably did the guy A FAVOR by just calling the police and not picking him up off the pavement.
Talking about reaching for an article – I have to agree that if we would have extended the Bush tax cuts (and tried to double the naationl debt once over…again) this never would have happened.
By Dude on June 9th, 2008 at 8:58 am
I agree its societal not legal. If you are interested in seeing a story more pertinent to the frivolous lawsuit litigation problem see Will’s post about how he’s going to sue Catherine Ceips. Now that’s rich!
By Paco on June 9th, 2008 at 9:26 am
Funny to hear someone on this site complain about how many lawsuits…I think I read on here recently about how Will was going to file suit against Creips over her remarks. What a fucking joke! Lawsuits are bad, until they are filed because someone said someone said something bad about me. Seems like filing such a suit would clog up the courts with junk lawsuits when courts have more important business to tend to. You either believe there are too many lawsuits and you do what you can to cut down on them or you file lawsuits over every little affront and contribute to the problem. You can’t have it both ways.
By Negatron on June 9th, 2008 at 9:32 am
I would complain again about “Mandeh” but it is getting a little sad.
By Believe It Not (a.k.a. Sic Willie's Stalker) on June 9th, 2008 at 10:34 am
Mandeeee,
That’s likely 00% of the people who saw it who had cell phones. We polled in the public spirited BIN News Editorial Staff. Several Senior Editors told us that many times they report accidents via their cell phones only to be told that others had already reported it.
This is just another willie scam. It’s not even an original willie scam. He cherry picked this from the liberal media that he loves to hate.
Mande, you are what you eat, and you reflect those you associate with. Watch your back associating with sic(k) willie. And your career.
BIN News Editorial Staff
By Believe It Not (a.k.a. Sic Willie's Stalker) on June 9th, 2008 at 10:35 am
Hate them typos: 100%
By justWondern on June 9th, 2008 at 10:53 am
Dadgomit Mande, now you went and done again. Seems like every time a post appears on this website with your name attached, every “expert” on lawsuits, societal behavior, and anything and everything responds.
By Dude on June 9th, 2008 at 11:57 am
Sometimes it doesn’t take an expert to recognize ignorance.
By Chastity Jarvis on June 9th, 2008 at 3:26 pm
I wouldn’t help that old dude niether cuz he probably got AIDS or something. Might poke him with a stick, maybe still his wallet.