Have a go halfwits

[KarlD]

I don't know what it is about people who tackle armed robbers in the street but there was another one today who chased a bank robber and he was on the news grinning away.
I don't know if its just me but if you see someone who has just robbed a bank of someone elses money then look the other way.If you are stupid enough to chase an armed bank robber then you shouldn't expect any sympathy when you get shot.

 

[Cavynaut]

I don't know what it is about people who tackle armed robbers in the street but there was another one today who chased a bank robber and he was on the news grinning away.

For some people, it's a natural reaction.

It's commonly called "trying to help".

 

[Spookdaddy]

For some people, it's a natural reaction.

It's commonly called "trying to help".

Yup.

Undeniably there are many things intrinsic to that thing we call human nature which are not particularly admirable. Personally I would exclude from that list the instinct to tackle someone you consider to have done wrong, despite their possession of superior physical force.

If the 'right' thing to do whenever we're faced with superior odds, is hide in a ditch, then there's not much hope for us.

 

[escargot]

I agree - sometimes you have to stick your oar in.

People who do are usually portrayed as heroes in the media, rather than as, say, vigilantes or fools. This is probably because they fulfil a function of balancing the lucrative bad news - crime is overwhelming us, we're doomed! - with a little good news. If they didn't, we'd eventually stop listening. They can't have that.

 

[KarlD]

well

Well call me a coward but at least I won't get stabbed in the face by a crack addict over 50 quid hes just nicked from an off-licence.

 

[Peripart]

Fair enough, and I guess most of us would be cowards in that situation, too. That doesn't mean, however, that we should have a go at that small minority who, through bravery or just instinct, decide to get involved.

 

[Pietro_Mercurios]

Re: well

Well call me a coward but at least I won't get stabbed in the face by a crack addict over 50 quid hes just nicked from an off-licence.

How a Society dies.

 

[_Lizard23_]

I witnessed a bank robbery once in my late teens. I was sitting on the front wall of our house smoking, directly across the street from the crappy village branch of the Midland. I watched a bloke get out of a car, put on a crash helmet and go in the bank. I watched him come out again a bit later, run down the street, chuck his crash helmet over a wall and get into a car which drove off. I watched the police turn up and question a load of people and fingerprint things. They found the crash helmet. No one spoke to me, I never felt in any danger and at no point did I feel any need to 'get involved'. The bank people got the rest of the day off.

The whole thing seemed almost surreally mundane considering it was quite big news for a little village and life like mine.

I guess you don't know how you're going to react to things.

 

[Pietro_Mercurios]

...

I guess you don't know how you're going to react to things.

Quite. It's not so much the idea of failing to act in the face of danger that's worrying, so much as the idea of boasting of one's lack of social responsibility.

Never mind banks, or village post offices, supposing someone did get injured, or killed, in the process? Supposing, it was a little old lady, getting a kicking in the street, because she won't let go of her handbag?

Serve her right for being so stubborn?

Supposing it was a youngster getting a kicking, for being in the wrong place, at the wrong time?

Tough titty, glad it's not me?

A young woman getting dragged towards some bushes...

etc?

 

[WabbitHunter]

Years ago I saved a man from getting a kicking. Some hoodies ran up behind him, smacked him in the back of the head, knocking him out cold. This all happened in the middle of the day in a suburban street. The boys ran off and then started to creep up on him. I saw him lying on the floor and didn't know if he was still alive as I was standing on my balcony. I started screaming and shouting at these lads making them run away, whilst someone phoned for the police and an ambulance.

Two days ago I found out that he recently had been sent down for murdering his girlfriend. When I found out I was shell-shocked, BUT I know that I did the right thing and wouldn't have done any different if it happened again.

In one way Lizard is right, you don't know how you are going to react, but we shouldn't just stand back if someone is brave enough to intervene. When I was kid I remember my parents ignoring the fact that our neighbour was getting a beating from her ex-husband and they did nothing even after I asked them what was happening and whether they were going to phone the police. I was told that it was non of our business. I will never forget the screaming. Never.

 

[KarlD]

...

I guess you don't know how you're going to react to things.

Quite. It's not so much the idea of failing to act in the face of danger that's worrying, so much as the idea of boasting of one's lack of social responsibility.

Never mind banks, or village post offices, supposing someone did get injured, or killed, in the process? Supposing, it was a little old lady, getting a kicking in the street, because she won't let go of her handbag?

Serve her right for being so stubborn?

Supposing it was a youngster getting a kicking, for being in the wrong place, at the wrong time?

Tough titty, glad it's not me?

A young woman getting dragged towards some bushes...

etc?

We have what are known as police officers and if people have this overwelming urge to help prevent the breakdown of civilisation then they should go and apply to be a police officer, otherwise don't be a dick cos it will get you shot for nothing.

 

[MsPix]

OK, I'd be perfectly happy to let you get your head kicked in. If the Police aren't around, well that's life isn't it.

 

[ramonmercado]

Re: well

Well call me a coward but at least I won't get stabbed in the face by a crack addict over 50 quid hes just nicked from an off-licence.

How a Society dies.

I won't get involved if its just money being robbed from a business. But I have done so when addicts/winos have attacked people. There is of course a danger that I could be charged with assault if I used "excessive force".

Its not a good idea to confront someone with a gun. If your life or that of a loved one is at risk its a different matter.

 

[Peripart]

We have what are known as police officers and if people have this overwelming urge to help prevent the breakdown of civilisation then they should go and apply to be a police officer, otherwise don't be a dick cos it will get you shot for nothing.

Your sarcasm, and calling us all dicks, is gaining you many friends, I'm sure.

Like I said before, I realise that most people wouldn't get involved in stopping a bank robbery, and I'm sure I'm one of the ones who wouldn't. But where do you draw the line? Like Pietro says, there must come a point (eg old lady getting beaten, woman being dragged off) where one feels the need to do something. Eventually, I like to think that I would stop being the coward that I am, and try to do some good. There isn't a policeman on every corner, so I can't find it in myself to despise anyone who tries to intervene when a crime is committed. I certainly wouldn't consider them a dick or halfwit.

 

[Cavynaut]

We have what are known as police officers and if people have this overwelming urge to help prevent the breakdown of civilisation then they should go and apply to be a police officer, otherwise don't be a dick cos it will get you shot for nothing.

I'm risking a banning here, but what the hell.

You, Karl, are the answer to the question, "What's wrong with this society?". Selfish and stupid....and not necessarily in that order.

 

[stu neville]

I'm risking a banning here, but what the hell.

No you're not.

Valid point.

 

[ramonmercado]

I'm risking a banning here, but what the hell.

No you're not.

Valid point.

Hear, hear!

Far from being banned, Cavy deserves a field promotion to Mod.

 

[KarlD]

OK, I'd be perfectly happy to let you get your head kicked in. If the Police aren't around, well that's life isn't it.

Yes exactly, you don't get paid to get involved the police do, I didn't realise that the old have a go mentality was still alive, maybe its a relic from the days when everyone did what they were told.Dunno its interesting though. It seems to be that people feel the need to protect the vunerable which is fair enough but why people want to chase down bank robbers is beyond me.

 

[KarlD]

I'm risking a banning here, but what the hell.

No you're not.

Valid point.

Ah yes rather than joining in the debate in any kind of rational way we hurl insults, very nice.

 

[KarlD]

Now if some one wants to pay me to stand on the corner outside banks waiting to catch bank robbers then thats fair enough, and I could have a uniform and a hat and everything.
If on the other hand I want to play vigilanties and go round taking the law into my own hands and inteveaning in every fight I see then I would more than likely get myself arrested.
Wether thats stupid or not i don't know it might mean that there should be more police officers getting paid to prevent street crimes rather than members of the public.

 

[stu neville]

I'm risking a banning here, but what the hell.

No you're not.

Valid point.

Ah yes rather than joining in the debate in any kind of rational way we hurl insults, very nice.

I was reassuring a poster that he wasn't going to get banned.

I would add, Karl, that you're in no position to take any form of moral high-ground, as most of your output consists of self-righteous belittling of the beliefs, opinions and attitudes of others.

And by the way, don't try to sark me. You will regret it.

 

[WhistlingJack]

I'm risking a banning here, but what the hell.

No you're not.

Valid point.

Ah yes rather than joining in the debate in any kind of rational way we hurl insults, very nice.

Calm down, everyone.

KarlD expressed an opinion on 'have-a-go heroes', based on their actions, while Cavynaut expressed an opinion on KarlD, based on their posts in this thread - let's leave it at that and move on, shall we?

 

[GNC]

What did Charles Fort have to say on the matter? What? He didn't mention it? Fancy that.