To intervene or to Not intervene, that is the question...

[free]

That*s wild - the beach story.

A few summers ago we spent most of it at our other home in UK. We*d go to the beach every afternoon after I finished tending to biz. One day, this (super sexxxy) young single mom with a 3yr old boy made friends with us oddly quickly. We invited them to join our picnic lunch, just hung out around our blanket for maybe 30min - as long as it takes to feed our four littler girls 3, 5, & 9 then. So, we didn*t know her well* She was Lithuanian, didn*t seem crazy, was articulate & clearly (seemingly) intelligent.

All of the sudden she shrieks - her little boy was floating away and screaming, could barely swim. The North Sea in Northumberland can have wild tides, but was relatively calm that day.

I ran and grabbed the kid while she just panicked squealed and pointed. I was like WTF with her after. But the cute mom shouted at me that she assumed I would watch him!! haha. I mean. I just met them and offers them some chicken and fruit. We never moved on to me caring for her kid! lol

People are strange.

In Russia on a bus trip, we stopped to use roadside outhouses. When it was her turn to use the outhouse, the woman in front of me handed me her little girl to hold while she used the toilet....and barely said a word to me when doing so.

[Manxdriver]

Many years ago, well before shall issue, I was driving home on Christmas Eve. At a red light, a guy was trying to drag a young lady into his pickup. He was being pretty violent about it and I guess my Momma raised me wrong, but I wasn*t going to let that happen. So I got out and made it clear that if she didn*t want to get in the truck then she wasn*t going to. Dude turns to me and reaches behind his back. I recall thinking to myself damn! I*m dead. Turns out it was his wallet and he wanted to show me a firefighter ID. But it is a feeling I*ll never forget.

So, just being a firefighter makes it ok to kidnap strange women? I might have missed something.

[free]

So, just being a firefighter makes it ok to kidnap strange women? I might have missed something.

I was thinking the same thing. I mean, was it a license to use his hose?

[streaker69]

I think I see a difference between "intervene" and "help" while I guess the line could easily be blurred depending upon the situation. Most people are probably able to tell the difference. I will help if it within my ability to do so. I will not go into water after a stranger, as I don't feel as though I'm a strong enough swimmer to do so. I have stopped to help people that needed it along side the road many times. I've pulled people out of snow banks, helped change tires, helped change a radiator hose and drove a family from along side the highway to a place they could make a phone call, pre cellphone days.

I have picked up hitch hikers, most recently last year with another forum member along for the ride. Only was worried one time, when the guy wanted to pay me for the trip with drugs. I told him I didn't do that, and he politely asked to be let out. I did and he went his way. I will not intervene in situations that obviously can turn violent, but I will sit back and observe as long as I can do so safely. Picking up hitch hikers, yes, I will make that decision based upon their appearance.

My #2 and I a few months ago picked an old lady off the floor when she fell in he grocery store. We gave her a quick evaluation to see if she was hurt, and she wasn't. She was close to smacking her head on a cart when she fell. We initially wanted her to stay sitting, but she was stubborn and wanted to get up. I figured the store would have wanted her to stay down until an ambulance arrived to check her out, but she wasn't having that. I carefully hooked my forearms under her arms and lifted her straight up and then held her there to make sure she was steady. She seemed to be ok so we continued shopping. We came back by that way and she was talking to the store managers about it. After she left them I went to the store managers and told them it was me that helped her up, all the managers in there know me.

[free]

In the past, I have helped...including some ridiculous level of helpfulness in a few cases. I changed someone's tire at -20F, in the dark, on the side of a busy highway. I doubt I would do that anymore. And I still leave the door open for helping people when I can. I'm not a TOTAL asshole. But I'm much more cautious these days. With respect to vehicle stuff....everyone has a cell phone. They can just call someone and wait. I'll pick up hitchhikers, based on circumstances.

But this thread is really more about intervening in situations involving a gun, or potentially involving a gun, based on the video. That's entirely different from someone drowning, having car problems, etc. Their focus is clearly on the use of deadly force and things surrounding that.

As a side note, even as someone with lifeguard and rescue diver certifications (as lame as they may be), there is just no way I'm jumping in the water to save an adult. Just too fucking dangerous. I'm happy to offer an extension or throw a ring or whatever, but I'm not gonna endanger myself that way.

[JAKIII]

Agree with streaker about "intervene" versus "help".

Years ago I saw a random citizen perform the Heimlich maneuver on a choking person in a packed Wendy's. The chunk of food clogging the guy's airway shot out of his mouth like a bullet... saved his life.

I'd have "helped" in the same manner, had I noticed sooner.

[streaker69]

I'm still kicking myself for not stopping one night up in the Valleys crossing one of the ridges when I came across 5 young amish ladies walking behind a buggy that was struggling up the mountain in the rain. It was cold and a steady rain and I should have stopped and offered them a ride over the mountain to a dry spot in the town at the bottom. I didn't because it was shortly after the body of Linda Stolzfoos was found and I was worried they would be scared.

[free]

I totally do not understand someone's inclination to intervene when two people seem to be engaged in mutually-agreeable combat. I mean, what the fuck are they thinking? If two guys want to beat the shit out of each other, just enjoy the free show. A lot of people pay good money for that shit.

[imashooter2]

So, just being a firefighter makes it ok to kidnap strange women? I might have missed something.

I don*t know what his thought process was, but as he was distracted showing me ID the woman scampered and I followed suit shortly after. I called 911 when I got home, but I was too shook up to catch a license number and I never heard back from the police.

[Excommunicated]

I'm still kicking myself for not stopping one night up in the Valleys crossing one of the ridges when I came across 5 young amish ladies walking behind a buggy that was struggling up the mountain in the rain. It was cold and a steady rain and I should have stopped and offered them a ride over the mountain to a dry spot in the town at the bottom. I didn't because it was shortly after the body of Linda Stolzfoos was found and I was worried they would be scared.

Had to look up Linda Stolzfoos case. Tragic. POS got a plea deal to reveal where her body was. I hope he gets some prison justice.