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djellison

macrumors 68020
Feb 2, 2007
2,229
4
Pasadena CA
Don't assume that just because you wouldn't do anything about it, .

Please state where I said I wouldn't do anything about it... oh, that's right...

I didn't.

And indeed - nor did the people there. 4 of them phoned the emergency services ( the only safe and logical thing to do ) within minutes.

If you're going to mount the moral high-horse...please do so with some truth emanating from your mouth.
 

Consultant

macrumors G5
Jun 27, 2007
13,314
34
You render aid, you get sued.

You don't render aid, you get sued.

Any more questions??

You saw it happen, ask if anyone calling the police.
Call police, tell them about the situation and stay there until ambulance arrive. That is the right thing to do. Not really a way to get sued for that.

I would not move the victim, unless you are a trained EMT.

I would also tell the vehicle description.

maybe the only sensible thing to do is phone the police ( which happened ) and leave the guy alone ( which happened )

No one called the police.

Police said Torres was found lying in the road by an officer responding to an unrelated call

The problem is no one called the police.
 

srl7741

macrumors 68020
Jan 19, 2008
2,207
84
GMT-6
You render aid, you get sued.

You don't render aid, you get sued.

Any more questions??


No you can't get sued, the reason is the "Good Samaritan law" which prevents anyone from being sued in events like this. It's also meant to encourage others to assist in things just like that.
 

Thunderpuppy

macrumors newbie
Apr 28, 2005
26
0
Houston, Texas
Why In The Heck Are You Shocked

This kind of stuff has been happening since antiquity!! Remember slavery, lynching, beheadings, Wars in general? Stop acting like you are morally better than the people in Connecticutt. I am sure many like you have expressed their outrage just as you. What makes me feel good are the video in which you see the average citizen step up and do amazing things to assist and or help someone in dire straits. The term "Moral Compass"is a media catch phrase to grab your attention. Just remember that your time will come to do the right thing and just hope that you do do "the right thing."

enough said! Now get out there and remember this question to ask yourself!

WHAT WOULD JESUS DO!!!!
 

djellison

macrumors 68020
Feb 2, 2007
2,229
4
Pasadena CA

yoyo5280

macrumors 68000
Feb 24, 2007
1,910
0
Melbourne, Australia & Bay Area
absolutely disgusting

EDIT: however I understand how uncomfortable it may be to pull up to a motionless body on the road. Somebody still should have done something.

Im glad some people called police.
 

QCassidy352

macrumors G5
Mar 20, 2003
12,028
6,036
Bay Area

Well, that's pretty much the end of this, isn't it? 4 calls within a minute, what more do you want? And don't say to actually go over and give "medical" attention to the victim because I sure as heck wouldn't do that unless I were a trained medical professional. Not only could you get sued you could make a bad situation much worse.
 

Sun Baked

macrumors G5
May 19, 2002
14,937
157
No you can't get sued, the reason is the "Good Samaritan law" which prevents anyone from being sued in events like this. It's also meant to encourage others to assist in things just like that.

But all depends on the jurisdiction, and in some cases your level of training and certification (aka, CPR/First Aid).

And there is no "duty to render aid" so making the split second decision, can land most people on the side of easier and less sticky legal to limit the aid to calling 911.

For those with certification from taking the classes, the Good Samaritan Law should make it easier for you to render some assistance without as much fear of getting sued for doing it wrong when you are panicing.

Edit: My first aid ability is about the level of Damon Wayans' Major Payne character. Which would likely get me sued.
 

crazytom

macrumors 6502a
Jul 23, 2002
524
0
IL
I'd take your bet......and likely win.


Don't assume that just because you wouldn't do anything about it, other people would do nothing as well. It's baseless. You probably just want to believe that because it would justify your own feelings on the situation. I'm certain that I wouldn't go around him in my car.

I wish I could say that I'd stop...but I was in a similar situation. A guy had been hit by a car (I didn't see it) and was convulsing in the middle of the street. There were 3-4 people on the corner of the street doing nothing, AFAIK.
I called 911 about 3 times and got a busy signal every time, I assumed everyone else around was calling, too. I knew there was nothing I could do for the guy and I didn't want to stop and block traffic (possibly slowing emergency vehicles from getting there). I hit a red light and there was enough traffic to make me stop even with the guy. I never felt so helpless or heartless in my life, I tried to think of what I could do to help, but at that point, I just had to get out of the way....my only consolation was that I knew that was I made a good faith attempt at 911, and his injuries were way beyond needing a band aid.
 

NT1440

macrumors G5
May 18, 2008
14,670
21,072
I live up in the Farmington Valley. Wethersfield is a nice place (and where everyone moved to when they moved out of Hartford)

Hartford is in really tough shape. They have way too much crime- this, people getting murdered on a regular basis, yesterday there were the teens that stole a van and got chased by the cops and 1 of them ended up dying after rolling the car in the chase, and was it yesterday Nicholas Carbone (former Deputy Mayor of Hartford) was mugged for his wallet and now has a broken face and needs brain surgery. It's out of control down there and something really needs to be done. It seems to be getting worse. Street racing on in the streets of Hartford is nothing new either.

I mean, I see how people would be scared to do anything but there were so many people around and none of them did anything and no one called the police. I think that is just shameful. I think it's even worse just the fact that the people of Hartford are stuck in such a poor city with such bad people (not the people that didn't help, but the people that commit the crimes in the first place). My school "imports" Hartford kids to help give them a chance at a better education and create diversity in my 98.6% white town. Unfortunately most of them slack off, get in trouble, and don't integrate well with the upper middle class white suburban kids. It's sad.
same thing here man, its like they think its uncool to try and actually get ahead in life =(
 

zephyrnoid

macrumors 6502
Jan 12, 2008
255
0
Geneva Switzerland
I believe we had one some time in the 60's, when we protested the Vietnam War the way that we did. 'The Moral Compass' was lost in the early 70's.:( There are so many incidents of society's carelessness it barely warrants comment anymore. Consumption oriented societies become self-centered to the point of numbness.
When exactly did society have a moral compass?
 

Counterfit

macrumors G3
Aug 20, 2003
8,195
0
sitting on your shoulder
Part of that situation probably had to do with fearing for their own safety - but these people didn't even call the police from the security of their homes.
And the other part was that most of the people where either asleep, or didn't actually have a view of the scene of the crime. The outrage was mostly based on sensationalized reporting.
Stop acting like you are morally better than the people in Connecticutt.
In Hartford's case, I'd bet they actually are...
WHAT WOULD JESUS DO!!!!

He'd probably fix the guy on the spot, duh.
 

Cabbit

macrumors 68020
Jan 30, 2006
2,128
1
Scotland
Makes a lot of sense what the people did, you cant help people anymore if you try you get sued or arrested.

The thing that would be in my mind is if i help him up or call an ambulance i will suddenly become responsible and accountable for the injures.

I wont help old women cross the rode anymore, these days you get them shouting and screaming like your going to rob them even if your not close to them, they know if you touch them they can sue you or jail you.
 

djellison

macrumors 68020
Feb 2, 2007
2,229
4
Pasadena CA
Baring in mind that he was likely to have a spinal injury - doing nothing was the right thing. Furtheremore, given that multiple people, very very quickly, did the right thing ( phone 911 ) - there is actually no story here. Guy gets run over..people phone for ambulance. That's it.

So - is society broken? Yes - because it's stupid enough to believe sensationalist media reporting.
 

Abstract

macrumors Penryn
Dec 27, 2002
24,837
850
Location Location Location
Please state where I said I wouldn't do anything about it... oh, that's right...

I didn't.

Well judging from this....

You've got what looks like a hit and run - in a bad bit of town. Maybe they're going to come back and finish it off, maybe they're going to go after any do-gooders who might be witnesses, maybe the guy's injured in a way whereby moving him makes it worse, maybe he's armed, maybe the only sensible thing to do is phone the police ( which happened ) and leave the guy alone ( which happened )

....it doesn't sound like you'd be too into the idea of lending a helping hand, even if it was just sitting beside him.

If you're going to mount the moral high-horse...please do so with some truth emanating from your mouth.



I helped a prostitute while she was being beat up on the street by a pimp, and with around 30 onlookers on a week day. That guy also ended up trying to slash my neck with a broken glass bottle. So here's the truth......you're a coward who wouldn't help, so you want to convince yourself that all of us who are shocked by this would not help either if we saw the same thing.

Sounds like YOU'RE the one who's wrong. I've helped before, and I'd help again. This wouldn't even require much of an effort. I would help, and if I was lying on the street in that guy's situation, I'd certainly hope that you weren't one of the people nearby.
 

djellison

macrumors 68020
Feb 2, 2007
2,229
4
Pasadena CA
you're a coward who wouldn't help

And you're a liar, who still hasn't actually paid attention to what I've written.

But by all means keep saying whatever it is that makes you feel better about yourself, even if it's at the expense of others by lying about them.

As a qualified first aider, my response as described here previously, is an accurate and responsible response based on the guidelines of the St Johns Ambulance, the UK's leading first aid trainers. Do no harm and do not do anything that puts yourself in danger as one casualty is always better than two. You're on a busy road, traffic in both directions, a serious crime, potentially murder, has just been committed. The responsible thing is to stand clear, stop traffic if possible, and call the emergency services. By all means jump in both feet first without thinking, trying to act like a hero - but I'll do what the best practices I've been taught and tested on dictate I should.

I have had cause to use my first aid skills in the past, and I would do so again. If you really feel the need to divulge whatever action you've taken in the past to try and justify your outrage, go ahead. Personally, I consider that in extreme bad taste and smacks more than a little of chest-thumping.
 

notjustjay

macrumors 603
Sep 19, 2003
6,056
167
Canada, eh?
No you can't get sued, the reason is the "Good Samaritan law" which prevents anyone from being sued in events like this. It's also meant to encourage others to assist in things just like that.

The problem is that then you get people who try to help who really shouldn't be.

A few years ago I was eating in an airport food court (possibly O'Hare, but I don't remember). A few tables ahead of me, a man started choking. He was standing and coughing. Someone immediately came up behind him, put their arms around and started trying to do the Heimlich. I was ready to spit my food out to yell, "No! Stop!"

Luckily the guy recovered quickly and waved off his "helper".

I shall leave as an exercise to the reader to determine why attempting the Heimlich in this situation is a Bad Idea.
 
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