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I offer them my cell to call anyone that can help.

and as a rule, I don't give people money. If they want $4, I'll offer to get them $4 worth of food, but not the cash.
*nods* Same. I didn't even consider the whole loaning the cell as something that would relate to this thread. :eek:

And ditto on the food > than money bit. If I eat out in the downtown area and have leftovers that are decent (not meager just- took- 'cause- I'm- a- starving- college- student leftovers) but leftovers of substance? I offer it to someone who looks like they could really benefit from it. I love food, and it's only fair that others get a chance to have some good grub, no? :D

Although if mysterious guy asked for a ride, I'd have to defer to my fellow humans. Too many crazies in the world to give rides to random people. Murderers and the like, you know?
:eek: Er... yeah that's what I did (referred to in my above post). :eek: It was 2AM. In Cupertino. Guy had a leg in a cast. Was waiting at a closed gas station for his ride. Just took him less than a mile away. Took a couple of "in the worst case" steps but like I said, it was probably a little stupid of me. :eek:
 
I think I'm in the minority, because I give people the benefit of the doubt when it comes to money. If a guy says, "Got some change?", I pull something, anything out of my pocket and give it to them without even thinking about it. If they're lying to me, it's their loss and not mine.

Here's a story about why I do that.

I was in front of a Denny's once and a guy asked me "Do you have some money because I really need to eat?" and I had a $5 and a $10 on me. I gave the guy the $5 and he walked right in after me and ordered one of the sides to eat.

That was all well and good until I looked at the menu and all the meals started at $7-8 and all I could think about was "I should have gave him the $10."
 
I think a lot of people THINK they would help but probably even of the 50+ percent of those who've replied here, I'd take the bet that they wouldn't. You have absolutely no idea what you might do when the situation actually presents itself.

For that reason, I'd say I don't know. I'd like to think that I'd stop and help but it completely depends on the scenario.

That said, I've helped out people (and animals) who appear to be in distress several times. It's not always a big thing, just the obvious and right thing I think.

*I picked up a hitch-hiker because it was a young girl and I shuddered to think of the sort of person who could have picked her up and what might have happened. It scared me but it seemed like the right thing to do.
*A car fire outside of my gym, everybody was standing around looking at it - I grabbed the fire extinguisher and put it out.
*I pulled my neighbour's dog out of the pool because after a half hour I realised it wasn't just casually taking a swim, it couldn't find its way out (dogs do this sometimes) I'll resist other animal stories though as this isn't about that.
*A man in tattered clothes with a sign asking for help, I bought him a "happy meal". (because I hesitate to give money and also because McDonald's was on the way and I didn't have to get out of the car. It's better than nothing I guess.)
*Called emergency services on behalf of a couple of situations where clearly help was needed and I was unwilling to put myself into the equation.
*Helped a drunken man in the London Tube station find his way.

It's all I can recall at the moment - so while I say I don't know what I'd do I suppose I can look at what I have done and guess that I would be likely to help, but again, I don't know. :eek:
 
...I'd like to think that I'd stop and help but it completely depends on the scenario.

That said, I've helped out people...

Like iBlue I'd like to think I would, but many times I know I haven't, just I have on others.
 
One time I let a stranger have a ride and he put his hand behind his back and told me he had a gun and that he was going to blow my head off if I didn't give him all my money and all the rocks I just bought... pissed me off. I told him go ahead an shoot me because I ain't giving him sh*^. I was more angry than scared that here I am being a nice guy and this dude wants to take advantage. So I stopped at a convenience store to get better control of the situation (I was driving all this time) and he grabs the keys from my ignition before I can react and gets out of the truck, I got out... long story short I think he was more scared than me (I was a little crazy back in the day) and I talked him out of my keys for $50. That blew! Just so You know where I'm coming from, today is my eighth anniversary since getting clean.:)
 
One time I let a stranger have a ride and he put his hand behind his back and told me he had a gun and that he was going to blow my head off if I didn't give him all my money and all the rocks I just bought... pissed me off. I told him go ahead an shoot me because I ain't giving him sh*^. I was more angry than scared that here I am being a nice guy and this dude wants to take advantage. So I stopped at a convenience store to get better control of the situation (I was driving all this time) and he grabs the keys from my ignition before I can react and gets out of the truck, I got out... long story short I think he was more scared than me (I was a little crazy back in the day) and I talked him out of my keys for $50. That blew! Just so You know where I'm coming from, today is my eighth anniversary since getting clean.:)

congrats, thats no small feat 8 years...
 
A man walked up to my car window as I was pulling up to the curb yesterday. I rolled down the window and he said "Can you help me?" I said "What help do you need?", not sure if he was selling something or really needed assistance.

He said his wife had fallen. It turns out that they live in the area but are neighbors I never met before. His wife has a wheelchair and slipped while getting into it on a driveway slippery from rain. He wasn't strong enough to lift her back up by himself, so she sent him out to look for help. We lifted her back into her chair. Luckily, she wasn't hurt; just a couple of sore knees from trying to get up by herself.

I feel guilty for my initial moment of suspicion when a stranger came up to my car, but as it turned out I got to meet some new neighbors.
 
I feel guilty for my initial moment of suspicion when a stranger came up to my car, but as it turned out I got to meet some new neighbors.

Don't Q. In this day and age, suspicion is natural and (IMO) healthy.
Instead of feeling guilty, feel good because you were willing to go and help.
 
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