Propogation:

[denny]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/crime/article/0,2763,1542032,00.html

Comments

[snowyfeline.livejournal.com]

that's awful.
an old man once fell, outside our flat- you may have remembered. no-one but my mother and i offered to help, and we had to sit there almost an hour in the freezing cold, keeping this old man comfortable and reassuring him. it sickens me to know just how many people wouldn't help in emergencies.
I always try to. some day it could be me.

[kelemvor.livejournal.com]

The only times I've been in situations (that I remember) where people have needed help, by the time I offered there were already enough people around doing things.
It depresses me that someone can be stabbed to death on a bus, and most of the passengers develop sudden cases of Pernicious Englishness.

[valkyriekaren.livejournal.com]

There was an experiment done recently (I can't find the reference, but I think it was in New Scientist, and someone linked to it at the time - zotz, was it you?) in which they had someone 'collapse' in a public place. In one scenario they had someone planted at the scene to go to his assistance; in the second they didn't. In the first scenario, once other passers-by saw that someone was assisting, they also came forward to offer help. In the second, they tended to hang back and wait for someone else to intervene, or even walk right past.

[dpash.livejournal.com]

I actually find myself in shock at reading that. Very few things affect me, but that did. I think it was bad enough that he died just because someone was throwing chips at his girlfriend, but for people to just sit around and not help a dying man is unforgivable. I can't believe that someone refused to give their jacket. What utter cunts.

[missyasmina.livejournal.com]

Thats just shocking :(

[woodall.livejournal.com]

I've heard of similar things happening on my local bus route, not too long ago.

About a month ago a friend's sister witnessed four 16 year olds taunting/provoking an old woman, to the point were she felt she had to defend herself and ended up with a severe concussion. Apparantly the bus was quite busy at the time, but people only started to help the woman once the four had left the bus.

Having never been in a situation like that, I couldn't say for sure that I'd be the first person to leap to someones aid, but I'd be disappointed in myself if I didn't.

[barakta]

I read that last night and was appalled. Especially with the people who walked away and the guy who refused to hand over his coat. I have never personally been in a situation where help has been needed, but if I could I would do what I could.

I have intervened against scallies on buses before and been given abuse for my hassle. I won't tolerate them harrassing other people on the bus. Fortunately they one time they got nasty I was with kingginger who is 6'6" and built like a tank. He stood up and glared at them so they decided at that point that wrecking a few chairs and getting off was in fact a good option. Annoyingly the driver had a go at us for the damage to the bus because we were the ones who asked for the driver to kick the scallies off. It seems the driver thought harrassing old people was acceptable because he was scared too, behind his reinforced drivers cabin!

As it is I get shit for existing on buses as scum always notice my disabilities and think it's good, clever and hard to start having a go at me. Annoyingly no one but my ex has ever stood up for me either while I've had stuff thrown at me, or very nearly been attacked.

[bluecassandra.livejournal.com]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bystander_effect
It shoudl shock me but it doesn't; psychologist ahve been researching this for years. It's worse in large, depersonalised, anonymous communtites (like, say, Holloway road!) and I think theres some evidence that its worse in societies with high social inequlaity to but I could be making that up.

[fayroberts.livejournal.com]

Sadly, bystander apathy has been documented again and again; scientifically and anecdotally.

I'll post my Brighton Pier Stabbing story shortly; just need to get my head clear. I'm in shock over a guy that died on a bus that I'll never know.

But i always help out. I always get involved. Always. Even if I end up rescuing someone who's K'd off their tits and is actually okay in the long scheme of things, but still - you can't sti back, and you can't assume, and you always have to be a member of the human race first.

Polemic done.

You ok?

[dennyd.livejournal.com]

I'm fine... still feeling rather flat, but ho hum.

Update 14/11 - Man in court over bus stabbing

[pooloftrees.livejournal.com]

I've just read that a man was in court alleged to be the guy who did the stabbing. More on the BBC website (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/4434996.stm).