OK, it’s New Years Day and I live in Los Angeles. Not at all uncommon to see an old hobo-type passed out on the grass somewhere.
What interested me as I saw such a man while walking down the sidewalk by my apartment this morning was that the sprinklers were on and he was getting soaked, but remained motionless. I got hit by the same water (it’s inevitable on some of these sidewalks), and it was freezing cold.
Although he was wearing a heavy coat, I find it hard to believe someone could sleep while getting heavily sprayed by cold water and not even flinch. I walked by the same spot about 2 hours later and of course he was still there, in the exact same position.
I’m not going to touch him, not even with a stick. But I figure if he is actually dead I should probably call someone, eh? I’ll probably give it 'til tomorrow if he’s still there but I just thought I would share my lovely experience from the mean streets.
I don’t even know what to say to this. I really hope you are joking, did you even thought about checking the poor man for a pulse or signs of breathing before you decided that posting on a message board about your “lovely experience” was the correct first responce to someone possibly dying?
Call the police. It’s a quick and easy call; they’re used to dealing with dead or potentially dead bodies. If this guy is getting soaked with the sprinklers and still not moving, he’s probably in pretty bad shape, any way you cut it.
I realize you’re being tongue-in-cheek, but it really does warrant a call. Look at it this way: you’re adding to some cop’s inventory of “Dead Body” stories.
Well, I couldn’t tell if he was breathing or not. Like I said, it’s such a common sight around here I wouldn’t have paid him any attention but for the fact of the sprinklers. I guess I’ll go check if he’s still there.
OK, I checked and he’s still there but he has changed positions, so I’m sure he’s alive. As far as what kind of shape he’s in though, I don’t see how that’s really my responsibility.
Oh, it isn’t at all. No, not your responsibility. But, really, so few things are, unless we make them so. The choice is yours.
However, what was the downside to calling the police when you first noticed him? Was the OP simply a way of telling us how tough things are around your neck of the woods?
A: become involved. Presumably I’d have to wait for them to get there and make some kind of statement.
B: disturb someone who had obviously had a long night.
Although I avoid getting in those kinds of positions in the first place, honestly I’d rather have my sleep than get hassled by the police to move.
I posted here because I did have some concern of there being a dead body by my apartment and was basically ready to act anyway (yes I was being facetious about waiting until tomorrow), but now that I am relatively sure that it’s not the case I just don’t see the point in getting involved. There are thousands of guys like him all over the city doing this every day, and they do it to themselves. It doesn’t really affect me either way (other than spending resources to try to “help” them).
A is stupid. You wouldn’t have to do anything of the sort.
B, though, I can understand. It can be hard to tell the difference between someone who is in distress and someone who would rather not be hassled by the cops.
You do understand that if the guy was getting sprayed by the sprinklers, it could lead to hypothermia, and death.
Drop a dime dude. It will take far less time than you have spent in this thread. All you have to do is call the cops and say that there is a person passed out on a lawn and the sprinklers are going, and you are concerned about his well being.
It will take all of 1 minute out of your life.