Your call. This post just blows my fucking mind, especially the last sentence. You’ll give him until tomorrow? To see if he’s dead or not? Two hours after you see someone who might be dead, or dying, otr in deep distress, you still cannot decide whether to call the police, but posting to a message board is not too much trouble? You jumped-up uncaring self-centered worthless sack of shit! What the fuck is the matter with you?
I’m absolutely not a liar.
I was composing this post as you were composing yours, so you can refer to it with reference to the “waiting until tomorrow” comment.
I predict this will thread will become contentious. All aboard!
I never want to get to a point in my life that I am so callous towards a fellow human being.
Ever.
That indeed is the most disturbing post I’ve ever read on the SDMB
Fine. Sociopath it is. You didn’t want to get involved with perhaps saving a human life, when all it woud cost is a phone call? Why do you think you would be forced to stick around? Why would you even have to identify yourself? Why is sticking around such a burden when a life may be at stake?
You did not want to disturb someone who had had a long night? OK then, if “liar” is off the table, I guess we have to add “unbelievably stupid.” He is lying in freezing cold temperature and being soaked with water and you did not want to disturb him? Jeebus Cripity. Who do you disturb every morinig when it is time to tie your shoes?
By the way Contrapuntal, I have a feeling that you don’t live in a place where there are passed-out bums on every corner. Would you really want to spend your time going around checking them out for vital signs and bringing them into shelters? Easy to say you would from your position, but try living it from day-to-day and see how your attitude changes.
A homeless bloke asleep on a park bench or in a doorway is one thing.
But seeing someone ‘asleep’ under a sprinkler and not calling the police to check it out?
Waiting two hours is two hours too long Rigamarole.
:mad:
Right. Better you should take the time to conduct a poll on a message board.
Rigamarole, seriously, what sort of responses were you expecting when you started that thread?
Rigamorole I hope some day you are touched by a randow act of kindness from a stranger that will forever cure your heart of its dreadful condition. It is apparent that you have either not experienced the dignity and love you deserve thus far in life, or you received it in overabundance and do not appreciate it.
That man, be he a hobo, a brain surgeon, a thief or a policeman deserves the dignity of someone caring if he could be near death. He deserved your assistance and helping him is your responsibility as a member of the human race.
Have you ever heard the story of The Good Samaritan? You just became the star of a new morality tale calle The Bad Californian.
I am utterly baffled at how a person can develop so little empathy for his fellow man. The part that makes me think the sociopath accusation in this OP could be right is the fact that you posted it as if you were completely unaware that your lack of action was so socially irresponsible.
Damn. People give their own money and time to any number of charities to see that people around the world are properly cared for, and you can’t be bothered to care for someone in front of your home. Utterly pathetic. And don’t tell me that you are so jaded by passed out bums. There are people living each day in abject destitution that still care for the sick, hungry, dying, cold and homeless.
I pray someone’s kindness finds you soon.
I honestly don’t know. I didn’t know people cared so much about bums. Other people who were walking by (it’s a busy street by the way) were actually laughing at him. So I thought by being at least somewhat concerned that he could be dead I was being the good Samaritan by contrast.
Who said anything about all the bums in the city? Or bringing them to a shelter? Or checking for vitals, for that matter? One human in distress, in front of your apartment, is the topic. One phone call, dumbass, and you can get on with your oh so important life.
‘Welcome to L.A.’
Wow. That is pretty cold. I don’t even know what to say. I live somewhere where there are a lot of homeless, too, and I agree that you can’t get personally involved in every case. BUT…to not call the police when there is clear evidence that the person’s life is in danger? I can’t even imagine it.
I thought he was saying the water was cold, not that the night was cold.
I know nothing of LA’s weather. If the person was in danger from where he was sleeping, the OP should have called for help. If the person was not in danger from the cold, I can understand thinking that calling the cops isn’t doing him a favor. I don’t know about all cops everywhere, but I do know that they aren’t necessarily kind to a “bum” on the street.
Homeless guys, bane of society or untapped source of mulch?
Correct. The water was cold, but it’s 67° F right now according to Yahoo!
Come on! **Rigamarole **thought he might be dead! Are you saying cops are mean to guys who are drawing their last breath? Is it really just a crapshoot? How do you weigh the odds? Some cops aren’t “necessarily kind” so you better not call them?
In my neighborhood I see passed out guys all the time. I have to say, you do get jaded to it, especially since they do seem to get up eventually. Probably if I saw one lying under a sprinkler in January I’d check it out, but it’s probably colder in D.C. than L.A. On preview, I’ll second what jsgoddess said about cops and passed out drunks.
Well to be fair it is in the 60’s here in Los Angeles today (65 at my house as I type this) not exactly freezing. But temps in the 60’s plus water from sprinklers for sure could lead to hypothermia.
Drop a dime dude, drop a dime.