Strangelove77
Member
Of course not.
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You see a man/woman/child crying in the parking lot, do you ask them if they're ok?
- Thread starter maxcriden
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SuperStiltzkin
Member
A child, sure I probably would. An adult? No. You don't know why someone is crying. They're in a bad mood already and you don't know they'll confide in you, a random stranger, or tell you it's none of your business.
If it's a young child alone, I definitely would. I'd think it might be lost. Regarding a grown man or woman it would depend on the circumstances and what the crying person looks like. If it's some dodgy looking character I'd make a big circle around him/her.
I have approached people before (not in the parking lot), who seemed to be distressed. So far I think it was always the right choice to offer help.
I have approached people before (not in the parking lot), who seemed to be distressed. So far I think it was always the right choice to offer help.
UnemployedVillain
Member
Being completely honest, this would be me
Yoshi
Headmaster of Console Warrior Jugendstrafanstalt
- If I know the person (no matter if I like the person very much or not): Ask whether I can help / what is wrong.
- If I do not know the person, it is a child and the child is alone: Ask whether I can help / what is wrong / where the parents are
- Otherwise: Usually do not interfere, most people do not seem to want this. If I get the impression the person in question does want help from a stranger, independent of age / sex: Ask whether I can help.
- If I do not know the person, it is a child and the child is alone: Ask whether I can help / what is wrong / where the parents are
- Otherwise: Usually do not interfere, most people do not seem to want this. If I get the impression the person in question does want help from a stranger, independent of age / sex: Ask whether I can help.
Sad Affleck
Member
Yes, I would. You never know how much of an effect a word of encouragement will have on a person.
LordGorchnik
Member
Yes.
Man, women, or child.
Man, women, or child.
undrtakr900
Member
This was the first thing I thought of, the full video is even better:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=daJZU5plRhs
=======
I had a similar, yet much more serious, situation at the train-station. I was alone on the elevator when an 18-20 yearOld white woman got on, whose face was beaten, bruised with black eyes. She briefly gave me this heartbreaking glance as to say "Please Help!" Every ounce of me wanted to help in anyway possible, but I immediately hesitated, because I knew how a "black man with a beaten white woman" would look like, so I said/did nothing. =(
After we got to the stop, I waited a good 15-20 seconds before I walked, so people wouldn't think I was the one who attacked her. Writing this makes me sound horrible, but these are the type of things that runs through a black person's mind.
protomouse
Member
If I see a kid, alone, crying - why would I not? The kid might have gotten separated from the parents.
A grown man/woman? I'd rely on my gut feeling there.
A grown man/woman? I'd rely on my gut feeling there.
That's how I met my first GF. Saw her crying in a parking lot behind an arcade and asked her if she was ok. Turned out she and her bf broke up. we dated for a year or two then I figured out how batshit insane she was. Faking being pregnant to keep us together, lying about her previous bf beating her. She ended up cheating on me a couple months later(I saw some hickies) and I bailed the heck out. Moral to the story is I should have let her cry.
Enter The 36 Chambers
Member
Might as well answer honestly
An attractive woman? Absolutely
A man? Nah
A child? Oh hell nah
An attractive woman? Absolutely
A man? Nah
A child? Oh hell nah
Imperfected
Member
Could be a ghost. Can't risk it.
xDUMPWEEDx
Banned
Exactly. If you butt into someone's life, there's a good chance you are going to catch some hands, or worse. There are a huge amount of emotionally unstable people with mental issues and they could be set off by the smallest thing. You have no idea who you are dealing with.
Yes I would and have done so in the past. Twice with lost kids at big stores and twice with adults. One was a depressed homeless man, and the other was a woman who just learned her sister had been killed by her husband.
There wasn't much I could do for the homeless man, he wasn't all there mentally and calling authority would just landed him in jail, but I hugged the woman for a long time until her own husband arrived. She was crying so hard she couldn't even stand. I hope she's doing alright.
There wasn't much I could do for the homeless man, he wasn't all there mentally and calling authority would just landed him in jail, but I hugged the woman for a long time until her own husband arrived. She was crying so hard she couldn't even stand. I hope she's doing alright.
Kain-Nosgoth
Member
I honestly don't know, never been in the situation, i would want to, but i wouldn't know what to say or how to help them! I'm shit to find the right words, i could worsen the situation!
If it's a kid, i would ask
didn't know this show, is it good? This part is funny, but is it during the whole thing?
If it's a kid, i would ask
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didn't know this show, is it good? This part is funny, but is it during the whole thing?
Oh geez reading that after watching that blackish clip again made me laugh as I imagined you recounting the story like the young dude in the video. "Saw my freedom flash before my eyes."
WaterAstro
Member
Red Dead Redemption taught me to ignore everyone asking for help.
Old Gimlet Eyes
Member
Fuck no. Not my business nor my problem. I have enough to worry about in my own life. If they are obviously hurt/injured that is a different story.
Conkersbadfurday
Member
No. Unless someone was bleeding pretty hard or a bone was obviously broken, I'm just gonna waltz on by.
Because
1) I'm a grown man and going anywhere near a child is gonna raise alarm bells.
2) Person's crying ain't none of my business.
3) I don't want people coming up and asking me shit, so I operate on that with other people.
4) It's America. I might get shot or something. WI is a crazy place if you aren't in like Madison.
Because
1) I'm a grown man and going anywhere near a child is gonna raise alarm bells.
2) Person's crying ain't none of my business.
3) I don't want people coming up and asking me shit, so I operate on that with other people.
4) It's America. I might get shot or something. WI is a crazy place if you aren't in like Madison.
Conciliator
Banned
Child, yes. Adult, no. Unless they were just hysterical, which I actually did one time. But it wasn't worth it.
EDIT: regarding the child thing, I'll just take my chances man. I can't let a child sit there crying alone. I'll take my chances.
EDIT: regarding the child thing, I'll just take my chances man. I can't let a child sit there crying alone. I'll take my chances.
Fbh
Member
To be honest.... no I wouldn't unless I clearly see the person is injured or in some sort of obvious danger.
Specially not a child. Sadly, with the way our society is today, as a man you can't even get 10 feet close to a unsupervised child without being called a kidnaper or pedophile.
Specially not a child. Sadly, with the way our society is today, as a man you can't even get 10 feet close to a unsupervised child without being called a kidnaper or pedophile.
SatoAilDarko
Member
I would probably stay and bit (maybe a minute and observe from a far.
A little less for a man than a woman because I would be afraid he would notice and may come over to start something physically.
A child who is crying alone I would observe until an adult came to them.
A little less for a man than a woman because I would be afraid he would notice and may come over to start something physically.
A child who is crying alone I would observe until an adult came to them.
Subpar Spatula
Banned
Yeah. Most of y'all need to stop being that awkward person who stares at a person in distress and walks away with their hands in their pockets.
Just be a good person and help another out.
Just be a good person and help another out.
hodayathink
Member
Spent the first 13 years of my life living in what some people think is one of the most dangerous areas in the country (West Side of Chicago). My incident happened downstate. I mean, if it's the middle of the night on the west side and the area's not well lit, then yeah, maybe I hesitate and try to see if I can see anything suspicious (like a car nearby idling or good hiding spots or something), but if I can be reasonably assured of my safety, then I'd still do it.
This is one of those 'don't know what I'll do til it happens' sort of thing.
Last time I helped a stranger with more than a minor-minor thing was last summer. A little girl had accidentally overfilled her Slurpee and it was getting all over. I just went 'want help?', she nervously nodded and handed me it and I started wiping it off with a bunch of napkins. Her dad/guardian eventually came and said thanks and I handed it off to him.
Still, while it was happening I couldn't help but think, 'man, I hope nobody thinks I'm over her fucking with her drink or something.'
Last time I helped a stranger with more than a minor-minor thing was last summer. A little girl had accidentally overfilled her Slurpee and it was getting all over. I just went 'want help?', she nervously nodded and handed me it and I started wiping it off with a bunch of napkins. Her dad/guardian eventually came and said thanks and I handed it off to him.
Still, while it was happening I couldn't help but think, 'man, I hope nobody thinks I'm over her fucking with her drink or something.'
Queen Vulpix
Member
A child? Absolutely
A Woman? Most likely
A man? That's where things get difficult. I struggle with social anxiety so interacting with any stranger can cause me to get anxious however most of the men in my life haven't exactly been kind to me. My Father left when I was very young, came back when I was about 11ish saying he wanted to get back into my life only to end up stealing pretty much every non clothes item I owned shortly after and I've never seen him since. My mothers now ex (not my father) moved in and lived with us when I was 5 until shortly after I moved out a few years ago and made my childhood pretty hell. He was a huge alcoholic and was a VERY verbally abusive drunk and because my mother was stuck needing to work to afford bills and couldn't kick him out over 4 nights every week I was scared being in my own house, crying myself to sleep many times and holding my bladder because I was too afraid to leave my room to go to the bathroom. Lastly I've been used for money and other things by some guy friends in the past so my experience with men I've known in person hasn't been very good to say the least and as a result I'm kind of afraid of men in general =/
A Woman? Most likely
A man? That's where things get difficult. I struggle with social anxiety so interacting with any stranger can cause me to get anxious however most of the men in my life haven't exactly been kind to me. My Father left when I was very young, came back when I was about 11ish saying he wanted to get back into my life only to end up stealing pretty much every non clothes item I owned shortly after and I've never seen him since. My mothers now ex (not my father) moved in and lived with us when I was 5 until shortly after I moved out a few years ago and made my childhood pretty hell. He was a huge alcoholic and was a VERY verbally abusive drunk and because my mother was stuck needing to work to afford bills and couldn't kick him out over 4 nights every week I was scared being in my own house, crying myself to sleep many times and holding my bladder because I was too afraid to leave my room to go to the bathroom. Lastly I've been used for money and other things by some guy friends in the past so my experience with men I've known in person hasn't been very good to say the least and as a result I'm kind of afraid of men in general =/
Depends on the situation; just a random person crying without any obvious reason why? Probably wouldn't; only because I'd probably want to be left alone in that situation.
If it's fairly clear the person is in distress because they need help with something? Yeah, I often help people. Have paid for a mother's groceries, helped a woman whose car had run out of gas, changed random people's tires, etc.
If it's fairly clear the person is in distress because they need help with something? Yeah, I often help people. Have paid for a mother's groceries, helped a woman whose car had run out of gas, changed random people's tires, etc.
That would depend I guess. A child, I would instantly help because maybe he or she is lost or whatever.
For an adult I would be more reluctant because I don't know what happened and don't want to interfere in other peoples' business if I don't know the situation. If he or she looks in trouble and shows any signs that he / she needs someone to listen to them, sure I'll go up to them. If not, I'll probably leave them be. Not everyone that is crying wants to someone by there side.
For me crying is a very personal thing, so if I was crying in a parking lot (small chance), I'd probably want to be left alone. Therefore I'd do the same to others if it's not clear that person wanted me to there.
For an adult I would be more reluctant because I don't know what happened and don't want to interfere in other peoples' business if I don't know the situation. If he or she looks in trouble and shows any signs that he / she needs someone to listen to them, sure I'll go up to them. If not, I'll probably leave them be. Not everyone that is crying wants to someone by there side.
For me crying is a very personal thing, so if I was crying in a parking lot (small chance), I'd probably want to be left alone. Therefore I'd do the same to others if it's not clear that person wanted me to there.
SliceSabre
Banned
Pretend I didn't see them and keep on walking.
We all got problems.
We all got problems.
I'm a woman, so that's not an issue for me. I hate that it is for men, that shit is so stupid. I've been random handed babies in public from strangers if I commented on how cute they were
If it was a child, I'd call a sheriff. Last thing I'd want is some beligerent and emotionally compromised parent thinking I'm trying to steal their kid.
A man or woman? Likely wouldn't bother. I wouldn't trust an emotional stranger. I wouldn't expect a stranger to trust me or help me either.
A man or woman? Likely wouldn't bother. I wouldn't trust an emotional stranger. I wouldn't expect a stranger to trust me or help me either.
Queen Vulpix
Member
I echo what Media said and hate that it's a thing too.
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