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[PatThePassive]

A kid yes an adult no

Yes to all if I had bill gates money, if they are an adult and crying about finical troubles that can be helped

If they are crying about something you cant help like a death or frustration with something you cant help that and they need to let it out and I wouldn't want step in on them doing that.

Also who's gonna hit on a crying woman? You pick when she looks the most emotionally vulnerable to "help"?

 

[Dr. Buni]

I would do that if I lived in a more civilized country.

 

[jotun?]

Very loudly, from a distance

 

[MrDenny]

I had a bad experience last time I approached someone crying. I was with my friend at downtown Disney parking lot when a woman in her twenties looked like she was sobbing approached us. She asked to use my cellphone so I let her and she sounded like she was saying two guys were following her to the person on the other side of the call and then she wanted to know what part of the parking lot we were in. We were the only two guys around so it seemed fishy and it sounded like she was trying to frame us. She wanted to make another call so my friend just grabbed my phone from her hand and said we had to go. If I see someone crying, I would be more weary of the situation.

 

[draetenth]

No, I keep walking and pretend I didn't see/hear them.

 

[goonie]

https://youtu.be/PuVIyW2deQU

Here's a crying/lost child scenario. After watching this, I feel like I'd be more likely to stop now because I'd know how to handle it.

 

[K.Jack]

Depends on what level of crying we're dealing with in the scenario.

An adult would have to be really going nuts, for me to feel they need help.

A young child, I'd help every time, just with no physical contact. Being black doesn't make me afraid help a child. Wu-Tang is for the children.

 

[Deleted member 20415]

Very loudly, from a distance

Same.

I won't get terribly close, but will ask any man woman or child if they are ok. And if I see a crying kid by themselves... I stay RIGHT there with the kid, don't move them an inch, and stay at a distance and call police.

 

[Avtomat]

So I actually had this happen to me when I was in uni - i was out with a group of friends and I saw a woman sat alone crying on her own. My female friend saw her as well and we wandered over to ask if she was OK?

She just nodded looked away and continued sniffing and we left her alone after that - I still feel bad about leaving it at that. I should have pushed for more like asking if she wanted a cup of tea or if she had somewhere to go - our dorms were round the corner.

 

[hurricanes]

I will help children, absolutely. Adults; usually no, but if I think they are at a state that absolutely require some stanger's attention then I guess so.

To all and any say they will only talk to *attractive* women but not a child, you disgust me. No hard feeling, just being honest here.

 

[Subpar Spatula]

Surprised so many will approach a child. That's just asking for some wacky parent to catch you with them, attack you, end up getting arrested, and then you'll have to leave town.

Most parents are sane. :/

Just give the kid your phone or ask them to point out their parents. Don't bring them somewhere alone.

 

[Massive Duck. C.M.]

In Japan probably, back home nah. Too many bad possibilities

 

[Soldiussnaku]

Due to the climate of fear and irrationality in the west, I would have to think things through before it helping a child.

A woman or man? Yes, but again I would survey the area v,quickly and make sure to myself to be ready for any negative outcome. I don't have any trust and (very)little faith in my fellow human beings. I will still always strive to be a decent good human being, but the evnts if the past 1-2 years have put into perspective the shittiness of humans and strangers.

 

[Verelios]

Man- depends on how he seems. Is he extremely distraught or just muffling sadness? Leave him alone if he'll get better with time.

Woman- Very situational. I'd only ask if there's someone else with me so I don't make her wary.

Child- I wouldn't. It's sad to say, but it'll probably be better for both us if in the long run. Not looking to be put on a list.

 

[Media]

I understand the whole stigma of men and children, but the amount of people in this thread saying they would straight up ignore a child crying alone is troubling. As a mom, I would hug the shit out of anyone, male or female, that found my lost kid for me. Imagining no one would help my kids if they are lost is scary as hell.

 

[Cap'n Cook]

If it's a kid I would get the nearest woman involved and assist in the situation. Adults? No, unless they appear injured and/or looking around for help.

 

[Gordon Shumway]

Damn..poor kids. Y'all shook as fuck lol..

 

[Nipo]

Yea, add me to the list of wouldn't approach the kid. As a big guy with a beard and tattoos it is just too risky. Would ask my wife to do it if she were around though.

 

[Jakten]

People are truly horrible huh? what a shitty fucking world we live in.

 

[neojubei]

It depends.
As a black man, I will not go near a crying woman or child unless they are black. A man, sure.

This

 

[Gordon Shumway]

Yea, add me to the list of wouldn't approach the kid. As a big guy with a beard and tattoos it is just too risky. Would ask my wife to do it if she were around though.

I dunno, man. The combination of being a father, having worked in retail and as security dealing with lost kids, and the fact that I live in Florida aka pedophile central? Imma help the kid. Imagine seeing them on the news/GAF weeks later..fuck all that..

 

[Keri]

The odds of a man suffering negative consequences for approaching a child to offer help are probably pretty small and, depending on the situation, are probably smaller than the odds of a lost child getting hurt. It's silly to avoid helping a child, because of this fear.

 

[Grassy]

I'm a near 40 year-old dude, no way I'm going near random kids. Although one time I was at a park/playground with a bunch of friends and their kids, and someone's ~3 year-old did a runner and was about to run onto a busy road when the mum started screaming. So I sprinted about 50 metres and grabbed him just before he ran onto the road, it was intense as fuck and the parents were super grateful of course. That was just instinct. I wouldn't approach a random child wandering a shopping centre alone or something though.

A random man/woman I don't know crying in the street or carpark? Nah I got my own shit to worry about.

 

[undrtakr900]

didn't know this show, is it good? This part is funny, but is it during the whole thing?

Yeah Black·Ish is a good show. What I like most is they are just a normal family, dealing with everyday issues from a black perspective.

Like when they found out, thier son is a "black Republican":
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=5XGTPCYaBrw

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."

Yes, exactly!! I literally did the same flashBack sequence in my head, with people shouting:
"Omg, that black guy beat up that white girl, someone call the police!"

I even did a flash-scenario where the girl explained "He didn't attack me, he was helping me", to which the people replied:
"You don't have to defend this thug, you're safe now"

No lie, I dayDreamed all this shit in a matter of seconds lol.

 

[mrkgoo]

Just to add.... from a parents point of view, we actually drill into kids to not overly interact with strangers for their own safety.

 

[FUME5]

Nine times out of ten, yes.

 

[Veritigo_X]

Depends on the circumstances. I had a friend get jumped by 6 guys after checking on a woman he heard screaming (the woman was in on it). That would definitely be in the back of my head, but I'd like to think in most circumstances I'd check on them.

 

[RiccochetJ]

Sure. But if it's a kid that's by themselves, I'm going to flag down the first woman I see.

 

[Transhuman]

Only if they sexy

 

[Mathieran]

No adult with kid? Yes absolutely. They might be lost. Probably not if there is an adult with them unless it seems like they are hurting the kid.

I probably wouldn't approach an adult crying unless it seemed they were in physical pain.

 

[K.Jack]

Fuck all that ignoring a kid shit. Ya'll some hoes.

 

[quesalupa]

Probably

 

[uceenk]

Nope

it might be a trap, in my country thing like that can be used as a bait to steal something from you

the safe thing to do report to the police instead

 

[Cow Mengde]

I would call 911 if it was a child by him/herself.

Adults, I just ignore it.

 

[Kitsunebaby]

I highly doubt anyone would think I was a rapist or pedophile for asking, but my assumption is that adults who cry in public want to be left alone. This is based on how I feel when I cry in public though. Not because I don't want anyone in my business, but I feel like if people acknowledge me I'll start crying even harder.

Same. Showing my emotions to others is absolutely mortifying for me. If I'm crying in public for whatever reason, I want people to treat me like I'm invisible.

 

[acheron_xl]

I don't talk to people unless spoken to first. So that's a no. Not my problem.

 

[Earthbound64]

Yes, of course.
And I have, many times.

 

[InterMusketeer]

Naww. If an adult is crying, they likely have some big problems I can't help with anyway. Children are probably crying because they got in a fight with some friends, or because their grandpa wouldn't buy them 2 scoops of ice cream. I'm really bad with children if you couldn't tell, and I'm a man. So yeah.

 

[Massive Duck. C.M.]

The odds of a man suffering negative consequences for approaching a child to offer help are probably pretty small and, depending on the situation, are probably smaller than the odds of a lost child getting hurt. It's silly to avoid helping a child, because of this fear.

When we had the thread about that guy getting beat up for trying to help a kid, there were a lot of people saying they "understood" how the father of the kid behaved, including you if I remember correctly...

 

[mcw]

Holy shit your answers guys

I'd ask anyone who is crying if he/she is ok and/or needs something, regardless of sex, age, race or whatever.

How could you guys be so disengaged from people's emotions?

Life has taught me, many times over, that strangers do not want me to approach them under any circumstances. It sucks, but that's how it is.

 

[17 Seconds]

Holy shit your answers guys

I'd ask anyone who is crying if he/she is ok and/or needs something, regardless of sex, age, race or whatever.

How could you guys be so disengaged from people's emotions?

did you ever think that maybe they aren't interested in sharing their problems with a stranger and just want to be left alone?

 

[Zelenogorsk]

I look like a total creep so I always stay as far away from these situations as possible.

 

[entremet]

It really depends on the context.

Most people I see crying--NYC--seem to need and want some privacy.

 

[Wulfric]

Kids, hell no. I don't wanna get labeled for approaching them.

Women, maybe. Depending on how many people are around.

Men, sure. It's gotta be pretty serious for a guy to be crying in public.

Very interesting responses in this thread. I'm sure gender and physical size alters most people's replies here.

 

[Sakura]

If they are clearly injured sure, but if an adult is crying I don't really see what I could do for them. If I was crying I wouldn't want people to come up and talk to me. If it was a kid then I would probably inform someone from the store or something.

 

[the_darkness]

Fucking wow at the number of selfish cowards who would leave a child crying alone in a car park.

Then again we did have a thread the other week where a number of heroes said they'd let a child run into traffic rather than pick them up.

 

[johnny_park]

When I worked in a restaurant, my customer (lady), was crying and I asked if she was ok. She was just sad to be leaving Hawaii.

Another time a guy customer was crying. I left him alone.

No idea why I treated them differently.

 

[hodayathink]

did you ever think that maybe they aren't interested in sharing their problems with a stranger and just want to be left alone?

Then, generally speaking, they will tell you to leave them alone, and you can be on your way, no harm, no foul. Very, very rarely (if ever) is someone going to lash out at you for asking if they need help.

 

[Keri]

When we had the thread about that guy getting beat up for trying to help a kid, there were a lot of people saying they "understood" how the father of the kid behaved, including you if I remember correctly...

Nope, you're remembering wrong.

 

[Vilam]

A very young kid who's by themselves and clearly lost? I'd likely just summon someone else in a position of authority to deal with them.

Anyone else that's a stranger, I highly doubt it. I'd feel awkward interjecting myself into their situation, and truth be told I don't really care if someone is just crying. If it seems to be more than that... they're hurt, they're clearly in shock, they're begging for help, etc... then I'd call the police.

In either case, I wouldn't interface with the person directly myself.