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Posted: 10/13/2004 5:21:33 AM EDT
Stopping for traffic accidents when there is a potential for injury is the law nearly everywhere.

Although MOST people disregard this law.  Many people, who may be in a hurry, just drive on by.

About 8 years ago my vehicle was rear ended on the interstate during a very heavy rainstorm.  I spun out of control and ended up over the guard rail and down the embankment.  My vehicle was on it's side.  I was (thankfully) completely uninjured.  My guess is that approximately 50+ cars just drove on by without much hesitation.  

The ONLY person that stopped was some bling-bling gang banger.  He stopped his vehicle, got out in the pouring rain (wearing some obviously expensive duds), and trekked down through the mud to check on my safety.  I was shocked.  I thanked him profusely and mentioned that he was the only decent person around.

How 'bout those stereotypes, eh?

Anyway, who's stopped to render aid?  Have you ever driven by without giving any concern about the potential injuries of vehicle occupants?

Link Posted: 10/13/2004 5:28:03 AM EDT
[#1]
I have stopped before, but most times I just drive by.  I don't think that makes me a bad or good Samaritan, just a Samaritan.
Link Posted: 10/13/2004 6:47:56 AM EDT
[#2]
I've never had the opportunity.

Honestly, it would depend.  If I was alone, I would most definitely stop.

If my wife and daughter were with me, I doubt it.  THEY are my prime responsibility.
Link Posted: 10/13/2004 7:25:35 AM EDT
[#3]
I Vietnamese guy helped my elderly dad change a tire on the freeway shoulder after my dad had a blowout.

I had a problem on the freeway but I fixed myself, and there was a woman who also had car trouble, so I gave the woman a ride to a "civilized" place(this was before the prevalence of cell phones) to call for help.

I saw woman walking on the freeway shoulder with 2 young children, but I passed her so fast that I didn't have an oppurtunity to help her. I would've but off-ramp to get back was like 3-4 miles down the rooad.
Link Posted: 10/13/2004 7:26:44 AM EDT
[#4]
I've stopped for one recently
Link Posted: 10/13/2004 7:30:47 AM EDT
[#5]
Ironically, people are LESS likely to stop, the more other people are around.  In other words, if there's a lot of traffic driving past, it's less likely that any given person will stop, but if there's very little traffic it's much more likely that a given person will stop.  Social scientists loved studying this kind of stuff a few decades ago (especially after the Kitty Genovese murder in New York).

If I were the first on a scene, I would absolutely stop - and have done so twice in the past.  (One time I had only been out of the army for a while, and I still carried first aid packs with my in the car - which was helpful because the victim was bleeding quite a bit).
Link Posted: 10/13/2004 7:41:41 AM EDT
[#6]
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