HawthorneVillager.com

There is no excuse for doing NOTHING, even if you are worried they might have guns or other weapons the least someone could have done is hit the yellow emergency signal. This would have notified the TTC system something is wrong and they could have been prepared when the train came to a stop at the next station.



All of those people who just sat and watched this happen should be ashamed of themselves.

Obviously, I can't condone doing nothing. But I can understand the fear associated with doing something in some cases.

Subways are never more than about 2 minutes from any given station (with a couple of exceptions), and there is no way the police could arrive that quickly and know exactly were they need to be on the subway platform.

So if hitting the strip means the subway doors lock, and you stay put at the next station, you could in theory be locking yourself in with 2 caged tigers for longer than you planned for.

I'd like to think I'd have done something in that case, but not having been there first hand means I can't honeslty comment on how I'd react to it.

I'd guess if the very people that did nothing, happened to not be on the subway at that moment... that they would all be on a forum somewhere in shock that no one did anything to help.

I agree!
I cannot believe all the people who just walked right by him and did nothing but glance over.
Its disgusting!

I wish all those people who walked by or stood there taking a picture could be found and charged with negligence.

The last guy that reached for the yellow strip got attacked...

he got up to reach for the passenger-assistance alarm — the yellow strip located above the seats on all trains — and was then attacked.

Pretty compelling reason to not hit the button
[/Devils Advocate]

In the society where majority of people were never exposed to a real fight or threat I don’t see someone acting to help another in this situation. You cannot judge these people simply because there is no Unity, if the whole train or cart stood up and confronted the attackers, the outcome would be quite obvious. In reality if someone was to protect the old man, others would pull out their Iphone’s and start making videos of a subway fight.
Now, to confront these people you must use a bruit force, incapacitate them by any means possible to protect own self in case if they have weapons. And here comes the best part, you will be responsible to pay for their knocked out teeth and other damages. That’s how awesome our law system, someone steal’s your belongings, you cannot hurt them or else they may sue you. No wonder, even the once who could do something would not bother.
It makes me sick!!! In my opinion; if you steal something especially form elderly people…… here goes your arm….. Chop-chop…. I bet that would stop these bastards from doing something like that. But then they will apply for a wealth fare to look after them, I guess there is no easy solution.

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There is a strong possiblity that there exists a "bystander effect" where the greater the number of bystanders, the less likely it is that any one of them will intervene.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bystander_effect


I know, anecdotally, that I have often felt that myself. When there are a few people around, I will often intervene (eg. helping to pick up the guy who fell off his bike, wading into a confrontation) but when there are many other people around, I am often more likely to just carry on my way.

Again, I am somebody who actually does intervene and speak up and provide assistance. I am mostly a good samaritan. I even stop my car sometimes to help, which is probably not the best idea if Hollywood has taught me anything. However, even I will hesitate before helping with lots of bystanders.

I would like to think that I would have intervened in this case, and I think that I indeed would have, but I cannot be sure.

Regarding the yellow security measure; according to the TTC website

"The Driver will call for emergency assistance and stop the train at the next available station and hold it there with the doors open."

So hitting it isn't going to force them to stay locked in the cabin, but what it will do is notify the upcoming station that there is an emergency; even if the train is close to the platform when pressed TTC employees can be slightly more prepared than if no warning is given at all.

I read this in the paper this morning (I still prefer reading a paper more than it's online counterpart), and it is a strange story. I think some people don't want to help in case they have to stick around and give police reports and give their personal information, but in a situation like that when someone as vulnerable as a senior is clearly in distress, it's really hard to believe no one stepped up. I think it would depend on the situation, how intimidating the perp looked, and whether the perp was armed or not, but I think I would have done something if I was ever in a situation like that.

If anyone's ever read the new book Superfreakonomics (I read it last month), there's an entire chapter on society's unwillingness to help, and it cites the Kitty Genovese story in NYC in the 1960s, which is a classic example of The Bystander Effect as one of the neighbours above alluded to.

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What is the difference between ignorance and apathy? I don't know and I don't care.

I like how you call us all neighbours. It's a nice touch.

now, please carry on...

I wonder why know-one helped this man ?????

Could it be that these violent antisocial misfit psychopathic freaks would probably stab you in the chest if you helped ???

Or, could it be that even if they were caught there would be no justice for the crime(s) and that our pitiful court system would then let these offenders off with a light or no sentence ???

Or, could it be that our courts are full of stupid liberal minded hug a thug Judges who used to be defence lawyers ??? and that the courts would consider the violent psychopathic freaks to be the real victims.

Agree totally

"Everyman wan go heaven, no man wan die"

death penalty to the thugs who robbed the old man and we'll have 2 less pieces of sh!t to worry about on the streets.

A lot of interesting studies came out of the 'Kitty Genovese bystander effect', after she was murdered in New York and not one person did anything meaningful to help her. Even reading through the posts, you can see that most people have already predetermined (at least in their own minds) of what they would do. The mind, however, doesn't always act in logical ways, especially when placed under a tremendous amount of stress. For anyone who has witnessed a horrific or violent situation, you know what I am talking about. I have always (and still do) consider myself to be one of those people who would help in some capacity, but every situation presents itself with unique circumstances and it is sometimes hard to say how any of us would truly react.

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Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the number of moments that take our breath away.

I'll try to find the article, but a similar thing happened in Mississauga a few years ago. Someone had a heart attack in the middle of the Sq1 terminal, fell to the floor and everyone just walked around him. I believe staff eventually came across him (a few mins later) and he did survive with use of the defib.