Society & Culture

Knight in Shining Armour

Society & Culture

Posted by: Rachel

1st Oct 2011 11:10pm

Recently I witnessed an elderly lady having her bag snatched . Before I could even rationally think about the situation, and whether I could be putting myself in danger, I had given my handbag to the lady to hold while I chased after the thief. I managed a couple of grabs at him but he got away. As I watched him run off he dropped the ladies bag. I went and collected it but he had still taken her purse.
Anyway, the point of all this is has anyone ever acted on impulse like this (without thinking) and thought rationally about it later seeing how dangerous it could have been? or have the days of people helping each other in times of need/danger gone out the door forever?


Comments 13

bulldogbobby
  • 24th Sep 2013 10:06pm

do you think that eldely should be allowed to carry capsican spay seeing that these attacks are taken place more often

Suresh
  • 11th May 2012 12:57am

snatching is increasing day bt day, every now and then in various countries these are the news and a very common practice now for bad people and its from chain snatching to purse snatching. I never seen personally but heard different stories of snatching. In some cases, even the culprits are caught by people but majority of them are able to run. Today people dont help each other as they think they can get in to problems so why should they involve. even some people are helpful but the ratio is 30% helpful and 70% are just wanting to mind their own work.

sherri
  • 30th Nov 2011 04:15pm

Goodonya Rachel!
Not only did it end safely for you....you have done something even MORE important - you have restored that old lady's faith in the goodness of people!

Sure there were inhernent dangers in the situation that you realised AFTER the fact...but they did not happen, and you have the satisfaction of knowing how you react in an emergency.

Well done.

HaggisKaz
  • 24th Oct 2011 06:11pm

Yes - I did once. I was driving home from work and saw a teenager kicking what I thought was their bag at the side of the road. When I realised it was another student I pulled off the road and started running towards the assailant, who then ran off. I quickly checked the victim was okay, then left him with someone else while I followed the other guy. He'd had a head start - and was probably much fitter than me - and I had no chance of catching him, however he was well clear of the victim and had run past enough people that I could get a description of him to report him to the authorities. You are right. You can't think about every consequence. Someone was being hurt and nobody else was helping. I had to try. It honestly never occurred to me that I could get hurt, but even if it had, I would still have done it. (Don't know that I'd have done it for a handbag though!)

Rachel
  • 26th Oct 2011 01:52pm
That last comment of mine wsa supposed to sound full of admiration - I hope it didn't come across as a criticism.
I agree - the follow-up is more harrowing than the giving chase!

Thanks! I agree about the follow up. I was then wishing I hadn't helped!

HaggisKaz
  • 26th Oct 2011 04:15am
Good on you! I don't think it was so much the handbag that made me act, but more how distressed the elderly woman was at what had just occurred. My first instinct was to help.
Later when I...

That last comment of mine wsa supposed to sound full of admiration - I hope it didn't come across as a criticism.
I agree - the follow-up is more harrowing than the giving chase!

Rachel
  • 24th Oct 2011 07:52pm
Yes - I did once. I was driving home from work and saw a teenager kicking what I thought was their bag at the side of the road. When I realised it was another student I pulled off the road and...

Good on you! I don't think it was so much the handbag that made me act, but more how distressed the elderly woman was at what had just occurred. My first instinct was to help.
Later when I went back to check on the lady we rang the poilce who took a report and my description of him. I then spent a good two hours out of that afternoon looking through "mug shots" at the police station but was unable to identify anyone.

mysteron347
  • 17th Oct 2011 04:24pm

Precisely.

We now have the situation that the legal system protects the wrongdoer. You shouldn't have to think too hard about doing the right thing. The law should protect people who act in good faith.

Sadly, it doesn't - and the results are the ongoing social chaos we're experiencing.

Rachel
  • 17th Oct 2011 05:39pm
Precisely.

We now have the situation that the legal system protects the wrongdoer. You shouldn't have to think too hard about doing the right thing. The law should protect people who act...

So true!!!
It's very sad that it has come to this. It also changes how you bring up your children and even religious teaching i.e "..you should always help those in need....", but now we need to add" EXCEPT......" followed by a list of circumstances or instruct them not to help at all. Very sad!

mysteron347
  • 17th Oct 2011 02:58pm

Oh dear, oh dear.

Don't you realise that the lady you gave your handbag do could have walked off with it? If you'd caught the thief, you may have injured him? Suppose he'd run into the road in front of a truck - you'd be responsible for his injuries, you know. You acted without permission, training or authority. Did you even consider that he might have hurt himself or been forced to pull his knife or syringe to defend himself against your unprovoked attack?

No? None of these things crossed your mind?

Congratulations.

But if any of these things did happen, then pompous officialdom, the do-gooders and defenders of the miscreants would have you in court - preferably gaol before you could blink an eye. Any injury you sustained would be your own fault, of course.

Well done.

Rachel
  • 17th Oct 2011 03:17pm
Oh dear, oh dear.

Don't you realise that the lady you gave your handbag do could have walked off with it? If you'd caught the thief, you may have injured him? Suppose he'd run into the...

Thanks for your reply! Yes, I do know all those things you point out. That is just the point of the whole discussion. If you have time to sit and think about it you wouldn't do it and nor would I. I was surprised after it happened that I had acted like that (without thinking) as I am an intelligent person and usually spend a lot of time thinking before I act. To a certain extent it was very scary afterwards when I realised what could have happened but my first instinct was to help.

Joydy
  • 14th Oct 2011 04:41pm

Well done Rachel, don't think i would attempt but i am getting older and slower every day. But I think we all need to be more pro active in these sorts of situations - may not be a good idea to take chase but even giving a yell for help would draw attention to the robber - do hope he gets caught!

Rachel
  • 14th Oct 2011 05:25pm
Well done Rachel, don't think i would attempt but i am getting older and slower every day. But I think we all need to be more pro active in these sorts of situations - may not be a good idea to...

No, it probably wasn't a good idea to take chase but that's the strange thing. When put in this situation you just don't have time to think you just react and think about it later! All I could think of is "I have to help!"

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