What would you do?

[Workingman]

Would you intervene in and Anti-social behaviour incident, or vandalism, or an assault?

Apparently a YouGov poll says that 2/3 of us would walk on by.

There was a time when if I saw two or three ganging up on someone I would wade in and to hell with it. I wouldn't do it today, even if I was younger and fitter. I certainly would not do it for vandalism; and I have become so immune from anti-socail behaviour I couldn't care less.

The very most I would do nowadays is phone the police and wait to see if they turned up.

[cromwell]

I have intervened in the past, when I have seen children being bullied or anti social behaviour. I'm not so sure now. Self preservation kicks in and my knees tell me every day that I'm not young anymore.
It depends on the circumstances I suppose; you would have to wait and see what was happening and even then your own reaction may surprise you!

[Nanna]

I'd like to think I would wade in with my stick but common sense tells me I'd fall over:(. At least I would phone for the police.

[TheOstrich]

LOL @ Nanna ......

If it didn't involve me or mine, I'd not get involved, I'd simply walk on by these days - unless it was an elderly person who was the victim. Then I might well intervene. I certainly wouldn't with children, and you can blame political correctness quite squarely for that.
I can't say it's ever happened though.

If it did involve me or mine, let's just say I wouldn't be taking prisoners.
I have been "approached" by a yoof in the past, and made it quite clear by body-stance I'd be making the first strike. He veered away.

Of course, he probably only wanted to know the time ....

[Kaz]

If I saw adults hurting each other I would call the police. If I saw someone hurting a child I would wade in - I wouldn;'t be able to help myself..............

For a shoplifter, or a drunk or stoned, or someone shouting or carrying on in the street I would walk by - quickly. In fact we get that quite a lot here in Gloucester, in many ways I am used to it now. Sad but true

[KateLMead]

Carry a big brick in your handbag

[Kaz]

Whe me? No I'm fine thanks Kate, I'm fairly streetwise really.........not as blonde and fluffy as I look

[Suff]

Like everything it all depends on the circumstances.

I've intervened in the past but nowadays, unless it directly involved family or friends, I would be more circumspect. I would do nothing which, in the circumstances, raises me to visibility of the police. They have been quite clear about this; it is their responsibility; not mine.

Given the propensity for the police and the courts to demand that they are the sole arbiters of law and justice and to punish those who take on that role more than those who break the law, my take is to let them get on with it. Only when everyone has been impacted by the lawless will everyone vote for the right moves to make our country a safe place.

Harsh, perhaps coldblooded, but that is the way our country now works.

[Aggers]

It all depends on the actual circumstances.

My initial inclination would be to intervene, if I see that someone was being hurt/intimidated/threatened, but
my wife has drummed it into me that I shouldn't get involved, as it's not worth the risk of getting hurt, or worse.

I guess she's right. really, but I would find it hard to just 'pass on the other side'.

[saundra]

if i interviened i would probably end up being sued
for assault