Am I wrong in feeling that if you came across an older teenage girl unconscious on the pavement you should stop and help her?

[erikbloodaxe]

Because no one else wanted to help me help her and one woman even said her dog (she was walking it at the time) wouldn't want to wait.

I would like to think I would stop and help any person of any age who was lying unconscious on a pavement

Disgusting that noone would help you

Isn't there some inherent moral obligation that you should at least try?

But yes.....

If someone was already assisting her, I'd have assumed matters were already under control.

And if I were en route to something urgent/important I'd say the first thing that sprang into my head rather than just "no" (though I guess that might be better than a lame excuse)

Should the incapacitated of any age be helped - hell yes, and I've done that (calling ambulance, waiting with someone until it arrived). And I wouldn't have expected others to do more than pass on by, as practical matters sorted.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bystander_effect#:~:text=The%20bystander%20effect%2C%20or%20bystander,in%20presence%20of%20other%20people.

Sadly a lot of people don’t want to get involved or are scared so don’t help.

A teen family member was injured and no one stopped. They had a good look through.

Well done for helping her. Was she okay?

My husband attended to a semi unconscious man a few weeks ago, bleeding from the nose, he stopped and called an ambulance, he also noted a description of the man with clenched firsts muttering angrily to himself, rushing away as he approached (he works in criminal justice/mental health), then a woman who is a nurse stopped to help. Dozens of people just walked past, some took photos. Interesting the two people who stopped both work in public service jobs, it's a sense of obligation/duty I think.

other countries have laws about this. In Germany if you just walked by you could be prosecuted for not helping someone in dire need.

If i saw someone had already stopped I'd ask if they needed help, if there was anyone i should call etc. I may possibly stay to guide other people around so they weren't surrounded by a bunch of gawpers until the emergency services arrive.

If nobody had stopped? yes, i would stop and try to help, call the emergency services etc. And have done in the past (not just for teenage girls)

My daughter has panic disorder and looks like she is fitting. One person called an ambulance when it happened but never went over to her just called from their house. Very odd!

Yes I would hope I helped,Op. Not just because I have a teenage daughter but because it is the decent thing to do. I would be thankful of someone like you around if God forbid anything happened to my girl. How was the girl after this?

People have been walking on by since the days of Jesus and his parable of The Good Samaratian.

The dog walker may have had a point though, the stopped dog may have caused more issues.

I'd stop though, and have done. I too am a HCP but I'm not sure that is a factor.

As someone whose sibling has epileptic seizures when out in public on their own I am permanently disappointed at the number of people who just walk on by. I’d never not stop if someone needed help or was not conscious and I massively judge people who don’t or won’t help.

Yes of course, unless it was visibly under control- someone calling an ambulance, someone else moving her onto her side- in which case I wouldn't want to just add to the crowd- probably ask if I could help and not stop unless needed.

I have had epilepsy since about that age and it's surprising how many people simply don't give a toss that someone is on the floor in a bad way. Several times, I have been having a seizure and the only ones to have stopped have been those who look to be homeless or have drug problems. Not sure why they have been more willing to help than those with more conventional lives.

I really hope your daughter is ok now.

I helped a homeless man who was face down on a grass verge. Very disappointed in the ambulance service who refused to attend...

Wtf is wrong with people?! Of course I would and people should stop and help. I honestly think Covid has got a lot tk answer for.

I did a first aid course as a volunteer with kids and we have to do it. Many people now refuse to do emergency breaths as they don’t want to go near soemoenes mouth. I can’t imagine refusing to try and save someone’s life.

It's taught now that you don't have to do the rescue breaths.
Good quality effective chest compressions are much more important if there's going to be any chance of a good outcome for the person.

To cut a very long story short she was 17, blind drunk at 4pm. I called an ambulance, told 4-7 hrs, so called police. I was on my way to collect DP and couldn't get hold of him to explain. Two teenage boys agreed to stay until the police or I got there. Went back with DP, at this point she had pulled her bottoms/pants down and had her legs in the air. People had their phones out. It was fucking sickening. I covered her with a picnic blanket from the car and called the police again and insisted they come. She was so vulnerable. When the police came she was known to them. 17, blind drunk, exposing herself. So bloody sad.

People don’t stop - a few years ago my late DF had a fall while I was out with him and my children .. he was a tall man and I couldn’t get him up - very many people just walked past before a couple stopped and helped me

chest compressions and/or recovery position and keep an eye on them until the emergency services get there
any suspicion of head or back injury - no recovery position

It's a legal obligation in my country to help in emergency situations and this would class as an emergency situation. I would definitely stop to help but most times I've seen a situation that needed help (usually an elderly person falling down) there's several other people running to help as well so I'm not needed (except the one time a woman fell off her bike right at my feet so I was first to help)

I fell off my bike once last year, with DS on the back, and two young schoolgirls risked being late to school to help us up and check we were alright. I'm glad I live somewhere where people take this responsibility seriously.

I think it’s the right thing to try and help, also call an ambulance. Many people don’t though. A number of years ago we were out for a remote coastal walk and saw a man trying to make a phone call. My H asked if he was OK and he said his wife had sprained her ankle. So we went over to her and the poor woman was lying on the ground soreadeagled with her leg trapped between 2 rocks. We couldn’t move her so I finally managed to call an ambulance. We waited with the couple, put our coats over her etc till she was taken away by emergency services (she had broken her leg in 2 places) and then cleared up the debris the paramedics had left. It was a good couple of hours and my kids were young so were a bit annoying but we couldn’t have left them.

however loads of people just walked past and didn’t even ask if they could do anything. Some did, but went on when we told them help was on the way. One guy even told us he was a doctor but there was no point in him helping?!

In my early 20s I was driving and saw what looked like bin bags on the dual carriageway but as I approached realised it was a big man with a black coat. It was a very busy road and I don’t know how he managed to not get hit but I was a small 22 year old trying to get him back to the pavement, which wasn’t easy or safe for either of us. Lots of passer-by’s. Lots of people stopped to stare. Not one single person helped.

People just don’t help anymore.

I think people are afraid in some of these situations, especially if they involve a young woman who is behaving ‘dangerously’. The chorus of criticism that you might have done the ‘wrong thing’, and , for men, being accused of prurient or unsuitable behaviour is very real.

On the whole, I think people are more likely to try and help an elderly person who has fallen, because the situation is so clear cut. With younger people, or when substance abuse is involved, it can be more difficult.

But of course , there are just a lot of selfish people about as well.

Can't blame COVID. My mum fainted when pregnant with me and nobody stopped. She thinks she was out for a while on a busy street. I'm 48 so not a new phenomenon.
I can't believe how awful people are .

I'd help anyone I passed but especially someone particularly younger or older.