Disappointment in People...

[easo]

G'day all, over the weekend I took my 3 boys (all under 6) to the Melbourne Zoo. It was packed. We were slowly walking through the butterfly house and about to exit, when we noticed my 6yo not anywhere to be seen in the crowd. So quickly turning around to find him I was meet with a wall of people unwilling to move and allow me to get through. I finally found him (heard his crying and calling Mummy and Daddy first) trying to exit the entrance.

What annoys me firstly is the fact me the dad is asking people "have you seen... Blue Hat!!" and just getting the evil eye, but finding my son in tears calling for mum and dad and other parents with prams and small kids just looking at him and keeping on walking by!!!

Whats wrong with people!

I bet they would want someone to find their kid if they were lost. I know I have found a lost child at the Werribe Zoo before and help the little bloke find his very worried mum.

How hard is it to help!

Vent over, Easo

[LandyAndy]

Gidday Dan.
Happy that you found him quickly.People these days are unbelievable,too wound up in their own self importance.
Andrew

[d@rk51d3]

Or afraid of being labeled a "pedo" when picking up a strange child.....

[korg20000bc]

Or afraid of being labeled a "pedo" when picking up a strange child.....

Exactly.
Sad, but true.

[Grumbles]

I generaly abhor generalising but that's city people as a group for you - see nothing - do nothing - say nothing. If you got into bother in a rural area/regional city there would be folk all over you trying to help - or so I have found it.

I am glad it all worked out well for you.

[incisor]

Or afraid of being labeled a "pedo" when picking up a strange child.....

it crosses my mind...

i have had some strange looks when i walk about town with my grandkids, more so if one is crying.

it is very sad... but that seems to be the mentality of people these days.

[roverfan]

Or afraid of being labeled a "pedo" when picking up a strange child.....

Absolutely 100% true and is very sad, I still always help but you never feel quite right these days always wondering what some idiot has to say.

What sucks even more is when you help and dont even get a thankyou, rescued a little kid in the surf once then the mum who hadnt been supervising went and thanked my dad who hadnt even seen what happened

[d@rk51d3]

Was watering the front lawn the other night, when out of nowhere comes a toddler, about 3 years old, butt naked running down the street. No sign of parents, or anyone else for that matter.

Felt a bit uncomfortable about chasing a strange, naked child down the street, (let alone grabbing him) so tried to call the missus outside to give me a hand. By the time she stumbles her way down the passage, he was running back down the street towards me again, but I could also hear a car coming the other way at speed, so I bit the bullet and charged out to grab him myself.

Turned out to be the parents coming back from the shops, who picked him up, gave a very gruff, and barely audible "thanks", hopped back in the car and took him home ( about 3 doors away).

Apparently was "being watched" by another family member, who had by this stage come FLYING out of the house, having just realised he was gone....

Considering the use this street has with the wanna-be drift racers, things could have gotten messy very quickly.

[The ho har's]

Glad you found him safe Daniel:) not a nice thought when one goes missing for a minute is it:(

Mrs hh:angel:

[rovercare]

Welcome to austrerica;)

[JDNSW]

.....

Turned out to be the parents coming back from the shops, who picked him up, gave a very gruff, and barely audible "thanks", hopped back in the car and took him home ( about 3 doors away).
..........

The gruffness may well have been because they were highly embarrassed/relieved/angry (at the "minder" or the 3yo).

John

[d@rk51d3]

Yep.

The 15 mins of screaming, doors slamming, then the burnout back down the street that followed, seemed to indicate a level of angst.

[vnx205]

Or afraid of being labeled a "pedo" when picking up a strange child.....


Exactly.
Sad, but true.

It happens.

In a Central Coast newspaper "Thumbs Up/Thumbs Down" section last year, I read a "Thumbs Down" contribution by a woman. She was giving the thumbs down to the woman who had picked up her crying infant in the local supermarket to comfort it. She said something along the lines of, "Doesn't she realise how traumatic it is to have a stranger pick up your child?".

Some people are just paranoid.

[CraigE]

The sad thing is this is the norm now. This once great country it used to be the norm that people helped, not any more. You will still get people that will help but they are in the minority.
The amount of times people just avert their eyes and keep going is amazing.
A couple of cases:
Recently in Kalbari Gorges a guy had an arterial bleed. Now the caring soul I am (I actually believe I have a duty of care with my skills), I ran 1.5kms to get to him and assist. Me, my wife, his wife and three kids (adults) carried him out 1.5kms all up hill. Not one person offered to assist, would have made the trip out easier, but at least 60 plus people passed us.
A while back rainy crappy night driving home to Esperance with trailer on back spied a car in a ditch obvious person inside. Anyway ended up an 80yo gentleman whos car had slid in the mud entering his drive. Had been there over 1/2hr. While we were there at least 20 cars went by, not one offered any help. Recovered the car and got him home.
There are heaps more but these were the 2 that stood out.

[d3syd]

I generaly abhor generalising but that's city people as a group for you - see nothing - do nothing - say nothing. If you got into bother in a rural area/regional city there would be folk all over you trying to help - or so I have found it.

I am glad it all worked out well for you.

Very true. Down here in Tassie, you don't need to wait very long for someone to stop and offer you help if you find yourself in any kind of predicament. I will miss this, the slow pace of life and the "way it use to be-ness" of this place once I move back to Sydney this year.:(

[d3syd]

Welcome to austrerica;)

Actually on my trip to the States last year I found most Americans to be more warm and helpful than your average Sydneysider - even in New York City! I think we have become way to cynical in this country particularly in the cities, don't ask me why :confused:

I really notice this having lived in Tassie the past 6+ years. I find visits to shopping malls rather unpleasant because they are filled with rude people lost in their own world of self importance.....

[Ralph1Malph]

Two Words.
Litigation and Stigmatisation.
Litigation is being learnt from the Americans and re-inforced by those generally from the left of life societal balance. Particularly, those who espouse rights before responsibilties.

Stigmatisation is home grown. The sex offenders register, glass ceiling attitudes, gender inequality, child welfare zealots (no smack brigade) etc etc are contributing factors.

I would suggest people read this:
Australian Institute of Criminology - Misperceptions about child sex offenders (http://www.aic.gov.au/publications/current%20series/tandi/421-440/tandi429.aspx).

I am no expert, just a father, but I too worry about attitudes and perceptions, especially surrounding children.

I remember my father in the mid 80's cleaning up and help bathe a sickly young man who had vomited on our nature strip in the middle of the night. He had late stage aids and was trying to get back to Bris to be with family to die. He was thrown off the greyhound bus for vomiting and 'creating a health hazard'. My father organised a lift with a local cattle carrier the rest of the 700km to Bris. His family sent my father a gift from memory.

Ralph

[Davo]

I don't think it's that recent a problem, but has come with the explosion of the faceless suburbs. In the 90s when I was stuck in the northern suburbs of Perth, I came home one day and found a kid on the road, with his skateboard nearby. So, I helped him onto the footpath and got his skateboard and the money he'd dropped while someone else called his mum . . . who appeared in her car, threw him in, and sped away.

What a rude cow!

[d@rk51d3]

Two Words.
Litigation and Stigmatisation.

I'd add a third: Apathy.

A well recognised attitude mentioned by many who visit Australia.

[ROOSTERS D2]

G'day all, over the weekend I took my 3 boys (all under 6) to the Melbourne Zoo. It was packed. We were slowly walking through the butterfly house and about to exit, when we noticed my 6yo not anywhere to be seen in the crowd. So quickly turning around to find him I was meet with a wall of people unwilling to move and allow me to get through. I finally found him (heard his crying and calling Mummy and Daddy first) trying to exit the entrance.

What annoys me firstly is the fact me the dad is asking people "have you seen... Blue Hat!!" and just getting the evil eye, but finding my son in tears calling for mum and dad and other parents with prams and small kids just looking at him and keeping on walking by!!!

Whats wrong with people!

I bet they would want someone to find their kid if they were lost. I know I have found a lost child at the Werribe Zoo before and help the little bloke find his very worried mum.

How hard is it to help!

Vent over, Easo
Makes ya wonder how it happens and so quick but it dose. Ive been there to. Hopefully people may change back to how things were oneday 10 to 20 years time there will be a new generation that may be sick of how rude PEOPLE ARE NOW. AT LEAST THERE IS SOME NORMAL PEOPLE OUT THERE BRING UP KIDS NOW WITH MANNERS AND RESPECT FOR THERE ELDERS. BRING ON AUSTRALIA DAY!!!!! ROOSTERS D2.

[korg20000bc]

Was watering the front lawn the other night, when out of nowhere comes a toddler, about 3 years old, butt naked running down the street. No sign of parents, or anyone else for that matter.

Felt a bit uncomfortable about chasing a strange, naked child down the street, (let alone grabbing him) so tried to call the missus outside to give me a hand. By the time she stumbles her way down the passage, he was running back down the street towards me again, but I could also hear a car coming the other way at speed, so I bit the bullet and charged out to grab him myself.

Turned out to be the parents coming back from the shops, who picked him up, gave a very gruff, and barely audible "thanks", hopped back in the car and took him home ( about 3 doors away).

Apparently was "being watched" by another family member, who had by this stage come FLYING out of the house, having just realised he was gone....

Considering the use this street has with the wanna-be drift racers, things could have gotten messy very quickly.

A fortunate ending.
Back in the day, the parents would have rolled their eyes to each other and said "Kids!"

Now, we tend to make judgement calls about the parents. Just seems to be the way its going.

[CraigE]

Two Words.
Litigation and Stigmatisation.
Litigation is being learnt from the Americans and re-inforced by those generally from the left of life societal balance. Particularly, those who espouse rights before responsibilties.

Ralph
Agreed, but there is no need. We have a thing called "The Good Samaritan Act" which is legislation where you can not be sued or prosecuted for rendering assistance deemed to be in your level of competence.

[superquag]

Very true. Down here in Tassie, you don't need to wait very long for someone to stop and offer you help if you find yourself in any kind of predicament. I will miss this, the slow pace of life and the "way it use to be-ness" of this place once I move back to Sydney this year.:(

When we visited Tassie around 20 years ago.... never bothered to lock car doors, - and if we left a window down whilst parked in Lonnie...would find it wound up there'd been rain.

Bushwalkers could leave a vehicle for days or weeks...and still find it intact.

We found a light aircraft parked in the middle of nowhere.. dunno if you can lock a Fiesler Storch, but it was untouched....

Like Perth was, 45 years ago...

James the Nostalgic

[rick130]

When we visited Tassie around 20 years ago.... never bothered to lock car doors, - and if we left a window down whilst parked in Lonnie...would find it wound up there'd been rain.

Bushwalkers could leave a vehicle for days or weeks...and still find it intact.

We found a light aircraft parked in the middle of nowhere.. dunno if you can lock a Fiesler Storch, but it was untouched....

Like Perth was, 45 years ago...

James the Nostalgic

It's still like that round here, and we're only 4.5-5 hours away from Sin City and on a major highway :confused:

....except for the Störch, anyway :D

If a car's stopped on a secondary road here all the locals stop to make sure they are OK. Seen it happen many times.
I've changed tyres for ladies and pulled cars out of ditches and other passer-by's have stopped to assist, always a local though.

I hate to say it, but when we come across a stony glare to a "G'day" or wave or "are you ok ?" we always say "city slicker" :angel:

[Mick_Marsh]

It's a Melbourne city and suburbia thing.
One soon develops tunnel vision.
You try asking a local for directions. They'll walk out on to the street just to avoid you.

[Davo]

I hate to say it, but when we come across a stony glare to a "G'day" or wave or "are you ok ?" we always say "city slicker" :angel:

Yeah, my wife and I say the same thing. Here, there are so many itinerant workers from down south who don't know how to behave in a small town, this is one of the first things we notice in a newbie. And generally a good yardstick for how they'll behave.

Though there are plenty of unfriendly locals, too . . . but that's a whole other story.

[Terrain Vehicles]

I thought it was just the UK & USA that was having this problem
When will it stop.
We all need to help each other as it makes life better for everone

[stevo68]

There is also good folks...same thing a few years back....."lost" my then 5/6 yr old at the Ekka (like the Easter Show in Sydney).......same thing having to walk against the crowd. It was like a sardine can trying to get through....1000'sw of people. The kids knew that if I did lose them to move to the right and wait and I would retrace my steps.

All of a sudden....above the crowds, to the right, I could see my son. He was on the shoulders of another father..who had lifted him up so that he could spot me and vis a vis. Was bloody thankful as it is a horrible feeling. I'll always and do help out when I see similiar as I know what it is like to miss a child if only for a couple of minutes....can seem like hours at the time,

Regards

Stevo

[lardy]

Easo, I myself don't have kids but if I see a kid lost in a shopping centre etc, I ask the kid where mummy is then take the kid to staff, I usually rope in a passing woman as you never know in these times, but you don't just leave a distressed kid alone


---
I am here: Google Maps
Sent from my iPhone using Telepathy

[goingbush]

It's a Melbourne city and suburbia thing.
One soon develops tunnel vision.
You try asking a local for directions. They'll walk out on to the street just to avoid you.


Part of the reason we have our property on the market, time to step back 25 yrs and move to Adelaide.

About 25 yrs ago I was doing a recce for a LROCV trip I was planning and going down a rather overgrown snig track and happened upon a couple of lost girls in their early teens, no idea how they got where they were but they jumped in and I returned them to the Scout Camp a good 10 klm away. Never thought of the implications until reading this.

[Tombie]

Part of the reason we have our property on the market, time to step back 25 yrs and move to Adelaide.

About 25 yrs ago I was doing a recce for a LROCV trip I was planning and going down a rather overgrown snig track and happened upon a couple of lost girls in their early teens, no idea how they got where they were but they jumped in and I returned them to the Scout Camp a good 10 klm away. Never thought of the implications until reading this.

Adelaide wont save you from it...

And 25 years back is a rude statement showing you suffer the same 'arrogant' ideas about others...

Me - I'm just a rude old bar steward... I call it as I see it...



And me - Well I lost my kid in a crowd once.... Little bastard found me though :(

[Homestar]

Since owning the L322 Rangie, SWMBO has had a couple of very different experiences (while waiting for a tilt tray...:p). The first time was in Metropolitan Melbourne - northern suburbs. Car broken down, hazard lights on, bonnet up to show that she was broken down, and not just sitting on the side of the road for the fun of it - not one person stopped to ask if she needed assistance (The RACV was on the way, but no one would have known that).

Second time down in Traralgon, (where I used to live many moons ago), and even though it is a bigger town, it's still in the country, and with the exact same scenario, 8 people stopped within an hour to ask if she needed help. Mind you, 2 other Rangies drove past and didn't stop...;)

[jsp]

Part of the reason we have our property on the market, time to step back 25 yrs and move to Adelaide.

hmmmm keep up the good work, make everyone think we are backward and non of you vics will come bother us :)

but I must disagree, I don't know if its a parents thing, a specific area thing, sign of the times in general thing, or what, but I regularly have barefoot kids out in the street without adults around to be seen, even climbing my fence at times, after 11pm, kids clearly as young as 5.

Little buggers break everything in site and make lots of weird noises.

A few times I have been out and asked where they live if mum and dad know they are out etc, most of the time they run away from the big fat hairy man, occasionally they swear and hurl abuse, rarely they say they live a few doors up or have wandered down from the footy oval at the end of the street and are polite about it.

I don't have kids so I will probably get all the "you dont understand as you dont have kids" comments, but sometimes shouldn't they be locked up, kept on a leash, or just plain at home in bed after midnight until they are old enough to notice the opposite sex!

Ohhh and I live in Adelaide ;)

[Mick_Marsh]

Part of the reason we have our property on the market, time to step back 25 yrs and move to Adelaide.

About 25 yrs ago I was doing a recce for a LROCV trip I was planning and going down a rather overgrown snig track and happened upon a couple of lost girls in their early teens, no idea how they got where they were but they jumped in and I returned them to the Scout Camp a good 10 klm away. Never thought of the implications until reading this.
A few years back, I approached a young chicky babe in Adelaide to ask directions. The sort I expect to turn and walk away very quickly from an old ugly bugger like me. She stopped, patiently heard my question, then politely gave directions to where I would catch the airport flyer.
You try that in Melbourne and they'll walk out into the street to avoid you. I've tried it.

[Mick_Marsh]

And 25 years back is a rude statement showing you suffer the same 'arrogant' ideas about others...

Me - I'm just a rude old bar steward... I call it as I see it...
Yes, it is quite rude.

Adelaide is like a big country town. I Love it.

[Mick_Marsh]

hmmmm keep up the good work, make everyone think we are backward and non of you vics will come bother us :)

I visit regularly.


but I must disagree, I don't know if its a parents thing, a specific area thing, sign of the times in general thing, or what, but I regularly have barefoot kids out in the street without adults around to be seen, even climbing my fence at times, after 11pm, kids clearly as young as 5.

Little buggers break everything in site and make lots of weird noises.

A few times I have been out and asked where they live if mum and dad know they are out etc, most of the time they run away from the big fat hairy man, occasionally they swear and hurl abuse, rarely they say they live a few doors up or have wandered down from the footy oval at the end of the street and are polite about it.

I don't have kids so I will probably get all the "you dont understand as you dont have kids" comments, but sometimes shouldn't they be locked up, kept on a leash, or just plain at home in bed after midnight until they are old enough to notice the opposite sex!

Ohhh and I live in Adelaide ;)
With respect to handling children: I prescribe to the theory of using a nail gun through the right foot. That way they don't wander far.

I use the nail gun through the left foot every other day so they get to exercise both legs. I'm not cruel.

[woody]

Agreed, but there is no need. We have a thing called "The Good Samaritan Act" which is legislation where you can not be sued or prosecuted for rendering assistance deemed to be in your level of competence.

not all states have this, though it may be implied in other legislation.

woody

[bee utey]

Headphone-related street deaths on the rise - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) (http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-01-17/headphone-related-deaths-on-the-rise/3778540)

;)

[Mick_Marsh]

Headphone-related street deaths on the rise - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) (http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-01-17/headphone-related-deaths-on-the-rise/3778540)

;)
Thanks for putting that up.
Spencer Street (Southern Cross) station has large poles holding it's roof up. Probably ten foot diameter at the base. I was watching a fellow walking through the station gazing intensely at his iPhone in his right hand. He walked square into one of those poles.
Startled, he stepped one pace back and stared at the pole. When he realised (after a not insignificant length of time) the pole was not going to move out of his way, he walked around it and resumed his gaze on his iPhone.

I see this sort of behaviour often. Stand on the north side of Collins Street near the east corner of Collins and Spencer at about 8:00am on a weekday morning. When the wall of people cross Spencer Street they will not avoid walking into you. They just push whoever is in their way around. I've experienced that on many occasions.

[rovercare]

Since owning the L322 Rangie, SWMBO has had a couple of very different experiences (while waiting for a tilt tray...:p). The first time was in Metropolitan Melbourne - northern suburbs. Car broken down, hazard lights on, bonnet up to show that she was broken down, and not just sitting on the side of the road for the fun of it - not one person stopped to ask if she needed assistance (The RACV was on the way, but no one would have known that).

Second time down in Traralgon, (where I used to live many moons ago), and even though it is a bigger town, it's still in the country, and with the exact same scenario, 8 people stopped within an hour to ask if she needed help. Mind you, 2 other Rangies drove past and didn't stop...;)

That's cause we be friendlier than yous city dwelling folk.....and we do anyfing to keep yous all move back to wheres ya came:p

[goingbush]

Adelaide wont save you from it...

And 25 years back is a rude statement showing you suffer the same 'arrogant' ideas about others...

Me - I'm just a rude old bar steward... I call it as I see it...



And me - Well I lost my kid in a crowd once.... Little bastard found me though :(

Whose fishing now then !!

[stevo68]

Whose fishing now then !! Meeeeeeeeeeeeoooowwwwwww :angel:, retract those claws girlfriend........

Regards

Stevo

[Tombie]

It's all good - I can take it :D




"Where the Desert meets the Sea"
'Did I mention some great 4WDriving is just 5 minutes from home?'

[Homestar]

That's cause we be friendlier than yous city dwelling folk.....and we do anyfing to keep yous all move back to wheres ya came:p

yous certainly are friendlier down that way. Before I lived in Traralgon, I used to live just down the road from you - in Boolarra - that was (and I suppose still is) a friendly little town, and a great place to grow up as a kid.

[jakeslouw]

We don't stop here in South Africa either, as 90% of the so-called incidents are staged events by criminals who want to bash you over the head and hijack you or murder you for your wallet. :o

[123rover50]

I understand you guys can carry a gun, we cant.
Didiman

[DeanoH]

Kaye and I have done a fair bit of outback and remote travelling over the years and stop for stationary vehicles as this is the normal way of the bush.
What is also normal in the outback is for groups of aboriginies to travel between communitys in old poorly maintained and often unregistered vehicles. After having stopped on a number of occasions to to find flat tyres, no spares, no jacks, no fuel sometimes wanting beer/cigarettes/money with to me an attitude of who cares someone will eventually stop to help so why should I/we be prepared in the first place. I decided not to stop on non remote roads to offer assistance to these groups. Basically got sick of being used. Kaye is not amused by this attitude and I cop very dark looks/silent treatment when I sail by the odd tattered EA/EB/ED Falcon, bonnet up, smokey fire and a group of half a dozen aboriginies lolling about on the side of the road. (Probably a blown head gasket, nothing I can do anyway reasons me. You can always offer water says SWMBO).
Well, I'm getting old and soft. We were about 50 Km out of Meekatharra heading for Wiluna recently when we came upon a battered old Patrol, wheel off, spare on ground, smokey fire etc going nowhere. Pulled up, much to SWMBO's shock and delight (at least I'll be in the good books thinks I) to a "havn't got a compressor have you", "certainly" says I. Turns out the bloke that owned the patrol had lent the vehicle to a 'mate' the night before who had trashed both spares, put them back on the roof and hadn't told him. I was just amazed the old patrol had six reasonably new good quality tyres (probably worth more than the patrol) AND a jack AND a jack handle AND a wheel brace AND a compressor. Unfortunately the compressor wouldn't pump air.
Someone had stopped earlier and put about twenty plugs into the (staked) tyre, I got the compressor out and pumped it up, Kaye went over to offer the girls some water and all was well, except for the aboriginal fellas 'mate' who I think was in for a rough time.
Had a chat with the aboriginal fella, a bloke about my age (late 50's) who was well educated and spoke impeccable English, better than mine, very unusual. The grand daughter (I think) came over and thanked us for helping and we all went on our respective ways.
So much for stereotypes.
Ignorant city folk may write me off as a racist though those with outback experience will know exactly where I'm coming from. Don't know what the moral (if any) of this story is apart from things aren't always what they seem or what you'd expect.
Anyway, I'm glad that I stopped to assist.

Deano:)

[rovercare]

yous certainly are friendlier down that way. Before I lived in Traralgon, I used to live just down the road from you - in Boolarra - that was (and I suppose still is) a friendly little town, and a great place to grow up as a kid.

I like it, but I'm a born and inbred hillbilly:)

[rovercare]

We don't stop here in South Africa either, as 90% of the so-called incidents are staged events by criminals who want to bash you over the head and hijack you or murder you for your wallet. :o

Shoot em and drag the carcass into the sugar cane:D

[Mick_Marsh]

Kaye and I have done a fair bit of outback and remote travelling over the years and stop for stationary vehicles as this is the normal way of the bush.
What is also normal in the outback is for groups of aboriginies to travel between communitys in old poorly maintained and often unregistered vehicles. After having stopped on a number of occasions to to find flat tyres, no spares, no jacks, no fuel sometimes wanting beer/cigarettes/money with to me an attitude of who cares someone will eventually stop to help so why should I/we be prepared in the first place. I decided not to stop on non remote roads to offer assistance to these groups. Basically got sick of being used. Kaye is not amused by this attitude and I cop very dark looks/silent treatment when I sail by the odd tattered EA/EB/ED Falcon, bonnet up, smokey fire and a group of half a dozen aboriginies lolling about on the side of the road. (Probably a blown head gasket, nothing I can do anyway reasons me. You can always offer water says SWMBO).
Well, I'm getting old and soft. We were about 50 Km out of Meekatharra heading for Wiluna recently when we came upon a battered old Patrol, wheel off, spare on ground, smokey fire etc going nowhere. Pulled up, much to SWMBO's shock and delight (at least I'll be in the good books thinks I) to a "havn't got a compressor have you", "certainly" says I. Turns out the bloke that owned the patrol had lent the vehicle to a 'mate' the night before who had trashed both spares, put them back on the roof and hadn't told him. I was just amazed the old patrol had six reasonably new good quality tyres (probably worth more than the patrol) AND a jack AND a jack handle AND a wheel brace AND a compressor. Unfortunately the compressor wouldn't pump air.
Someone had stopped earlier and put about twenty plugs into the (staked) tyre, I got the compressor out and pumped it up, Kaye went over to offer the girls some water and all was well, except for the aboriginal fellas 'mate' who I think was in for a rough time.
Had a chat with the aboriginal fella, a bloke about my age (late 50's) who was well educated and spoke impeccable English, better than mine, very unusual. The grand daughter (I think) came over and thanked us for helping and we all went on our respective ways.
So much for stereotypes.
Ignorant city folk may write me off as a racist though those with outback experience will know exactly where I'm coming from. Don't know what the moral (if any) of this story is apart from things aren't always what they seem or what you'd expect.
Anyway, I'm glad that I stopped to assist.

Deano:)
Don't have to be in the outback to have a bad experience with, how do I put it, people in the very low socio-economic groups.

[Debacle]

I work as a train guard, a couple of days ago, on a peak hour service a lady who had a problem with one of her arms approached me and asked me to find her a seat as she was unable to hold on to anything while standing because of her injury.

No worries I said and took her into a carriage and loudly said "would someone like to give up their seat for this lady"

It was amazing how many seemingly able bodied people got temporary deafness or got frozen to their seats, unable to move until one decent young bloke got up and gave her his seat.

Good thing he did because that train wasn't going anywhere until that lady was seated.

I was brought up with the rule that males always give up their seat to females no matter what.

Is this another standard that has gone by the wayside ?

[superquag]

Sadly, Yes. - Came in after women demanded - and got - 'equality'...

[superquag]

not all states have this, though it may be implied in other legislation.

woody

My First -Aid trainer (this week) was at pains to point out that 'no-one' in Oz has ever been prosecuted for rendering assistance, whatever the outcome.

In West Australia it comes under the Civil Liabilities Act.

" A good samaritan does not incur any personal civil liability in respect of an act or omission done or made by the good samaritan at the scene of an emergency in good faith and without recklessness in assisting a person in apparent need of emergency assistance. "

I believe the NT has a legal expectation to assist, due to the lack of population. But the person is still protected from legal action.

[austastar]

Hi,
I found a couple of 'lost' kids wandering in the corridor at work where any one not employed there would be 'offered assistance'.
Bright as buttons, probably 4 and 6 years old, they were looking for Mummy.
Now Mummy turned out to be a theatre sister in a nearby hospital, so the kids were pretty close with their navigation, but what were the circumstances?
It turned out they went with the babysitter to the pictures, but babysitter wanted to go shopping and left the kids unattended in the theatre seats and was not there when the lights came up and the theatre emptied.
Not phased by this, they knew the direction of the hospital, so instead of waiting for the babysitter to return, off they went.
OK, two people needed to be contacted re this little adventure, Mom, but she could wait as she was none the wiser at this stage, and the babysitter who could be any one in town.
Ringing the theatre ticket office revealed that yes, they had indeed seen a frantic woman looking for two little girls, and they would tell her that the kids were safe and their location.
Ringing Mom was an experience, (I guess she was stressed).
Mom was coming over to collect the kids (babysitter by now was probably fired), so all ended well I suppose, except for the babysitter who may not have been paid.

cheers

[rick130]

Hi,

[snip]
Mom, but she could wait as she was none the wiser at this stage, and the babysitter who could be any one in town.
Ringing the theatre ticket office revealed that yes, they had indeed seen a frantic woman looking for two little girls, and they would tell her that the kids were safe and their location.
Ringing Mom was an experience, (I guess she was stressed).
Mom was coming over to collect the kids (babysitter by now was probably fired), so all ended well I suppose, except for the babysitter who may not have been paid.

cheers

Mom ???

It's true, we've become the 51st state ! :p













:angel:

[pando]

My First -Aid trainer (this week) was at pains to point out that 'no-one' in Oz has ever been prosecuted for rendering assistance, whatever the outcome.

In West Australia it comes under the Civil Liabilities Act.

" A good samaritan does not incur any personal civil liability in respect of an act or omission done or made by the good samaritan at the scene of an emergency in good faith and without recklessness in assisting a person in apparent need of emergency assistance. "

I believe the NT has a legal expectation to assist, due to the lack of population. But the person is still protected from legal action.

http://www.racgp.org.au/afp/200807/200807bird.pdf

Good one to check out regarding the legislation for all states (strangely except tassie, guess we'd just help anyway) and the liabilities faced.

Basically, don't be drunk if you plan to help someone, all bets are off.

And yes, looks like the territorians are obliged by law to help regardless of training, and are still immune to prosecution.

[superquag]

Mom ???

It's true, we've become the 51st state ! :p

:angel:


Where's our spelling & grammar Ninja when you need him ?????:p

[superquag]

[QUOTE=pando;1616166]http://www.racgp.org.au/afp/200807/200807bird.pdf


Basically, don't be drunk if you plan to help someone, all bets are off.

QUOTE]

You can be a little bit merry, but not "significantly" affected...