Today I was walking down a dark street when I heard a scream on the other side. I crossed to walk on that side. As soon as I crossed, two big guys jogged past and a young woman stood crying holding her shin about 20 feet away.
The two guys gave me a short glance before continuing running away. When they were gone I jogged over to the woman. She was pretty, and about 21.
"What's wrong, are you okay?" I asked. She nodded while still rubbing her shin.
"What did they take?"
"Everything, my purse, keys..." she trailed off.
"I'm sorry, but I was over there when it happened and...Do you need to call someone?" I held out my phone. She shook her head and took out a sidekick and started typing.
"Thank you, no I'm fine. They were following me the past few blocks, I should've known, thank you." I nodded and walked away.
This happened in San Francisco about 1 block away from Japantown.
Should I have tried to stop those guys? Did I do the right thing? I feel kind of bad.
2007-10-03 19:45:55 · 14 answers · asked by Sam R 1 in Society & Culture ➔ Etiquette
Look, let's not be racist. But for the guy who said "those damn asians"...
I didn't want to mention it, but the two guys were black and she was an asian woman...
2007-10-03 19:55:13 · update #1
You were absolutely right to not try and take the law into your own hands but if I were you I would have stayed with her until the police arrived--and I would make sure she called the police or insisted on dialing 911 yourself and staying with her until they arrived.
Those two big scary guys now have her keys and everything--including her ID and they know where she lives...if they are anything other than petty criminals, they can not only find her apartment, they can let themselves in!
If someone is the victim of a crime, they may be in a state of shock and panic and may not be thinking clearly. It is important that you don't assume that they don't just need or want your help...make sure the proper authorities are notified--even if THEY don't want to notify them on their own.
But don't feel too badly, you did more than most people. I once heard a mugging outside my building--the guy was screaming and yelling, and people were just walking by ignoring it like it didn't even happen! There were people who saw the kids with the guns pointed at the guy and they did nothing and refused to stick around for the cops to come because it "wasn't their business"!
Below I have listed a site that tells you what to do if you witness a crime, it is pretty basic stuff but reinforces what you already know.
2007-10-03 20:10:20 · answer #1 · answered by joellemoe 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Unless you are an off duty cop, or military.. you have no business chasing after the bad guy. You don't have the training to take those kind of thugs on.
Going to the woman and offering help.. was good.. though I would have insisted, and waited with her until the police came.. or taken her to the police.
All in all, you did what you could with the thugs..
I'd think though, with her reaction of "I should have known, they've been following me.. etc.." that that's a very casual response.. most people would have shouted.. "They mugged me.. !" Not just casually pull out their side kick and start typing etc..
I guess my point in saying this is .. her reaction was not normal.. and
I think she knew the people who mugged her or knew people who knew them..
Anyway.. you did what you could.. had she had a normal response and was freakin' out and all, then staying with her and waiting for the police, or taking her to the police would have been better..
but I think the woman's reaction was suspicious... and you were right in walking away after checking on her.
P.S. Don't you think it's weird that the thugs didn't take her Sidekick??????????? I do.. I mean I'm from Miami originally and if you get mugged.. it's money, jewelry and electronics.. ie: Sidekick, cell phones, blackberries, ipods, etc.
So the fact the guys didn't take her side kick... makes me think there was more going on there then what you saw.
2007-10-03 20:50:31 · answer #2 · answered by Chris 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Unless you are a martial weapons expert...no you shouldn't have tried to take on two guys, by yourself. If they had been hurting her and you were there, the answer might be somewhat different. I'm just glad they didn't hurt her in some worse way. It's so rotten for them to pick on her and steal her stuff; what jerks!!!!!
You came up and offered your phone and checked to see she was basically OK. I think you are one of the "good guys"!
Some people would have turned and walked off, you didn't.
I think it's normal to feel bad after seeing something so rotten happen to someone else. Hang in there!
2007-10-03 19:57:12 · answer #3 · answered by LeslieAnn 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
You did the right thing. You went to help the victim; that's the most important person in this scenario. You don't know if the guys who mugged her had knives, guns, or anything else, and it's not your job to find out and put your own life at risk.
2007-10-03 19:55:26 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
You did what you did.
Are you Chuck Norris? If not, why get yourself killed.
That would not help the victim, right? Even if you could, How would beating them down help her?
If you chased after them, you would have to leave her alone. That would be worst.
So I would say you did the right thing. Her safety, is more important than being batman
2007-10-03 19:50:22 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
You did the right thing. Someone else would have ignored the whole thing out of fear for themselves.
You offered your services. You can't force a person to accept.
You showed concern for her when you didn't have to. You put someone else first. Not all people are willing to do that.
Thanks for helping her.
2007-10-03 20:06:53 · answer #6 · answered by Eagles Fly 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Unless you are some kind of fighting expert, they just woulda stomped you. Help by gving the police the best description you can and maybe get them off the streets.
2007-10-03 19:51:14 · answer #7 · answered by barbara 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
You did the only thing that you could safely do. If you'd tried to stop those guys, you could have ended up dead.
You did go over and check on the girl, and that was very kind of you.
2007-10-03 19:59:01 · answer #8 · answered by kiwi 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
If she was calling the police already then no,
she could have done it herself if she didnt.
Dont feel guilty
she had a phone you dont know all the details and she would have done a better job explaining it herself
im sure she called the cops
2007-10-03 19:50:29 · answer #9 · answered by thomaskent 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
You did the right thing. Persuing them may have gotten you killed. If they had not run off, then loudly making a display of calling the cops may have made them run away too.
2007-10-03 21:12:39 · answer #10 · answered by MrKnowItAll 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋