Dear Abby....

I am a regular Dear Abby reader. I usually read her segments as they are posted on Yahoo News. Sometimes her advice is coherent with mine and other times we differ significantly. On this one particular matter [that I will describe below], my advice would be somewhat different..


Taken from an Oct 1st article:

DEAR ABBY: My 22-year-old daughter was driving on a busy street when she noticed an older gentleman in running shorts lying on the median. She stopped, turned on her hazard lights and went to help. He was unresponsive, but breathing. When she called 911, she was told that more than 100 motorists had reported a "dead man" on the street, but no one had stopped to check on him. Police, an ambulance and a fire truck arrived shortly after her call. Abby, at what point do we become invisible? When do we cease to be important? Would it have been different if that person had been a child or someone in his 30s? Have we lost our humanity? -- DISAPPOINTED IN TAMPA

DEAR DISAPPOINTED: I doubt whether the situation would have been different if the man had been in his 30s rather than a senior. If a child had been lying there ... maybe. The passing motorists may have thought they had "done their duty" by calling 911 and were afraid to do more because they didn't know what else to do. Have we lost our humanity? Some people may have, but your daughter isn't one of them. Orchids to her, and to you, for having raised such a caring -- and proactive -- individual.

Now, I am as caring as the next, but recent times have caused for different measures. I have never been in a position where I had to react for someone's safety. If I would have passed a man that I thought was dead, I most likely would have called 9-1-1.

Would I had stopped? That is a complicated question.

• One thing to consider is traffic. Since a median was mentioned, I am guessing it is atleast a two-lane two-way road. Most roads with medians, does not have adequate space to pull over by that median. All of this said, that does not completely rule out pulling over and checking on the man. I am just saying that traffic would be a consideration. For someone to stop, they must park their car on the opposite side of where the man was then run across the street. Depending on traffic, those two can be a complicated task all in its own..
• Another thing to consider is safety. Yes, the man is lying down there, but why? Sure the man could have passed out from dehydration, but what if that same man was a con man? What if his plan is to lure unsuspecting individuals to his aid, ask for a ride home, then once in the car do God's knows what. [Now, that scenario is a lil far fetched, but it can happen]..

The scenario of what if it was a child was mentioned. If it was a child, I probably would have stopped. Children have an innocent image. They are believed to not do any harm. Because of that, yes I would help a child cause there will be nothing to fear. Now, if that image is broken then maybe just calling 9-1-1 would be the best bet.

All I am saying is that just because someone did not stop, that doesn't mean that they are a bad person. With the economy, more things have to be considered..