Stop and Help or Don't?

Don't want to stir up any controversy or anything, just curious if this really is a regional thing.

After reading the below thread, I started wondering:

If you have the capability to stop and help someone stranded on the roadside for whatever reason, including something dumb that this person did to cause that situation, Do you stop and Help?



http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/towing/360485-check-your-hitch-b4-towing-please-3.html

Where are you from and would you stop and help?

I'm from N. Texas and I would definitely stop and help.

 

I would stop and help. I think the OP did a nice thing. The guy who put him down and said he would call the cops to teach the lady a lesson was being a total dick and then started to tip toe the political line here at TW

 

Ha! I'm glad this spawned a new thread. I didn't want to touch the last one after the dark turn it took.

I generally decide based on a group of factors like:
am I late for work or will I be?
how dire does the situation look and can I actually help?
is it dark out and I risk getting hit by another car, or jumped with a tire iron?
is it someone who looks like they have no idea what they are doing?
what part of town is it? A dude in a Mercedes with a flat tire can call a tow truck.
How fast am I going, can I slow down before I pass them?
will I scare the crap out of this person if I pull over to help?

I'm normally on the lookout to help people, and I keep tools and a compressor in the truck. But I'm not going to take unnecessary risks to be nice. I might just call the police/sheriff/state patrol and tell them about a disabled vehicle.

 

Definitely... I didn't want to really talk about political stuff of course(just makes everyone mad at each other) just wondering if there are regions were stopping to help is less prevelant. I always figured it could be me someday needing help so better pay it forward.

 

I am from Massachusetts and would judge the situation by what is going on. If its some old lady and she has a flat tire, I would like to think I would stop and assist (again, depending on traffic and where I am on the road compared to when I see her). I am not going to cut across three lanes of 80+ mph traffic on the highway to help her, but on a side road, absolutely.

If it is a younger person who is out changing the tire on their own, nope they got it and I would just be in the way. With most accidents its easy to tell if it just happened or if they have been there for a while. If there are other people helping, nope - I will keep on keeping on. Again, all conditional.

 

Yeah... I was thought there was an interesting topic, but that thread turned in a hurry.....

I see what your saying.

I probabably wouldn't help if the situation were dangerous or if I was somewhere in a big city in a bad neighborhood.

If it is safe to help, I'll stop.

 

Depends.... My situational awareness (spidey scences) will let me know when its OK.

Being a female and if I'm alone, it's really hard to get involved....If I personally witnessed an accident and its pretty serious, I'll make an effort to at least stop and call 911 (in the safety of my truck). Depending on the situation, whether I actually get out and get involved. If I think someone is trapped...I think my own adrenaline would get me moving.

If someone collapses in a grocery store - yea, I'll help out!! And if it turns out badly, I can scream or hopefully I'm packing that day.

In a safe neighborhood and I see something weird...I've been known to knock on doors and 'warn' the folks. Nothing ever becomes of it, but at least...they were happy that I took notice.

You can't trust anyone these days...unfortunately...

 

Idaho, Montana, Wyoming and most parts of Oregon and Utah I will stop and see if I can help and offer assistance. I would pass my own mother-in-law in most others.

 

When I can stop and help I do. Not surprised the OP was jumped on for helping his fellow man - I've experienced the same thing for posting about stopping to help others on this forum.

David