I've stopped twice in the last three weeks to help out ladies who's cars have broken down, and I've been surprised both times by the amount of people who just drive past, ignoring their plight.
The first time was actually in the car park of my local shopping centre. A heavly pregnant woman got out of her car that was reversed half way out of a bay and said it wasn't starting but she thought I'd be able to reverse out around her. I said 'Um, do you need some help?' and she goes 'Oh, I don't want to be a pain'. I told her it was no trouble and we managed to roll her car back into another bay. But while we were doing this at least five people tried to drive past and honked at us for being in the middle of the road.
Can you believe it???I mean, not only did I think people would stop to help
anyone who had broken down, but the fact that this woman looked like she was about to have her waters break right then and there, I really thought that would have made more people want to help. Obviously I was wrong. Eventually though a couple came over to help and the guy turned out to be a mechanic so we managed to get the car started. As I was leaving the lady told me I was a complete angel and she was lucky I was passing by at that moment.
Tonight I was driving home from my Mum's place when I came across a car with their hazard lights on just around a corner. I pulled over and asked the lady behind the wheel if she needed any help and she informed me that she didn't have her phone with her, had a broken ankle and thought her car wasn't working because the guy at the petrol station had put in unleaded instead of diesel. I gave her my phone and she called her partner, who wouldn't come and get her because he was in the middle of a
workout!!! It was at this point that she started swearing at him like a fishmongers wife, and really I don't blame her. I'd be the same if Christian refused to come pick me up when I'd broken down. She ended up hanging up in a huff and then bursting into tears. All the while car after car drove past and none stopped to help until a couple of guys who really could only be called 'derros' pulled up (Smerk will understand and maybe the Edinburgh crew, although I don't think we explained it all that well.
http://www.aussieslang.com/slang/australian-slang-d.asp?page=2 hopefully this will help) . We rolled the car off the road and I gave the lady and her little boy a ride home, although I didn't stay to witness the murder that I'm sure took place shortly afterwards. But before I left, this lady also told me I was an angel and I left feeling really warm and fuzzy because I'd done a good thing.
It got me thinking though why more and more people today just prefer to look the other way and completely ignore those who are in need. It makes you feel really good when you help others and I think the world would be a better place if we all did more of it.
But somehow I don't think that's going to happen.