"Not my problem attitude" Post your experiance

Hi all,
Am sure we have all had a moment to share (like the person dropping litter on the street )

Today when trying to find a park in the local shopping center car park (Multi level)

I was on the ramp to the next level, waiting behind another car while the vehicle in front of them reverse parked.

I could see past them and watched the driver trying to park outright reverse into the corner of the car parked next to where they were trying to park, then on the second attempt they side swiped the same parked car
On the third attempt they parked, with barely enough room to open their door
(and enough room to park a motorcycle the other side )

The car in front drove off without a care (even though they had a bird's eye view of what occurred).

I double parked, and by the time I got out the offender had walked off into the shopping center
I checked, no note, no card, no "I'm sorry"

So I left a card with my details, and wrote the offenders rego on the back and some details

So SAD it is that these days people don't take responsibility for their actions

Worse that a witness just thinks "Not my Problem" and leaves

If they came back to their car with $6,000+ of damage they'd be mad as hell

 

Last year I watched a bogan aggressive Aussie abuse someone from European descent and tell them to "go home to your **** country" as they walked back from a car racing event ... wish I'd had the balls to step in, but being female and "not so young" I didn't.

Regret my choice. Even if I'd just step forward and taken the European out of the situation by the distraction of a question

 

I remember a psych lecture on this. From memory the research showed people when asked if they would speak up if for example someone cut in line or did something socially unacceptable like that. And almost everyone said they would.

Then they ran the experiment where they cut in line. And almost no one spoke up.

The take home message is that people think they would be social justice warriors when its all talk. But few actually act.

 

Bystander effect - Wikipedia

 

I reckon this is for fear of their own safety tho. I'm not one of the poeple that sits back and watches.

Years ago, Wet n Wild Sydney.. the lines were bloody massive. Some ratbag kids cut more than half the line.. just blatantly kept moving up. Heard lost of grumbles behind me, but no one stopped them. Got in front of me, having already waited 30mins and wasn't on the stairs portion of the queue yet.

I politely spoke to them, they called me a 'C' and numerous other words. So I just explained if they won't go to the back, I'll get staff to make them. We got half way up the stairs portion (another 20min wait), when a staff member walked up. I spoke to said staff member, and they got kicked to the back of the line. More profanities. Then cheers from others in the line.

As I went down the ride, got out of the pool, I was met by 3 MASSIVE Islander men. They surrounded me, and one put his face right up to mine. I still remember how bad his breath smelt lol. Swearing and carrying on.. Tried to intimidate me, I just kept cool and explained what their kids did. Explained we all pay the same price for tickets, and their actions are ridiculous. The main dude tried his best to make me feel small (I was 1/4 his size lol) but once they they realised I really wasn't feeling intimidated at all, they backed off a little and listened. I said something along the lines of how they must be real good parents teaching their kids to just stand over people when they don't get their own way. They weren't impressed, but seemed to think about it for a second, and walked off.

The dudes walked back over to the kids watching in the distance, with massive smiles on their faces, obviously thinking I've just been told. One kid got such a whack to the back of the head, he fell over.

I'm certainly one to speak up about skipping a line, in certain situations - especially if it affects others. And certainly if people have paid good money to be there.

I'm not the most social person, but when someone has done something wrong and won't own it, I'll speak up. No one 'likes' confrontation, but I won't shy away from it.

 

In the situation you described above, I probably would have said something to the kids and/or to staff as you have described, but I definitely would have been intimidated by 3 big blokes confronting me. This is the exact reason why I am unlikely (depending on situation) to intervene in some circumstances. I *have* been slapped upside the head by a big islander dude, and its not an experience I wish to repeat. It was only when I was on the phone to police that the dude backed off (he had started on my mate at that point), and when the police arrived and I described what happened, he said it sounded like a person known to police, and I was luck to be conscious, as opposed to trying to give a statement from a hospital bed some days later.

In those situations, if there are enough people around to get the support, definitely intervene, while someone is calling the cops.

Cheers,
Inertia

 

An example of why some things should be left to the professionals to deal with. Sure, take photos, leave a note, etc, but sometimes it just doesn't pay to confront people solo.
Surgeon who died after one punch told off accused for smoking, court hears

 

I definitely intervene if it's a criminal act, sometimes physically. I've caught pickpockets, bag snatchers, and building intruders and forced them off, or held until police arrived. Also confronted bicycle and car thieves and stopped them. Can't stand criminal scumbags.