So What Would You Do?

From The Fourth Checkraise:

In Reddit, there is an interesting thread with over 2,000 comments so far. Suppose you are alone at a gas station, and a 11-year-old kid approaches you and asks for a ride home five miles away. Your move? I don't even drive a car, but my immediate response was exactly the same as it is to the question of what I would do if, when taking a walk in some new-to-me neighbourhood, I saw a crying little kid wandering just by himself: just stay the hell away. And this seems to be the exact response of an overwhelming majority of serious commenters .... Even with honestly benevolent intentions to help the kid, there are just too many things that can go wrong and cost your whole life. Suppose the toddler is confused of the directions to home, so you take his hand and start taking him the wrong way, and the enraged parent catches up after you moments later, not in a state of mind to listen to any explanations? Sorry, not going to happen. Sure, I'm a coward, that is, someone who refuses to take a large risk solely for someone else's benefit. But if it's a choice between one lost kid and my entire future, then there really isn't anything for me to choose, brother.

Comments

[Joe]

Yep, that's already happened. A toddler wandered off her property and was later found drowned in a ditch not far from home. Eventually a man came forward admitting he had seen her walking along the road, but avoided intervening for fear of being falsely accused of wrongdoing.

[Maven]

"But if it's a choice between one lost kid and my entire future, then there really isn't anything for me to choose, brother."

What a selfish world we live in. I'm going to help that kid, and worry about problems later.

[Maven]

Having read the whole post, in this particular case it isn't a lost kid, just an 11-yr old asking random people for a ride. Not a good choice for him. In this case, I'd have him call his parents and find out what they want him to do, though I'd be willing to take him home if they were agreeable with it.

In the case of the lost 5-yr old, I'd still help the kid and worry about consequences later.

[Scott]

Do what I could to the best of my abilities -- that's a child & I'm a grown-up. I carry a gun, though, in case things go non-linear...that's the Boy Scout in me.

[Nick]

Just out of curiosity, did anyone suggest taking out their cell phone and calling the police non-emergency number?

[Tom McMahon]

That was my thought too, Nick.