How would you respond if you saw a stranger get mugged/robbed/beat up?

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FrankCanada97

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#1  Edited By FrankCanada97
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FrankCanada97

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#2  Edited By FrankCanada97

Just wondering how you would react in this situation; you are walking down the street and you see two men victimizing a third. Other people are present but they do nothing. How would you react? I probably should have added the "Mob Justice" option as well: 
 

 
But seriously, I've read about the so called "Bystander Effect" where people are less likely to help in a situation when other people are present. Would you react the same way as others who take no notice?
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xMP44x

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#3  Edited By xMP44x

I would call the police considering a few reasons: 
 

  • I don't know if they're armed.  
  • They are likely physically stronger. 
  • I'm not really old enough to stand a chance against what is likely a grown man. 

At the same time though I'd get as many details of the person into my head as possible in order to provide a decent statement to describe them. It's an interesting question though, because how you'd react would differ depending on different reasons. If it happened in a couple of years or whatnot when I would hopefully be more physically matched with the perpetrator I might physically intervene. Unless he's got a weapon in which case I'll hand over my gear as well.
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uniform

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#4  Edited By uniform

My immediate reaction would be to pick up a brick/rock/heavy object and intervene, but then sit there wondering what trouble hitting this person would get me into. By the time I made a decision, the muggers would have made a clean getaway. I guess it helps to know the law.

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EvilTwin

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#5  Edited By EvilTwin

Two men?  How big are they?  If I was feeling gutsy and stupid I might try to help.  Otherwise I'd call the police obviously.

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zeforgotten

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#6  Edited By zeforgotten

A mix of A and B I guess.  
Depends on the situation really

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Origina1Penguin

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#7  Edited By Origina1Penguin

Case by case basis. Definitely call the police. Intervene depending on the weapon(s) being wielded and number of assailants.

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ThePhantomnaut

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#8  Edited By ThePhantomnaut

If it's just fists being used I will intervene.

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c1337us

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#9  Edited By c1337us

This exact situation happened to me at work once. But we are not allowed to physically intervene due to the companies safety rules that are in place. So we called the cops and tried to reason with the dude.

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fwylo

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#10  Edited By fwylo

I would yell at one of the people standing by to call the cops while I went up and tried to intervene verbally.  If that didn't help I would have to get physical I guess.  But I couldn't let myself just stand by and watch.

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GIVEMEREPLAY

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#11  Edited By GIVEMEREPLAY

Pull out concealed weapon, aim it at assailant, yell. 

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ClaritySam

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#12  Edited By ClaritySam

This is probably a bit of an old fashioned viewpoint but I generally only step in if its a girl getting hassled. Partly because I'm chivalrous and partly because if i'm going to get battered by some total strangers I might as well get a phone number out of it.

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DanielJW

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#13  Edited By DanielJW

Call the police, then if it looked like I could do something physically I would. 

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Sambambo

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#14  Edited By Sambambo

A, unless they have a dangerous weapon. If that was the case Id wait, ring police and an ambluance and wait for them to come to check the person is ok and what not.

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Ravenousrattler

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#15  Edited By Ravenousrattler

I would have to intervene, too many people just let stuff happen

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snide

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#16  Edited By snide

I would realize the attacker is using his fingers against my neck and not a gun, then fight them off / run to our respective vehicles and  begin a high speed chase in downtown Los Angeles until my tire blew out when trying to get over a median. 
 
Oh wait, I guess I should have written all that in the past-tense. True-story!

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empfeix

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#17  Edited By empfeix

I'd walk away - if I felt I could be in danger, run.

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JP_Russell

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#18  Edited By JP_Russell

I'd get a good look at them and shout out to draw other pedestrians there (even if they already know about it going on, if you can get a crowd together, you can create a mob mentality and lessen or eliminate people's fear of intervening), at which point the assailants would likely run, but either way, I'd then call the cops.

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FrankCanada97

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#19  Edited By FrankCanada97
@JP_Russell: Haha, interestingly enough, I found a video that comically addresses your point.
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dwil83

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#20  Edited By dwil83
@GIVEMEREPLAY said:
" Pull out concealed weapon, aim it at assailant, yell.  "
this
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spaceturtle

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#21  Edited By spaceturtle
@snide said:
" I would realize the attacker is using his fingers against my neck and not a gun, then fight them off / run to our respective vehicles and  begin a high speed chase in downtown Los Angeles until my tire blew out when trying to get over a median.  Oh wait, I guess I should have written all that in the past-tense. True-story! "
  
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CL60

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#22  Edited By CL60

I would help. The victim, not the person committing the crime.

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McSmunions

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#23  Edited By McSmunions

most of the time, these people are crack heads and huge pussies. my family owns a liquor store, and one night it was me and my mom working. it all happened in the blink of an eye but i was out back breaking boxes while my mom is waiting on, when i see on the camera someone with, what looks like, a ski mask walk in the store.  so i start to go out front because obviously it didn't feel right, when this motherfucker pulls a knife on my mom. ooooooooooooh shit, almost instantly i get around the side when this fool just breaks out the store and down the alley. how are you gonna pull a knife on woman who is like 5'5"? what a motherfucker, cops never got him but thankfully no one was hurt and we haven't had any issues since.
  
(yea i know i probably shouldn't have chased him out of the store to possibly get stabbed but when it's you're own family you don't really think)

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gunslingerNZ

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#24  Edited By gunslingerNZ
@Origina1Penguin said:
" Case by case basis. Definitely call the police. Intervene depending on the weapon(s) being wielded and number of assailants. "
Also the best part of that video is at :33 where the guy drives his scooter head first into a van, hilarious.
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natetodamax

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#25  Edited By natetodamax

Grab a nearby object and charge.

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Cube

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#26  Edited By Cube

This is where I don't appear as a "psychopath". 
 
If I knew the guy was unarmed I'd jump in, no second thought. 
 
If he was armed with a knife I'd probably try to get a couple others and make a plan real quick and jump in. 

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MajorMedc

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#27  Edited By MajorMedc

I would do nothing. I don't like getting involved in things that shouldn't concern me.

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peepeepoopoo696

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#28  Edited By peepeepoopoo696

Depends, but I would always try to help the person.

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Catolf

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#29  Edited By Catolf

Intervine...
 
I've stopped and gotten involved in a LOT of fights and tried to cool it down, it's my gut reaction.  In the mall, at school, it didn't matter, i'd try and cool it down.. i don't really like violence.
 

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btman

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#30  Edited By btman

I'd beat someone up.

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dudeitsdon

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#31  Edited By dudeitsdon

I would hope that any decent person would at least call the police, but I think anything beyond that really depends on the situation--I would like to think that I would try to physically intervene, but quite frankly, if there's a guy with a gun or a knife, I am not willing to put myself in harm's way if someone is merely going to lose their wallet or purse. If I felt that their life was on the line, however, it might be a different story.  
 
I would imagine that most police officers would suggest that e don't physically interfere with a situation such as a mugging that could put ourselves in harm's way--if we're running into the thick of it with no plan and no training (as noble as brick hurling is, haha), I think our interference would only make the situation worse. There's no need to play a hero in a situation like that.

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IIChristian89II

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#32  Edited By IIChristian89II

1 word...dropkick.

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gamer_152

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#33  Edited By gamer_152  Moderator

I wouldn't be able to take them and they could be carrying a weapon. I'd get out of sight and call the police.

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MONKEYFIST

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#34  Edited By MONKEYFIST

Call the cops first, then try to intervene if I could, grab my switch blade for defense.

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kmdrkul

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#35  Edited By kmdrkul

I'd walk around the corner, strip naked, then sprint FULL SPEED at the attacker(s) while screaming.  I anticipate they would be so terrified of a screaming naked man sprinting at them that they would take off.
 
If they don't, that would just be awkward. 

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Hamst3r

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#36  Edited By Hamst3r

 
Inject their knees with 120 ccs of feces.

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Brunchies

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#37  Edited By Brunchies

Call the cops and use my powers of a warrior and challenge the muggers to a duel and steal their honor at the end of the duel.

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kelbear

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#38  Edited By kelbear

Depends on who the victim is. 
 
I'm not going to stick my neck out unless I feel the other person is worth helping.

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damnboyadvance

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#39  Edited By damnboyadvance

I would call the police, and then attempt to intervene, such as holding back the aggressor.

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one_2nd

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#40  Edited By one_2nd

Anyone who said they'd intervene is lying. I would under certain circumstances, but to just say that means nothing. If the guy has a gun a guarantee no one does anything. 

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Gunner

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#41  Edited By Gunner

man, those people would use ANYTHING as a weapon. 
 
It would depend on if the attacker had a gun or not, if he/she did i probably would just call the cops, if not than that fucker is going down.

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Daveyo520

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#42  Edited By Daveyo520
@snide:  How many Frenchmen were involved?
 
 

i don't think I would be much help if I intervened so I would call the police. Don't want to end up like Sienfeld.
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sweep

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#43  Edited By sweep  Moderator

Fake my own death!

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Hourai

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#44  Edited By Hourai

Call the police and leave. I'm not physically intervening when the person could have a knife for all I know. 

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RandomInternetUser

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It depends.  One assailant, or multiple?  Huge guy, or regular guy?  Armed, or (appears) unarmed?  If I answered with the second choice on any, I would call the police.  If not, I would try to intervene by calling the police then trying to hold the bad guy down.

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Fbomb

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#46  Edited By Fbomb

Get someone to call the cops, then go in an break it up. I don't know how it started, and the guy being beaten might have just raped their sister at knife point, but that's what the police are for. If they're getting mugged or robbed, then straight up drop the first guy, and take my chances against the second directly after. It's easy to make predictions in a hypothetical question, but I have stopped an abduction attempt before, so I do know that I'm more prone to physically intervening by instinct. 
 
Edit: Sorry, for whatever reason, I read that there was a 2 vs 1 beating scenario. Don't know where that came from.

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TheGreatGuero

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#47  Edited By TheGreatGuero

I'd rip open my shirt and reveal my Superman costume. The criminal would flee in terror, but I would catch him and fly him directly to jail, where he would be dealt with by the proper authorities.

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Coombs

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#48  Edited By Coombs
@uniform said:

" My immediate reaction would be to pick up a brick/rock/heavy object and intervene,  "

This,   
Minus the rest of his post.
Well kinda, I usually carry a knife.
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habster3

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#49  Edited By habster3

A, because I'm manly.

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ryoma122

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#50  Edited By ryoma122

its your responsibility as a human being to step in and up hold justice