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NYC subway train killing guy after being pushed onto tracks - poll

What would you have done?

  • Jumped into the pit and try to get the guy out

    Votes: 1 7.1%
  • Go to the edge and try to help from there

    Votes: 10 71.4%
  • Nothing

    Votes: 2 14.3%
  • Try to get others to help or dial 911

    Votes: 1 7.1%

  • Total voters
    14
  • Poll closed .

davidmcbeth

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However, both Long and Irby said that as a photographer, "you are morally obliged to help" — if possible, rather than take a picture. http://news.msn.com/us/photog-in-nyc-subway-death-responds-to-ethical-criticisms


Oh boy, this guy is gonna be eating some crap for awhile. But really, aren't the trains run by electricity? Isn't there a rail that will kill you? People are saying he should have jumped in and helped this guy....I saw doing this is nuts.

I would have gone to the edge and pull the guy out but I would not jump into the pit myself.

Of course, the photographer did neither but take some photos...

Hit the poll with your thoughts...
 
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cloudcroft

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I'd have done choice # 5 (not listed): Immediately push the assailant onto the tracks, then try rescue the first guy (victim).


"Isn't there a rail that will kill you?" -- davidmcbeth

...the 3rd rail, but only if you urinate on it, as some people seem to do on occasion. ;-)
 
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eye95

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What poll?

I clicked the link in the article to the photog's explanation of what happened. I choose to believe him and that he had zero opportunity to help the man. IMO, he did nothing wrong in taking the pictures. In fact, his photos may aid in the investigation.

GIANT CAVEAT: If he, or anyone else, profited from the pictures, that is gruesome and disgusting.

On edit: Oh, your poll. Going to the first unread post bypassed the poll and went straight to your post. I thought you meant a poll attached to the article.

Anyway, I don't see my choice which would be: "I believe the guy in saying that he could do nothing to help the man."
 
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compmanio365

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People always scream "Why didn't anybody help?", but in real life, just like in a violent attack where you have to defend yourself, these things happen in seconds. By the time your mind accepts what is really happening it is usually too late. And people wander around in condition white, especially in a place like NYC where they are taught they should never worry about defending themselves. I would try to grab his arm and pull him up onto the platform, but I'm afraid from the accounts of witnesses there, that all I would get would be an arm.
 

eye95

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..."Isn't there a rail that will kill you?" -- davidmcbeth

...the 3rd rail, but only if you urinate on it, as some people seem to do on occasion. ;-)

Mythbusters busted this one. Apparently the stream isn't solid enough to conduct the electricity. That did not stop me from telling my students that there were three ways to learn: 1) Listen to others relate their experiences. 2) Watch others make mistakes. 3) Piss on the electric fence yourself. The three ways are listed in decreasing order of pain to the student.
 

cloudcroft

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@ compmanio365:

1. In many cases, someone is getting assaulted/beat-up, raped/robbed and such. Consequently, these events -- although happening suddenly -- still take a "few minutes" to complete., which is PLENTY of time to "get involved." Usually though, and as we here all know (I hope), people just watch, take pics on their cellphones, and sometimes, no one even calls 911. So in THOSE cases -- lasting more thna a few seconds -- the criticism of people not getting involved is valid.

2. You overlook the psychology of the "spontaneous hero response" SOME people exhibit: They react IMMEDIATELY and with no care for the consequences to others OR themselves (which is just OPPOSITE of the Rule # 1 taught to ALL First Responders, BTW). They respond in mere seconds. So yes, it's STILL possible to get involved in a fast-moving crime event.

3. Finally, there ARE ways to "train" for the unexpected which would place a person a notch ahead of everyone else in responding to something happening very suddenly. Again, this knd of person for sure would be a likely candidate to get involved in a fast-moving crime event.

4. Still, it's true that: (A) Most people will DO NOTHING to help a victim and (B) a victim should NOT EXPECT ANY HELP from any bystanders during a crime event. We're on our own. If anyone comes to help -- great -- but don't EXPECT it.


@ eye95:

That particular case may be true (?) but frankly, it wasn't long after that show first came on that I could see how useless it was to rely on it for anything factual (especially re: something done in history) as those two guys were buffoons and were only producing a show ("Myth Busters") for entertainment value. Consequently, I don't believe most of their "findings" at all. Even if they DID get something right, they were just lucky as their process of investigation was too flawed -- and got more questionable as the series went on. And as mentioned, they had not a CLUE about our ancestors in history, what they COULD or COULD NOT do...and some of those things they COULD do we'd have trouble doing today. So, I stopped watching that show pretty early in its run as I wasn't into its entertainment value...
 
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Ca Patriot

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# 1 - Judging by the picture, it looks to me like the victim should have been able to pull himself up onto the platform, especially in a life or death situation.

# 2 - First rule of rescue is to NOT become the rescuee.

# 3 - Someone should have attempted to pull him up. Pretty simple task in my opinion. Although looking at the picture it doesnt seem there was anyone near him except for the photographer.

# 4 - I dont place any blame on the photographer. I am a semi-pro photographer and I have covered many live events. There is a phenomena where you become detached from the surrounding events and focused soley on your shots. I am guessing the entire incident happened so fast that he didnt even have time to react.

# 5- I dont think the newpaper should have run the picture. I know from personal experience that news agencies deny content much less graphic than that.
 
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eye95

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...@ eye95:

That particular case may be true (?) but frankly, it wasn't long after that show first came on that I could see how useless it was to rely on it for anything factual (especially re: something done in history) as those two guys were buffoons and were only producing a show ("Myth Busters") for entertainment value. Consequently, I don't believe most of their "findings" at all...

May I suggest then that you drink large volumes of beer, find a third rail, and perform your own experiment?


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk.

<o>
 

Small_Arms_Collector

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The photo in question:

traintracks.jpeg


It looks like the train was about a second from impact, I don't see as how he would have time to do anything.

Less cropped version:

victim122928--525x325.jpg


It looks like the photographer was at least as far from him as the train was so there was no way to reach him in time.
 

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thebigsd

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The photo in question:

traintracks.jpeg


It looks like the train was about a second from impact, I don't see as how he would have time to do anything.

Wow, this is the first time I saw this picture. I can't believe the huge crowd of people who are just standing there. No one is anywhere near the guy trying to help. What an absolute shame.

I don't blame the guy for taking the picture but the paper should not have printed it. Really poor taste.
 
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cloudcroft

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@ eye95:

I invite you to do the same, but as for me, sorry, I don't have time for nonsense. Besides, I'm not auditioning for the movie "Jackass II," the AFV TV Show or any other such Bravo-Sierra, and I don't get my "science" from a comedy show.

...but I did become a M.D. after watching all 9 Seasons of "Scrubs." Made a boatload of money in the years afterwards -- until the malpractice lawsuit. But it was great while it lasted. ;-)
 
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wardtom084

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Option 5, hit the big red button that is mounted on the wall in several places, immediately bring the train to a stop. Ops. no big red buttons.....yet
 

cloudcroft

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"It looks like the train was about a second from impact, I don't see as how he would have time to do anything." -- Small_Arms_Collector


Although we weren't there to know how far people were from the victim, TRYING takes no time at all...did even just ONE person even TRY?

[a rhetorical question as I guess no one did]

...done here in this thread.
 
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Small_Arms_Collector

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"It looks like the train was about a second from impact, I don't see as how he would have time to do anything." -- Small_Arms_Collector


Although we weren't there to know how far people were from the victim, TRYING takes no time at all...did even just ONE person even TRY?

[a rhetorical question as I guess no one did]

...done here in this thread.

Unless your superman you can not out run a speeding train. You can get killed trying though.
 

Ca Patriot

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If you notice in the picture the person who pushed the man is NOT in the picture. That means there was a time lapse from when the man was pushed to when the picture was taken.

I believe there was enough time for the victim to pull himself up.

Maybe he wasnt strong enough. Maybe he froze in panic and fear.
 

HighFlyingA380

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By the looks of some of the posts, ya'll didn't actuality read the article(s). The photographer didn't just stand there taking pictures because it was a great photo-op. As soon as the saw the guy on the tracks, he started running towards him to try and pull him up, and was wildly snapping pictures to get the train driver's attention with the camera's flash. This is just one picture that happened to have the guy in it.
 
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