sanrossscot Posted October 3, 2008 Report Share Posted October 3, 2008 Did anyone else just watch Esther Rantzan? She was doing a programme about being too PC and how it can actually harm children. I thought it was v good, upsetting though that so many people would walk past young kids without helping, and those that did stop felt worried about doing it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruby1Nic Posted October 4, 2008 Report Share Posted October 4, 2008 Did anyone else just watch Esther Rantzan? She was doing a programme about being too PC and how it can actually harm children. I thought it was v good, upsetting though that so many people would walk past young kids without helping, and those that did stop felt worried about doing it. I didn't see that show but saw snippets of it on GMTV. Just awful to think people wouldn't try to help. Briefly, about 10-12 yrs ago OH and I were driving thru a small cut through in our town and we drove passed a little girl who was looking as if she was looking for someone. Anyway that thought just went through my mind as we carried along the cut through (you have to drive really slowly as pedestrians walk this way as well). As we got to the end of the cut through I asked OH to stop the car as I wasn't comfortable with what I had seen. I went back to the little girl (bearing in mind LOADS of people would have walked passed her in this state) and asked if she was ok. She replied no and that she had lost her mummy. So I asked where she last saw her mummy and she couldnt tell me. I asked her name and she gave me that and I asked if she knew where she lived - she couldn't remember. So, I said to her to come with me and wait by the car as her mummy will be back soon. I took her back to my car and stood with her the car, with back door open so that all the passers by could see what was happening. With that, a police car came by so I flagged him down, exsplained all the above and asked what to do. Policeman said he couldn't really stop - he was on his way to a job - and suggested we take little girl to the police station. Now I know, he was on a job but I would have thought he could have radioed for another car to come to us? Anyway, off he went. Whilst hubby and I were debating what to do, we saw a woman looking all flustered and wandering about in circles (IUKWIM) so I went up and asked if she was looking for her little girl. YES - the woman them came over and kind of glibly thanked us and said to the little girl " I told you to wait outside so-and-so shop for me. Why did you wander off ?" Clearly she was the little girls mother and the little girl was pleased to be reunited. Honestly, I couldnt believe my ears. That was that and off the two trotted. Sorry that wasn't very brief was it ?! Just another couple more incidents as well of parents leaving kids outside shops. We've just come back from Cornwall and whilst in Padstow, mother , father and 2 little girls (looked about 5 and 7) with collie dog. Mother and father go into clothes shop and tell the 2 little girls to wait outside with the dog. Now, hubs and I were going into same shop and as we have our dog with us, one of us usually goes in 1st to look around, then come back out to allow the other to go in and look. Hubs was chatting to these 2 little girls and they were fine - but it just beggars belief for me? anything could happen to them and the dog. Then in the Lakes in July a small child was left outside shop in charge of baby in a pram and an off lead dog! Off lead dog was trotting up and down the pavement and small child was left trying to maintain control of baby in pram whilst calling the dog to come back ?! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kathyw Posted October 4, 2008 Author Report Share Posted October 4, 2008 People are too scared of being falsely accused in the current climate. I would hesitate to help nowdays whereas once it would never have occured to me to think twice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PennyB Posted October 10, 2008 Report Share Posted October 10, 2008 I stopped working as a volunteer with the Witness service after 12 years because of the courses we ended up going on all the time on how to be PC --- while I understood a fraction of the courses was necessary we were told we weren't allowed to use colloquilisms that I'd grown up with and that you had to call ladies, etc. 'women'. I will always stop to help anyone as long as my own safety isn't being compromised (but am sure then I'd help and worry about how I could've got hurt later). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ranirottie Posted October 13, 2008 Report Share Posted October 13, 2008 we were driving along a country lane recently when we saw a young girl of about 12 walking alone and in the dark. She didnt look worried but I was. I told hubby to turn the car round and I went back to ask her if she was ok. She said she walks the half mile along the dark lane,alone,every weekend as she helps at the stables. I was horrified that any parent could allow that. If anyone watched her they would get to know her routine and she would be so easy to snatch as there are very few cars going that way. We asked her if she wanted a lift,that I would let her use her use my mobile to phone her mum so that she could tell her our car registration and who we were but she refused. I phoned the police to tell them that I thought it was dangerous and at least they did meet her at the bus stop when she got to the end of the lane 20 minutes later but I didnt think it was enough. We told the girl that we would follow her along the lane in the car to make sure that she got to the bus stop safely,and we did (she agreed to that) but the policeman told us off and said we could have committed a crime for following her!!! When she got to the bus stop her bus had gone so she used my phone to ask her mum to come and get her. I spoke to the mum and asked (politely) if she thought it was safe for a young girl to walk alone in the dark for 25 minutes along a country lane and she said she did. But she came out to get her so why couldnt she have done the extra bit and picked her up from the stables!! We still picked our kids up until they let home x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackmagic Posted October 13, 2008 Report Share Posted October 13, 2008 I think people become familiar with their own area and don't see danger in it. we had a discussion about it at work one day and everybody said that they were quite happy walking, late at night, in a familiar area, but not in an unfamiliar area. But that unfamiliar area for one person was a familiar are for someone else who felt quite safe in it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rudi Posted October 13, 2008 Report Share Posted October 13, 2008 (edited) we were driving along a country lane recently when we saw a young girl of about 12 walking alone and in the dark. She didnt look worried but I was. I told hubby to turn the car round and I went back to ask her if she was ok. She said she walks the half mile along the dark lane,alone,every weekend as she helps at the stables. I was horrified that any parent could allow that. If anyone watched her they would get to know her routine and she would be so easy to snatch as there are very few cars going that way. We asked her if she wanted a lift,that I would let her use her use my mobile to phone her mum so that she could tell her our car registration and who we were but she refused. I phoned the police to tell them that I thought it was dangerous and at least they did meet her at the bus stop when she got to the end of the lane 20 minutes later but I didnt think it was enough. We told the girl that we would follow her along the lane in the car to make sure that she got to the bus stop safely,and we did (she agreed to that) but the policeman told us off and said we could have committed a crime for following her!!! When she got to the bus stop her bus had gone so she used my phone to ask her mum to come and get her. I spoke to the mum and asked (politely) if she thought it was safe for a young girl to walk alone in the dark for 25 minutes along a country lane and she said she did. But she came out to get her so why couldnt she have done the extra bit and picked her up from the stables!! We still picked our kids up until they let home x That really is ridiculous to tell you off for following her and to say that you might be committing a crime. Now that IS truly madness. Edited October 13, 2008 by Rudi Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ranirottie Posted October 17, 2008 Report Share Posted October 17, 2008 apparantly kerb crawling was one of the crimes mentioned! Like me or my husband were going to proposition a young girl! I was FURIOUS!! x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
murtle Posted October 17, 2008 Report Share Posted October 17, 2008 Sorry Rainrottie I don't know anything about you i.e. age etc, but you only have to think of Fred West and the likes where *couples* do proposition, as it's seen to be safer with a female in the car then if it's just a guy. I do think 12 is rather young to be out walking like that, but 16 would be better! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
murtle Posted October 17, 2008 Report Share Posted October 17, 2008 (edited) Sorry Rainrottie I don't know anything about you i.e. age etc, but you only have to think of Fred West and the likes where *couples* do proposition, as it's seen to be safer with a female in the car then if it's just a guy. That being said, I think you were rather lovely for making sure she was ok. I do think 12 is rather young to be out walking like that, but 16 would be better! Edited October 17, 2008 by murtle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EGAR Posted December 4, 2008 Report Share Posted December 4, 2008 I've just been on another board and someone gave out because a lady had posted about what her daughter had said and it was real funny but it included two *offending* words: Holy sh*t. She posted it was *blasphemous*. I was quite shocked that someone would react like that in this day and age. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scotslass Posted December 4, 2008 Report Share Posted December 4, 2008 I've just been on another board and someone gave out because a lady had posted about what her daughter had said and it was real funny but it included two *offending* words: Holy sh*t. She posted it was *blasphemous*. I was quite shocked that someone would react like that in this day and age. Do you mean react over that particular expression, or blasphemy in general? On occasion, I use terrible language meself, but I know many Christians who'd find it deeply offensive and I understand why. In fact, I've just realised that I rarely blaspheme as such - that's part of my cultural/religious baggage, I guess. I think perhaps I do find blasphemy harder to listen to than plain old Anglo-Saxon stuff, weirdly. To go back to the beginning of this thread, there seemed to be a feeling that Britain was losing its rights - as a nominally Christian nation - to celebrate religious festivals etc. I suppose we must assume that those who worry about such things must also worry about blasphemy, since it's a sign of disrespect to their God? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krusewalker Posted December 4, 2008 Report Share Posted December 4, 2008 so if the lady just wrote s***, and not holy s***, then it would have been alright? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scotslass Posted December 4, 2008 Report Share Posted December 4, 2008 so if the lady just wrote s***, and not holy s***, then it would have been alright? Erm...possibly, yes! :laugh: I didn't say it was rational. Anyway, I'm not complaining personally about blasphemy, since I don't claim a religious faith. I expect there are lots of people on here who would find it blasphemous, but they tend not to post. My position is that I understand their view, whether or not I share it, and I wouldn't deliberately offend them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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