would you stand up to people?

[iaineasy]

I will always intervene if there's a danger to a woman, I did recently and got a bit of a kicking but I would do it again in a second because that's how I was brought up, I have a child on the way now so the reasons for intervening other than that would have to be pretty serious as the chances of getting hurt are quite high, but if we don't intervene when we can then society as a whole will suffer and to be honest i want as nice a place as possible for my little one to grow up.

[star13uk]

It may be that we have gone to far down the "pass by on the other side" for it to change. If everybody "stood up" it might make a difference. The occasional "have a go hero" is unexpected and not taken into account by the perpetrators of crime any more. But as to whether or not it is worth it... what kind of society do you want to live in? There are middle roads - doing what is safely possible without exposing yourself to personal physical attack - calling for help, making as much noise as possible, standing up to be a witness to events. These are real deterrents - too many criminals walk the street because no body is prepared to stand witness against them. They also know how easily people are intimidated - they fear little from the general public - and without evidence and witnesses the Police find it hard to get a prosecution against them. They the get a community order, a slap on the wrist or a fine they fund by committing more crime. It is our society ? and it is we who determine what it is by our own actions, or inactions.

[Timster]

The usual reason people get away with anti-social behaviour is that they expect no one to challenge them. If you actually do say something, they almost always back down. The classic examples are the surly adolescents playing music on their mobile phones on buses and trains. Most people let it go, but I don't, and not once has anyone ever refused my polite request - although it's rarely done with good grace. Most young people will respond to adults as having authority and do as they're told - I wish more people would remember that and not assume every kid in South London will knife any adult that so much as looks at him the wrong way.

Having said that, you have to judge each situation on its merits - if I thought someone was actually looking for a fight, or was obviously mentally ill, then as long as it was doing no one any real harm, I would be more inclined to let it go. There does seem to me to be a slight excess of testosterone in some of the posts above - if you are going to intervene it should be with the intention of calming the situation down rather than ratcheting up the likelihood of a fight.

I have never had to respond to someone being attacked or similar - I hope I would intervene in some way. If someone else is in physical danger and you are able to do something about it then it must be your moral imperative to intervene - I don't think we should ever lose that.

[Strawbs]

Im very torn on this issue.. My instinct is to intervene to either stop a behaviour of a person that is unnaceptable (i.e. small things queue jumping, foul language etc) but then I have been in circumstances where Ive been on a bus and its properly kicked off and Ive not gotten involved for fear I would get my head kicked in... The times when I dont intervene though Im always very upset with myself afterwards as I think there are far too many people in London (not necessarily not anywhere else in the world but we are only talking london) who think they can be rude, bully people, break the rules, disrepect others and get away with it because there is an air amongst most people that they will just ignore it as are too afraid to get involved.. When I see it and am part of it it makes me livid!

I was once on a bus where two men (drunk) were picking on a young man who it seemed (and dont quote me) had some kind of turrets as the more stressed he got the worse his ticks etc were and it broke my heart but the drunk men were very aggessive and I selfishly didnt want them to turn on me so I kept quiet.. I think about that often..

[sophiesofa]

man killed chasing a bag snatcher article

very sad

[mazza7103]

Obviously I have always intervened even before joining my current profession. I am proud that so many of you feel the same way that we must stand up for our fellow man.

I would like to stress however that I would say that rather than get physically involved you can always (apart from on the tube) get on your mobile phone descreatly and call the police. Identifying yourself as a witness when the police arrive and tell them what you have witnessed.

Instinct and red mist will kick in when we see some crimes but if they turn on you, step back, get some space and when able call the police. Dont get into a stand up fight.

[PeckhamRose]

So Myleene Klass is at home and her baby's upstairs and she sees potential burglars trying to break in so she waves a kitchen knife at them from within her home, and the police tell her off.

Did I get that right?

[SeanMacGabhann]

I'm guessing not right

Even Cameron couched his statement yesterday in "these things get misreported" terms, and the police have issued a formal denial. When initially quoted as well, Klass had said how helpful the police were. I'm sure SOMETHING about the knife was said, after which the wearily predictable wailing ensued

Storm in a tea cup basically, nothing to see here