So you see someone getting robbed....

[EverettKings]

I'm spending 2 months in Ecuador, where the people in the streets are notorious for doing nothing to help people who are being robbed. It's like they're watching a movie or something. I have some friends that have been robbed, and complained about the lack of help. Which got me to thinking....

What the hell could/would I do to help? I mean, if a guy has a gun I'm getting the hell outta there, but most of the time it's one-on-one guy with a knife who's trying to keep quiet the fact that he's robbing someone.

So say you're walking down the sidewalk of a pretty un-busy street. 20 meters in front of you, some guy crosses the street, flashes a knife at a guy walking down the sidewalk, and the sidewalk guy starts to take out his wallet and turn over his money and watch, etc. Not enough time to go get help. You're alone, no police/security in sight. You're an average sized 20 year old male, and the robber is about your size or a bit bigger. You don't know kung fu.

[EverettKings]

No idea why the polls reversed order. The "What would you do" should be first and is the one I'm really curious about.

[jakethebake]

Was peachy involved?

[swede123]

I'd yell and stuff. If it was a single assailant I'd probably face him if yelling didn't have an effect. It'd also depend on who was getting robbed, like Jake said. If it looked like some kind of gang fighting amongst themselves I wouldn't interfere, but if some grandma was getting robbed I'd be more likely to do something.

Swede

Swede

[spamuell]

Slip round corner/into shop/driveway, anywhere out of sight. Use cellphone to call police.

[MoreWineII]

If I could find something to use as a weapon, I'd help. I'm not going fists-to-knife with a psycho though.

[Macdaddy Warsaw]

I'm not doing anything for the guy getting robbed by more than 1 guy, but if it was one guy (even with a knife), I'd look for that weapon and bash him (in a sucker punch way), or I'd just act like I was walking past and lay on a good suckerpunch assuming I believed I could hurt him enough where he wouldn't be able to retaliate.

Hell, if I actually stopped being rational about it, I might try to take on the bigger group. I'm a little bit of an idealist romantic...

[tdarko]

dude its ecuador what do you care? get the [censored] outta there!

[stabn]

In the states i'd yell. In another country i'd shut the [censored] up and get on with my business.

[Arnfinn Madsen]

I think it is very situation dependant. I approached a robbery where the victim was already fighting with the two robbers. Then I ran to join the fight, but I guess it is psychologically easier to join in the fight than to start the fight if the victim is not offering any resistance giving you some fear of being alone.

If he had not been fighting already I think I would just call the police, a fight is not worth a wallet.

[-Skeme-]

You can't even keep track of your car keys and suddenly you're planning a sneak attack on 2-3 armed robbers?

[Shajen]

[ QUOTE ]
dude its ecuador what do you care? get the [censored] outta there!

[/ QUOTE ]

Agreed...when in Rome...

[djoyce003]

I live in texas, so I pull out my .357 and say never bring a knife to a gunfight, then I blow a hole through him that you can walk through.

[EverettKings]

[ QUOTE ]
Slip round corner/into shop/driveway, anywhere out of sight. Use cellphone to call police.

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't have a cell phone in this country, and even if I did there's no way they'd get there in time. Things like this the guy hits and is gone in a matter of 90 seconds.

[ QUOTE ]
When in Rome...

[/ QUOTE ]

Actually, I think the fact that robbers aren't used to commotion would make yelling and whatnot more effective here. Usually they want to keep it DL that they're robbing you. And I hate the idea of ignoring it just cause I ain't at home in the states.

Everett

[EliteNinja]

I'd have to find a weapon of my own.

Because even if you know Kungfu, it's still 2-to-1 if a guy has a knife. Unskilled Knife = 2; Kungfu = 1.

If you have a stick, it would make all the difference.

[NutzyClutz]

Take a picture (cellphone / digital cam/ disposable)
then run.

[JaBlue]

I like to help my fellow humans out but if the attacker is armed i don't want to die.

[krimson]

I do nothing. The guy being robbed is complying with the robber meaning he doesn't want to get hurt or have any confrontation with the guy. If he is complying, what business is it of yours to engage confrontation.

There is no reason to put lives at risk over a watch and some credit cards.

[ElSapo]

[ QUOTE ]
dude its ecuador what do you care? get the [censored] outta there!

[/ QUOTE ]

Dude, it's Ecuador. They're all like 4'3.

[Biloxi]

If you dont have a glock you should at least have a knife. No knife or fight'n skills then just pull out the cell and call someone who does have a gun /images/graemlins/smirk.gif

[ElSapo]

A more serious reply -- where are you? Quito, Guayaquil or somewhere else?

[jakethebake]

[ QUOTE ]
If you dont have a glock you should at least have a knife. No knife or fight'n skills then just pull out the cell and call someone who does have a gun /images/graemlins/smirk.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

What about a bo staff?

[EverettKings]

Quito. Why, you know any card clubs?

And most people are around 5'8" ish. Pretty normal sized.

[chaas4747]

If it is Kwazar I would let them continue.

[ElSapo]

[ QUOTE ]
Quito. Why, you know any card clubs?

And most people are around 5'8" ish. Pretty normal sized.

[/ QUOTE ]

It's funny - Quito is a prettier town; Guayaquil is a dump. I think people would come to the aid of someone being robbed in Guayaquil much quicker.

There was - and still may be - a multi-lingual used bookstore in Quito. It was run by an ex-oil guy I think, and had a confederate flag painted out front.

He said he wasn't afraid of anyone there, since he was about a foot taller than most of them.

Fun place. Almost anything goes down there - a guy with a machine gun showed me how to use the ATM once...