2011: Irish people and helping people in distress

What on earth did you expect people driving by to do? It wasn't an emergency, nobody was hurt and they obviously weren't desperate enough to flag down passing cars. Why would anyone stop and even if they did, what would they do about it? The crime had already happened. I don't see anything unreasonable about a 2 hour wait (or whatever it was) for a non-emergency. And as others have pointed out, it was incredibly stupid of them to leave their valuables in the car. If they hadn't done that, they'd just be dealing with a smashed window.

Dionysus

No

Elliott Repulsive Luck wrote: »

What on earth did you expect people driving by to do?

To stop when they saw six people, two of whom were crying, at the entrance to a historic site in rural Ireland outside a people carrier with a smashed window.

Elliott Repulsive Luck wrote: »

Why would anyone stop and even if they did, what would they do about it?

Well, loads. I was able to help them because it quickly emerged that all their phones bar one was stolen and I had a better idea of the local numbers to call and was able to tell him where he was so that he could explain his location to the window repair and Embassy people (and how to correctly pronounce names like Edenderry so people knew what he was talking about).

Elliott Repulsive Luck wrote: »

I don't see anything unreasonable about a 2 hour wait (or whatever it was) for a non-emergency.

I do.

Elliott Repulsive Luck wrote: »

And as others have pointed out, it was incredibly stupid of them to leave their valuables in the car. If they hadn't done that, they'd just be dealing with a smashed window.

And six undoubtedly large bags of belongings for their holidays. As I said, everything was stolen. It is a bit too much to expect them to haul all their belongings everywhere with them out of fear of theft in an isolated place in rural Ireland.

blorg

southsiderosie wrote: »

No, sorry, there is no "in fairness to them" here. When you are abroad, the most valuable thing you have is your passport. I would never leave my passport, phone, or wallet in the car ANYWHERE, much less in a foreign country. In addition, you never EVER leave all of your valuables together in the same place. This was just plain dumb.

It's a pain in the neck but the US Embassy in Dublin will replace their passports, same day if necessary. I try to look after mine certainly, but the world doesn't collapse if it goes missing... particularly in a small country like Ireland where it is easy to get to Dublin (I had mine stolen abroad 10 years ago; I survived.)

Wibbs

No

Deleted User wrote: »

And again, why are you going on about them bein stupid for leaving stuff in the car.. It's irrelevant.

It's irrelevant after the fact, but very relevant before. I don't care where you hail from, you're as thick as can be if you leave valuables such as your passport and all your money in a car, especially at an out of the way tourist spot. On the 911 front? Meh panic would make you reset to default and whatever you're used to. It would be (for me) odd that a local would ring 911. Too much american telly methinks. Then again I still spell "jail" as Gaol.

Helping people? Yep I would and have done, but in this scenario unless I had been flagged down I simply wouldn't have noticed.

The Guards are just a slow bunch in general...

+1 I will agree that it has been my direct experience and the experiences of friends and acquaintances over the years that the Gardai in general are about as much use as a chocolate coffee pot when it comes to property crime. I've very very rarely heard of a good result on that score. Even in most of those cases the victims were of the "ah they showed up a day late and shure weren't dey great an all, but shure these tings be happenin" variety. Basically protect your own stuff as much as possible and don't rely on the cops to be much use. Their response times in crimes currently happening in my experience mirror yours too AbG.

We rightfully blame the judiciary in this country for being daft as brushes with sentences handed down, but often counter it with "ah the Guards do a good job most of the time", but I don't agree. They're as much to blame as far as their job description goes. This country is a lovely spot for crims and scumbags. Luckily we as a culture don't actually breed that many truly horrific scumbags. We really don't and be grateful, because if we did our police force would be woefully inadequate to the task.

This is not all members of the Gardai. There are enough who do make a difference and raise the overall bar and I've been lucky to come across them too, but it is a career path with it's fair share of idiot sons of idiot sons with notions about themselves.

Dionysus

Dionysus wrote: »

To stop when they saw six people, two of whom were crying, at the entrance to a historic site in rural Ireland outside a people carrier with a smashed window.

Why? Why would you stop? I'd assume they were sorting it out themselves. I'm not going to go poking my nose into other peoples' business unless I'm flagged down.

Well, loads. I was able to help them because it quickly emerged that all their phones bar one was stolen and I had a better idea of the local numbers to call and was able to tell him where he was so that he could explain his location to the window repair and Embassy people (and how to correctly pronounce names like Edenderry so people knew what he was talking about).

Perhaps they should have flagged someone down if they were so in need of assistance.

I do.

Well, you're a bit deluded, then. I was waiting far longer than that after a violent attack in Dublin City Centre. Do you not think the guards have other things to deal with? Thefts are not considered an emergency anywhere.

And six undoubtedly large bags of belongings for their holidays. As I said, everything was stolen. It is a bit too much to expect them to haul all their belongings everywhere with them out of fear of theft in an isolated place in rural Ireland.

Bad luck about the belongings, but it's not a complete disaster once you have all your valuables. You can claim a lot back on the insurance.

Einhard

No

I voted yes, before I had read your post. When I had though, I had to wonder, how exactly would anyone have noticed that these tourists were in distress? I mean, as you said, they were in the middle of nowhere. And, from your post, the only visible sign of what had happened, from the POV of anyone passing, was the fact that their side window had been smashed. That could have happened in any number of ways. So- would I stop if I noticed someone in obvious distress- yes. Would I stop if I was driving along and noticed a bus with a broken window- not necessarily.

Also, as unfortunate as it is, worse happens to tourists every day across the world. They got their stuff robbed. Big whoop. I got my stuff robbed in Syria once- it wouldn't stop me from going back. If they use this incident to tar all Irish people, and Ireland in general with the one brush, then I really don't care if they don't come back.

Einhard

No

Deleted User wrote: »

And again, why are you going on about them bein stupid for leaving stuff in the car.. It's irrelevant.

It's not irrelevant. Surely people, even tourists, have a responsibility to look out for themselves, and take steps to protect their possessions?

Crann na Beatha

No

This post has been deleted.

blorg

Einhard wrote: »

It's not irrelevant. Surely people, even tourists, have a responsibility to look out for themselves, and take steps to protect their possessions?

I don't think it is particularly relevant in the sense that the thieves are still the ones to blame. The thieves are still the ones to blame even if they left the door open or all their bags just sitting outside at the side of the road. No matter how stupid they were, the thieves are the ones to blame. I don't see how blaming the victim is helpful (other than, not to do it again) but it seems very popular on message boards. The OP's issue is not about that but the Garda/public reaction, although I don't see that as being quite as disasterous as he does (nor do most on this thread.)

I'd stop and help if I saw someone obviously in trouble/distress, but I'm not sure that someone simply having a broken window but none of the group making no attempt to flag me down would count.

southsiderosie

No

true-or-false wrote: »

I'd say it's more likely to be silly Irish people who watched too much American TV.

It was definitely their mistake to leave their valuables in their car, but I wouldn't be too hard on them. To be fair, no one is vigilant all the time, and in a foreign country with probably a far lower population than where they come from, it would have been easy to feel it was safe. However I don't understand why they just stood there, two of them crying. Surely they would have gotten in the car and driven to the nearest village instead of waiting for someone to stop for them?

Maybe they left their keys in the car along with their wallets and passports.

HellFireClub

No

Dionysus wrote: »

To stop when they saw six people, two of whom were crying, at the entrance to a historic site in rural Ireland outside a people carrier with a smashed window.



Well, loads. I was able to help them because it quickly emerged that all their phones bar one was stolen and I had a better idea of the local numbers to call and was able to tell him where he was so that he could explain his location to the window repair and Embassy people (and how to correctly pronounce names like Edenderry so people knew what he was talking about).



I do.



And six undoubtedly large bags of belongings for their holidays. As I said, everything was stolen. It is a bit too much to expect them to haul all their belongings everywhere with them out of fear of theft in an isolated place in rural Ireland.

See that word, that's your problem right there...

Wibbs

No

blorg wrote: »

The thieves are still the ones to blame even if they left the door open or all their bags just sitting outside at the side of the road. No matter how stupid they were, the thieves are the ones to blame. I don't see how blaming the victim is helpful (other than, not to do it again) but it seems very popular on message boards.

I blame the victim when they're fcuking idiots. Of course the thieving scum is still scum, but if we had less idiots we'd have less actual crime. EG Leaving valuables on view in a car = Fcuking moron. Up there with leaving your hall door open and your family silver on display in the window. The scum is still responsible, but the "victim" has a part to play and responsibility in making the crime easier for said scum. That "oh I had nothing to do with it" deflection of responsibility really grinds my gears.

Einhard

Einhard wrote: »

It's not irrelevant. Surely people, even tourists, have a responsibility to look out for themselves, and take steps to protect their possessions?

True.. But lack of precaution didn't cause the robbery.
So what's your point? The robbery would have been perfectly fine if they didn't lose all their money and passports? I'm trying to understand you here but my rational head just isn't fit for it.

TheZohanS

No

How many tourists?

ejmaztec

celj wrote: »

Was robbed in Spain.
Spanish police not great.
Will go back to Spain at some stage.
End of story.

Sounds like a reasonable plot for another Rambo movie.

Aishae

Deleted User wrote: »

True.. But lack of precaution didn't cause the robbery.
So what's your point? The robbery would have been perfectly fine if they didn't lose all their money and passports? I'm trying to understand you here but my rational head just isn't fit for it.

i think their point is that 1. if the valuables were able to be seen from outside the car then YES it could have contributed to the robbery - much like the 'dont leave handbags on display in an empty car' rule. and 2. the robbery is still bad all round. But, if they had just taken their passport and money with them in their pockets then they'd have had a much smaller ordeal than 'oh my god we lost everything' - it'd suck, but youd thank your lucky stars you have money and a way to get home.

TheZohan wrote: »

How many tourists?

OP said 6