Archived Topic
Topic ID 886
14/08/2005 by redbarchetta
Such nice people
Earlier this year, my heavily pregnant wife stumbled and fell while climbing the stairs at Hertford North station. The train departure wasn't imminent, yet nobody stopped to help her and some suits even stepped over her.
Last friday night, a person was lying on the ground, bleeding from a head wound, at the top of the stairs by platform three. Well over two dozen people got off the train and most, if not all, stepped over the unfortunate without breaking their stride. No inquiries as to the welfare of the stricken person or offers of help. I approached the guard to see what I could do and he gratefully asked me to guide the ambulance crew in.
I'm no class warrior, but Hertford is a pretty affluent place and many of my fellow travellers in and out of London are statistically probably quite well off. But chew on this : you may be wealthy, live in nice houses and be living the middle class dream but at what cost to yourselves? Are the users of Hertford North just vacuous commuteroids, so jaded that something important within them has died?
It sort of reinforces my growing suspicion that Hertford is, despite the respectable facade, quite an ugly place.
0 replies
Archived Replies
Reply ID 9663
14/08/2005 by help
Very sorry to here that! but dog****? Bit of sweeping statement! Most people I know would not walk past! Did anyone see this happen apart from you?
Reply ID 9665
14/08/2005 by nora batty
Sounds like you have a major chip on your shoulder, Redbarchetta.
So, if Hertford North was in one of this country's poorest boroughs and the majority of people alighting were unemployed or classed as poor, everyone would have stopped to assist? I can just picture it now - the disillusioned eyes red with sympathy as they remove their threadbare jacket to provide warmth, cradling the victims head in their filthy arms - no doubt crippled by rickets and malnutrition - then donating their last farthing to the victims family for the distress. Behind the condemned squats and flea-ridden tenement buildings beat hearts of gold. I don't think so.
The victim should think themselves lucky that an ambulance had been called (paid for by tax collected from the affluent) and that they didn't have their wallet and mobile nicked.
Reply ID 9666
14/08/2005 by redbarchetta
Help - you're quite right. A apologies for the profanity. I was a bit upset when I started the thread, but I immediately realised that my invective was over the top, so I edited my post.
Nora - lol, good point. It does read like a lost chapter from the Ragged Trousered Philanthropist. The point I was trying to make was that the seemingly uncaring bahaviour of my fellow passengers appears to contrast with Hertford's outward veneer of gentility. I'm no Trot, it's just that I was taken by the discrepancy between Hertford's self-image and the occasionally dismal reality.
Reply ID 9668
14/08/2005 by Ray_by_the_Beane
Well I suppose you can at least say no one tried to rob the person while they lay there [:)]
Reply ID 9669
14/08/2005 by smileyoriley
it is a shame I agree but I can well imagine that many people wouldn't have wanted to stop and help the victim with the head wound for many reasons but I am surprised about your wife.
One presumes that she is 'obviousley' pregnant (not all women are always obvious) so it does appear that people can be in too much of a rush to help in a place like the station
Reply ID 9673
14/08/2005 by Ewoowar
quote:
Originally posted by redbarchetta
Well over two dozen people got off the train and most, if not all, stepped over the unfortunate without breaking their stride.
I understand your anger and frustration but did 2 dozen people really step over this guy without breaking stride? Every time I read these words I have images of city suits in bowlers cavorting and a leaping over the wounded and bleeding body. Very Dennis Potter.
Reply ID 9676
15/08/2005 by 2929paul
Symptomatic of the whole of society probably but also says something of the comuter mentality, which seems to turn perfectly kind compassionate and caring people in selfish morons from the time they step out of the front door until the time they get back into the comfort of their own home. This is what stops people giving up seats to pregnant women on hot and crowded trains, for example.
And I include car commuters too. They are the ones who drive through Bengeo at break-neck speeds, refuse to let anyone else through the rat-run before they've gone through themselves and shout obscenities through the window of the car at you because they're running 30 seconds late.
Of course, no forum members would act in this fashion.
Reply ID 9677
15/08/2005 by Victor Meldrew
My wife sat sorry stood many many times from Finsbury Park in the same carridge as a couple that live 2 doors down from us. Nice people, funnily enough they wont be popping round for sherry at Xmas!!
Reply ID 9678
15/08/2005 by Bart
Red, I think it's a wider problem - what about that guy who got stabbed on the bus in London? His partner wrote in the Guardian about how no-one stopped to help. Thatcher's Britain, as Peter Kay would say...
Reply ID 9679
15/08/2005 by bec501uk
Why on earth should someone be grateful that they where not robbed?! I think you have you morals in the wrong order. I agree with Redbarchetta, we should expect to be helped by other members of our community not grateful that we didn't get worse treatment. If you where attacked in the street and no one helped you, you would hardly turn round and say “well at least I wasn't killed!" would you! you would be angry at not being help out of the situation you where already in.
quote:
Originally posted by nora batty
Sounds like you have a major chip on your shoulder, Redbarchetta.
So, if Hertford North was in one of this country's poorest boroughs and the majority of people alighting were unemployed or classed as poor, everyone would have stopped to assist? I can just picture it now - the disillusioned eyes red with sympathy as they remove their threadbare jacket to provide warmth, cradling the victims head in their filthy arms - no doubt crippled by rickets and malnutrition - then donating their last farthing to the victims family for the distress. Behind the condemned squats and flea-ridden tenement buildings beat hearts of gold. I don't think so.
The victim should think themselves lucky that an ambulance had been called (paid for by tax collected from the affluent) and that they didn't have their wallet and mobile nicked.
Reply ID 9682
15/08/2005 by Nicky
quote:
Originally posted by 2929paul
Symptomatic of the whole of society probably but also says something of the comuter mentality, which seems to turn perfectly kind compassionate and caring people in selfish morons from the time they step out of the front door until the time they get back into the comfort of their own home. This is what stops people giving up seats to pregnant women on hot and crowded trains, for example.
And I include car commuters too. They are the ones who drive through Bengeo at break-neck speeds, refuse to let anyone else through the rat-run before they've gone through themselves and shout obscenities through the window of the car at you because they're running 30 seconds late.
Of course, no forum members would act in this fashion.
Reply ID 9683
15/08/2005 by Nicky
what happended there? I totally agree with the above statement!
I stopped working in London for this reason, commuters may be nice people at home but once at the train station they turn into monsters.......pushing, shoving and generally being rude! and don't get me started on the snob value............I used to wear anything but black and have a nice brightly coloured umbrella just to make sure I was not like the rest of the sheep on the platform!
12 replies