Saturday, February 28, 2009

And we Wonder why People Don't Help One Another.

You saw this story, right?

Injured good Samaritan ticketed for jaywalking

The gentleman was helping two ladies across the street and was hit by a truck. He had managed to push the ladies out of the way before they too became casualties. Then he got ticketed for jaywalking.

There is a laundry list of injuries and he has finally been upgraded from critical to serious condition. Thankfully (and probably after an ENORMOUS public outcry) the police department decided to drop the charge.

Colorado State Patrol withdraws jaywalking ticket issued to injured good Samaritan

It blows me away that the ticketing happened in the first place. Mr. Moffett was helping two of his elderly passengers across the street. The fact that he had stopped to drop them off indicates to me that there is a bus stop, right? Then he got out of his bus to help them. He saved their lives. And he got a ticket. Do you think they handed him the citation in the ambulance or tucked it into his flowers at the hospital?

And the fine? $22? I understand that times are tough all over but is the Colorado police department in THAT severe of a budget crunch to give a man a $22 fine for saving two lives?

I'm guessing that the officer involved has been reprimanded, mocked and probably has a locker full of nonsense citations by now. What does a beat cop get demoted to? Crossing guard? Well, they can't do that for this fellow. The crossing was what got him!

I am bummed about the whole situation because of it's larger implications. The Boy Scouts might have to rethink that whole "helping a lady across the street" image. People can't help one another anymore without worrying about being sued for doing CPR wrong or being ticketed for jaywalking.

Just another answer to the question, "How did we get into this mess?"

3 comments:

Amy said...

That is too bad.

Bloggymommy said...

That's just rediculous! I'm glad they dropped the charges though. WACKOS!

TuTu's Bliss said...

I saw that too. I'm glad they dropped the charges..nothing like a touch of bad publicity to bring on the common sense! Hugs, jen