When Should You Say Something and When Should You Keep Your Mouth Shut?

[c.d.]

I saw a woman riding a bike the other day. She had a child in a child carrier strapped to the back of the bike. Neither she nor the child who appeared to be almost an infant had on a helmet. I was absolutely appalled that she would have a child this young on a bike and that the child wasn't wearing a helmet. Now it is possible that they don't even make helmets that small. Of course the reason being is that they don't expect anybody to be stupid enough to take a child that young out on a bike. I was sorely tempted to say something but I held my tongue. What should you do in that situation?

c.d.

[c.d.]

I should have added that there were a number of people on bikes wearing helmets so it's not like she had no clue as to their existence.

c.d.

[tji]

Hi C.d

I think in situations like this, you are damned if you do and damned if you don't, so i would go with how strongly you feel about it.

If your conscience can take it if something did happen - and why not, after all you weren't the one taking a small child out on a bike with no helmet, then say something.

However if you are not looking forward to getting a good ear bashing, that you are more than likely going to get,(at the very least) then leave it alone, these people always know best!!

[johns]

Say nothing..

My reasoning is that, seeing as the kid has such a mother there are probably hundreds of hazards the kid has to negotiate every day.... bread knives left lying about... open bottles of bleach..... cigarette lighters.... and so on. You MAY eliminate the cycling hazard but would get an earful of abuse I would imagine.

The kid would then get taken home by an angry mother... and the whole episode wouldn't improve the kid's lot 1 iota.

I hope I'm wrong... usually am..

[c.d.]

If you say something, you will probably be told to go **** yourself. What's worse is that the mother might then refuse to even consider a helmet just to spite you. In general, people don't like to be told that they are idiots.

c.d.

[johns]

Sadly that's true... I once told a guy who's dog ran across a busy road of traffic that maybe a lead would be a good idea. He said something like, "But no-one hit the dog... no-one got hurt... what's the problem?"

I said "Sorry, my mistake" and went about my business.

Sad isn't it that people this stupid still manage to get out of bed without written instructions and a diagram.

[ChainzCooper]

Yeah it sucks when stuff like that happens. I work delivering and people can be nerve racking. Like 'homeless people' asking for money (What am I a bank?) to the random person who thinks its funny to say 'For me?' when I'm walking around with flowers trying to find the actual person they go to. I was actually in the hospital one time trying to find a room and these ladies behind a desk screamed out 'Stop!' to me when I walked by. So naturally I thought this was the place and stopped but they were just joking. So I told them they confused me and went on my way.But all and all usually people are nice so things like that don't happen to often.
Jordan