Belarus police set up fake crash scene with "cyclist" casualty; how many drivers stopped?

When I came off my bike in Hackney, i was impressed when 5 people came straight to my aid. London is not New York

It seems a little silly that the police see the need to conduct a rather outrageous stunt to prove the social science phenomenom of the "Bystander Effect" is valid.

I'm not at all surprised, and I fully would expect these same results ANYWHERE.

Introductory Psych textbooks almost always note one of the most shocking (and completely real and brutal) examples of this phenomenom in the NYC sexual assault and murder of Kitty Genovese.

I hope their campaign to encourage people to stop, report, and help is successful, but the stunt should serve as a reminder to all of us that we are more likely to fail to stop, report, or help in such a situation.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bystander_effect

I've never been to Belarus, but when I am away from home, I am weary of stopping anywhere. You would assess it at the time and decide. If someone had already stopped, I would probably drive by then phone. It has been know that people have pretented to be injured at the side of the road in South Africa, then the good Samaritan gets mugged when they stop.

WHAT!? you mean the police in Belarus are actually looking out for cyclists?

Here all cyclists get is £50 tickets....

I had a comedy moment once when my chain snapped, during an out-of-saddle full gas steep hill blast. Balls meet stem, face meets ground, rider lies in foetal position whimpering. Bike in road, blood on tarmac, lycra disappeared in a puff of...whatever lycra turns into when it meets road.

Through the throbbing grey vastness of the pain I was dimly aware of footsteps. I opened my eyes to see four walkers striding past.

They greeted me with a cheerful 'Morning!' and carried on along their way.

Had to laugh, really, when I'd relocated the missing testicle from beside my spleen.

I wouldn't feel too offended by drivers not stopping when they ought to (and I thought required by law?) just because you're on a bike.

Several years ago I witnessed a smash between a lorry and a couple of cars on a roundabout. Of the 30 or 40 vehicles that came across that accident, only three or four of us stopped to help. Several of those who carried on going must have witnessed what happened, but they did nothing. Not only that, several of them had to have driven through the carnage to get away.

So perhaps those who do nothing, hopefully not 90% of drivers, are just a bunch of selfish pricks who wouldn't help anyone else anyway.
Cheers.

In May 2012 I was heading into Central London via Streatham when a car turned in front of me as I was heading up the bus lane (thanks to a "kind" lorry driver in the stationary traffic to my right flicking him through). So I went over his bonnet, bike stayed behind, bits of skin etc. all over his car thanks to my leg catching on the left front wheel arch.

The driver of the car stopped. 6 pedestrians stopped. I was offered medical assistance. 3 people called emergency services. One person took my bike and locked it to a lamp post with the lock in my bag. He put my Garmin into my backpack. Someone parked his car in the bus lane to stop the traffic and force it into the main carriageway (and therefore not run over me). Two ambulances came - one in passing (with a patient already in it) and another that was called out. Two police cars, 4 policemen. 4 witnesses gave me their details. The driver of the car contacted me afterwards to check how I got on in the hospital.

I doubt that was 10%, but assume that when people see others helping they continue to drive past unless the have specific skills (for example a doctor).

That day restored some of my faith in people. And I cycle a bit slower through that section these days!

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Meltham? Shudder. Did one of them tell you that you had 'a real purdy mouth'?

Not saying it would or wouldn't be the case here but I wonder how many were afraid to stop in case it was a con?

Meanwhile down in SW London where I ride...

I had a puncture a few weeks ago, a stunningly loud one where the tube ripped open and made a few pedestrians jump.

A few minutes later whilst I was sat on the pavement swapping tubes a car pulled up and the driver got out. He then explained that he'd heard the bang, and drove around the one way system to come back to see whether I needed any help!

Once you get away from the madness of rush hour and school run traffic, there are still lots of good generous people out there.

So 10% of car drivers in Belarus took action (either directly or indirectly). I'm quite touched by that! 10% of people in Belarus have a social conscience. Well done!

Now lets repeat that experiment here.