Those who travel regularly on public transport have seen mobile devices kill the art of talking to strangers. A recent police warning suggests that many are now too attached to their phones not only to talk to others but even to stop and help those in grave danger.
When North Yorkshire Police officers arrived last week to save a man in the River Ouse in York, they noted that “crowds had amassed” but nobody was helping. All this despite seeing the man struggle to keep his head above water. At least two floating devices were accessible within yards of the scene, but it appears as though those present were too busy filming to see.
The man was thankfully taken to the hospital and is now recovering after police officers threw a life ring. But the incident tells a worrying tale of the disappearance of the Good Samaritan. North Yorkshire Fire Service has even produced and shared a “short educational video about how to use a life ring” (emphasis added) as if this wasn’t blatantly obvious.
North Yorkshire Police has since asked its followers on social media:
Would you be a bystander or a lifesaver? … Those vital seconds can make all the difference. … Please don’t just stand there videoing it on your mobile phone.
