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A cab ride I'll never forget (1999)

kentnerburn.com

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Re: A cab ride I'll never forget (1999)

#161

Post by Ancapistani »

shepherdjerred wrote: post #156
Ancapistani wrote: post #124

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I regularly pick people up, but wouldn’t recommend it unless you’ve really given it thought. For me - I’m a 6’2” bearded dude. I drive a Jeep and almost never have the doors or top on it in the summer. I’m also armed and have had some training. Being in an open vehicle means that anyone around me in traffic can see what’s going on, so I’m reasonably confident a hitchhiker isn’t going to try to take me hostage or dire…

Ah, maybe the physical build is a large component. If I were big and intimidating, I definitely would be more open to picking up hitchhikers. (assuming you're American; I am) I wonder if Europeans feel more at-ease about hitchhikers, or if there are any safety statistics.

Yeah, I’m in the US. In a Southern state, too, for what that’s worth.

Re: A cab ride I'll never forget (1999)

#166

Post by neilv »

daniel_reetz wrote: post #48
neilv wrote: post #40

> it was possible to believe that I had been placed on earth for the sole purpose of providing her with that last ride. I suspect that a lot of people have a "heroism gene". In situations in which they're doing something selfless, and nothing matters other than helping the person before them who really needs it, there's an implicit "this is my purpose" or "this is what we do". I've wondered where that comes from, nat…

I have also come to believe this. It's something that emerges in the moment - the moment of crisis, or the moment of need. You don't see it day-to-day, usually. I suspect it's over-represented in populations like nurses and firefighters. It's sometimes easier to see who doesn't have it - the people who "stay out of it" - those bystander effect exemplars who nonetheless remain nearby recording on their phones.

I think that the no-heroism-gene group might've been what really sensitized me to this.

After seeing a particular incident as an adult, when I saw people not help even when it was begged for, and it was even their job... I started having a strong teary-eyed emotional reaction whenever I did see heroism specifically. After a few times of that reaction, I realized it wasn't due to a powerful moment in a movie or children's cartoon that prompted it -- it had started happening coincidentally after having been gravely disappointed by the no-heroism-gene group. Exactly why, I don't know, but we seem to have some strong wiring related to giving and expecting help.

Re: A cab ride I'll never forget (1999)

#167

Post by kerpotgh »

tomcam wrote: post #131
Lich wrote: post #55

A few days in on my first trip to New York City, I had decided to visit Central Park. On the subway there, I (Korean-American) noticed out of the corner of my eye an elderly Asian woman who was sitting right next to me, keep staring at me then looking away multiple times. After a few minutes of this, I stared right back at her and she asked me, "Ni zhong guo ren?" (are you Chinese)? Luckily, I was almost done graduat…

That is a beautiful and heartwarming story. I am happy to observe that people like you are not unusual in New York. I have had several visits there where I stood trying to orient myself, and locals would stop and ask me where I wanted to go. And it’s not like I’m an attractive woman or anything.

[dead]

Re: A cab ride I'll never forget (1999)

#168

Post by askin4it »

Since this is turning into a series of remembrances, I will add this one.

http://www.cosmicken.com

40 years ago this guy shopped at a grocery store near his house where I worked at when I was a kid. He's still kicking, and I still run into him when I return home.

Once he told me a story of his army time in Vietnam. He said he found himself staring face to face at a VC fighter on patrol. Ken said he could tell the other guy was scared too and neither knew what to do. After a moment, he claims he just reached over and gently took the other guy's rifle.

I always thought it was an interesting (and very brave) solution to that problem.

Here's to you, ken, I hope you are stilling walking/running/bumming rides to the beach everyday.

Re: A cab ride I'll never forget (1999)

#169

Post by dudeinjapan »

amadeuspagel wrote: post #153
dudeinjapan wrote: post #152

The cab ride I will never forget: it was a night-time trip from Thane to Mumbai. A group of friend and I were headed to a bar in the city. I was watching the highway signs, and saw we missed our exit. So I called out, "Excuse me, I think we just missed our exit." "Oh, no matter" said the driver. He then slammed on the brakes in the middle of the freeway , threw the car into reverse, and looked back as he began careen…

A hack, kind of.

Yeah, this cab driver was certainly a traffic direction contrarian!
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