When is the right time for heroics? Is there a time?

[Caddy]

Chasing him would have accomplished nothing. At best, you get her possessions back, at worst you get shot/stabbed/beaten up.

[Brothgar]

I'm torn on this. By doing nothing the terrorists win and that is what muggers and thieves are no more no less they use fear to get what they want. But, my more logical side tells me it ain't worth getting hurt for and tbh I wouldn't have helped unless I was very significantly bigger stronger and faster than he was.

[TACKLE]

Originally Posted by broth223

I'm torn on this. By doing nothing the terrorists win and that is what muggers and thieves are no more no less they use fear to get what they want.

Is that really your definition of a terrorist? One who uses fear as a tool to get what they want?

[Brothgar]

Originally Posted by TACKLE

Is that really your definition of a terrorist? One who uses fear as a tool to get what they want?

More or less.

terrorist n. - a person who terrorizes or frightens others.

terrorism n. - the use of violence and threats to intimidate or coerce, especially for political purposes.

doesn't have to be with bombs.

[Caddy]

Broth be trollin'

[vidae]

Originally Posted by broth223

More or less.

terrorist n. - a person who terrorizes or frightens others.

terrorism n. - the use of violence and threats to intimidate or coerce, especially for political purposes.

doesn't have to be with bombs.

[Brothgar]

Originally Posted by Caddy

Broth be trollin'

[Ness]

Originally Posted by Caddy

Chasing him would have accomplished nothing. At best, you get her possessions back, at worst you get shot/stabbed/beaten up.

But what about "manning up" and all that jazz?

Hmm, you know what, I think you are right.

[Prowler]

one kick to the head and you are potentially braindead. chasing is escalation. if you caught him, then you had better have been able to take him down or kill him if it came to it. frankly, killing him over stolen stuff isn't worth it either. he should go to jail and be taught why he was wrong. that will happen when he's dumb enough to use one of her credit cards or pawn something off.

[phlysac]

What could you do to him? Would you be able to physically restrain him while you wait for the authorities to arrive? Or would all of the superheroes in this thread just assume that when you chase a guy he gets scared, drops all that he has stolen, apologizes, and runs away? Knock him out? Then you go to jail too.

An acquaintance of mine in college interrupted a guy trying to break into a house. He chased him about a block before the burglar got tired of running and turned around and shot him dead in the middle of the street.

I'm certain the deceased's parents are glad he was a "hero."

[eaglesalltheway]

Hard for me to say without being there. Unless I thought the guy was armed, I'd probably do something. Stop him and take him to the ground before he could do anything else. I wouldn't chase him down, but if there was a guy running right past me, and I didn't see a weapon in his hands, I'd take him down. I wouldn't say you are wrong for not doing anything, at the very least I would've called the police and given as good of a description of the guy as I could.

[Ness]

Originally Posted by phlysac

What could you do to him? Would you be able to physically restrain him while you wait for the authorities to arrive? Or would all of the superheroes in this thread just assume that when you chase a guy he gets scared, drops all that he has stolen, apologizes, and runs away? Knock him out? Then you go to jail too.

An acquaintance of mine in college interrupted a guy trying to break into a house. He chased him about a block before the burglar got tired of running and turned around and shot him dead in the middle of the street.

I'm certain the deceased's parents are glad he was a "hero."

Yes, I suppose you are right. I couldn't see what he had under his coat. And although he probably wasn't armed due to the kind of people I've seen live around this area, I guess it isn't worth it. If I was chasing him I guess I would do my best to just push him to the ground from the back with a giant shove. Too bad I didn't have an attack dog with me.

[killxswitch]

In your situation, call the cops and that's it. Material possessions being stolen isn't worth risking your life. If someone was being harmed, especially someone unable to sufficiently defend his or herself, then yeah, I think you have to do something more in that situation.

[eaglesalltheway]

Originally Posted by killxswitch

In your situation, call the cops and that's it. Material possessions being stolen isn't worth risking your life. If someone was being harmed, especially someone unable to sufficiently defend his or herself, then yeah, I think you have to do something more in that situation.

This is how I feel, I mean, if I didn't see whoever it was as a threat enough to harm me, I'd be all over them. If I was unsure, I'm letting the people whose job it is to do that. Once it escalates to violence, I'm doing something. Unless someone has a loaded gun pointed at me, I'm doing what I can to help right away.

[ryno626]

Originally Posted by killxswitch

In your situation, call the cops and that's it. Material possessions being stolen isn't worth risking your life. If someone was being harmed, especially someone unable to sufficiently defend his or herself, then yeah, I think you have to do something more in that situation.

What he said. You catch up to him then what? Ask him for the purse back? Are you going to fight him? What if he has a gun, knife or something to bash your head in with? Or you round a corner and there he is with two or three of his buddies waiting for him?

[eaglesalltheway]

Originally Posted by ryno626

What he said. You catch up to him then what? Ask him for the purse back? Are you going to fight him? What if he has a gun, knife or something to bash your head in with? Or you round a corner and there he is with two or three of his buddies waiting for him?

If its a guy stealing something like a purse, at least one of his hands is already preoccupied, so if you have a window of opportunity to take the guy down before he'd reach where you can't see, I could see myself doing it.