Very Short

Stumbled across this on da toob. Very powerful.

Beautiful:

That was awfully close to a throat lumper.

With Shatner-y goodness.

I'm always up for some Shatner-y goodness.

I came in here to post these...

I really found this video shocking. I can sort of understand if it's crowded and not immediately clear the child is unaccompanied, youmay just not notice her as you hurry by, but when there's virtually nobody else about and the kid is just clearly there alone...sweet jesus what is wrong with people?




And this one - again made me feel really angry a few times- but also really heartened by others. The last few mins is really rather horrifying.

In the first video, the girl did not seem to be frantic or distressed. The mall is a familiar place where people feel generally secure. Stopping to talk to a child might make some folks nervous because they don't want to be accused of being white T Shirt from video 2.

I'd have stopped. I know I'd have stopped, because I have done in the past in a shop, when I've seen a little one wandering about, seemingly alone.

Women can do that, it's risky for men.

I realise much harder for men. But there were plenty of women walking past.

In that first video, I'd have noticed the girl... And then immediately noticed the two women by the column just 15 feet away, both clearly watching her like hawks. I'd have concluded that this child is not, in fact, alone.

The problem with conducting the "experiment" close to Victoria Coach Station, is that it's a notorious area for pickpockets, beggars and scammers. The sad truth is that children have always been used in distraction-style robberies. Also, the team must have had clearance to film - I doubt a child alone on the street in the same place for long would not attract the attention of the police in real life.

I can't say about the American video of course. But I wonder if some of the reactions are again more to do with fear of crime/ being hustled than they are about fear of being labelled a paedophile.

Regardless of the above, yes I think I would have stopped.
Or at least gone back a few minutes later to check on what I thought I'd seen.
It's hard sometimes, if you're in a busy area, in a rush, on a schedule. I have approached children before, although they have been visibly distressed. Usually a querying look and a thumbs up is enough to establish whether a child is really lost or has just been having a tantrum. Asking a child if they are okay in a kind voice takes seconds, and cannot possibly pose any danger to anyone.

Exactly. You just check it out a bit.

You could argue this girl is a scammer by definition. She's not lost. She is lying when she says she is. She and the makers of the video are trying to scam all the passers by for the purposes of entertainment/news. Anyone who trusts their instincts that she is a lying scammer should be congratulated. They were right.

Ice