Gawkers

binbag · Post by **binbag** » Sat Jan 22, 2011 5:15 pm

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Why do some people, if they witness an accident, or the aftermath of one, insist on stopping whatever they are doing, even if means stopping their car, to gawp at the scene, particularly if it's a bloody one?

I was passing a dreadful car accident which resulted in fatalities. It was a terrible scene of carnage with two of the dead lying on the road covered with tarpaulin. Three others were very seriously injured, there was an awful lot of blood to be seen.

I walked passed as quickly as I could and couldn't help but notice the gawkers, as we call them in the UK, whilst fleetingly hearing snippets of their comments as I passed.

Some were standing alone, some standing in groups staring at the scene of blood and gore, others debating amongst themselves how and why the accident occurred, probably all of wrong. (the police were taking statements from the witnesses)

It looked as if the accident brought the gawker's great excitement into their lives. No doubt it would be something special to regale about for the next few days down at the pub.

I never heard one comment, as I passed them all, referring to the poor victims.

I've never had the impression they are watching the scene out of concern or compassion for the victims.

So why do people stop and gawp at accidents.

Whether it be a road crash, a house fire or whatever, are you such a person? Do you tend to stop and stare whenever an accident occurs, or do you simply pass by without staring?

Ahso! · Post by **Ahso!** » Sat Jan 22, 2011 5:52 pm

Rubbernecking. It's so annoying.

Snooz · Post by **Snooz** » Sat Jan 22, 2011 6:56 pm

I purposely keep my eyes diverted, both for my own safety if I'm driving and to show a little respect for the injured or dead while I'm silently thanking whoever's in charge out there that it wasn't me.

chonsigirl · Post by **chonsigirl** » Sat Jan 22, 2011 7:03 pm

Morbid curiosity-it is horrible but they do it all the time.

Nomad · Post by **Nomad** » Sat Jan 22, 2011 9:33 pm

SnoozeAgain;1351699 wrote: I purposely keep my eyes diverted, both for my own safety if I'm driving and to show a little respect for the injured or dead while I'm silently thanking whoever's in charge out there that it wasn't me.

Same. I refuse to even glance.

koan · Post by **koan** » Sat Jan 22, 2011 11:17 pm

Carolyn Myss relates the following tale. I remember it after years but luckily google helped me remember who told it.

She said that a woman she knew was in a serious car crash, and had an out of body experience. The accident caused a multi-car pile up on a freeway in one of the major cities in America. Many of the people were complaining because they were going to be late for work.

But from one of the cars she saw the vibrations of a person who was praying for her. The energy field of the area all around the car was expansive. The woman who was in the crash felt the love. She felt it might be worth going back to the body because of the beauty of the love.

But before she returned, she took note of the person's license plate number.

After several months of recuperation, she sought out that person and thanked her.

gmc · Post by **gmc** » Sun Jan 23, 2011 8:18 am

I was witness to a bomb incident, building evacuated, bomb disposal vans parked outside and people crowding around to see if anything would happen with the police trying to get them to go away. now there's stupid for you.

Peg · Post by **Peg** » Sun Jan 23, 2011 8:27 am

I won't look. I don't want to see. I just say a little prayer as we pass by. My husband, on the other hand, would be staring as we go by and I would be telling him to stop it.

along-for-the-ride · Post by **along-for-the-ride** » Sun Jan 23, 2011 10:13 am

Gawkers can also cause a second accident. It happens.

Snooz · Post by **Snooz** » Sun Jan 23, 2011 10:27 am

gmc;1351769 wrote: I was witness to a bomb incident, building evacuated, bomb disposal vans parked outside and people crowding around to see if anything would happen wity the police trying to get them to go away. now there's stupid for you. what would happen.

There was a shooting on our street years ago and everyone rushed outside to see what happened. I went as far in the back of the house as I could get in case of stray bullets.

binbag · Post by **binbag** » Mon Jan 24, 2011 3:55 am

Ahso!;1351694 wrote: Rubbernecking. It's so annoying.Rubbernecking, I forgot that word Ahso.

SnoozeAgain;1351699 wrote: I purposely keep my eyes diverted, both for my own safety if I'm driving and to show a little respect for the injured or

dead while I'm silently thanking whoever's in charge out there that it wasn't me.Show a little respect for the injured or dead while I'm silently thanking whoever's in charge out there.

Absolutely agree with you SnoozeAgain.

chonsigirl;1351701 wrote: Morbid curiosity-it is horrible but they do it all the time.Morbid curiosity, I guess that about sums it up chonsigirl.

Nomad;1351714 wrote: Same. I refuse to even glance.Definitely Nomad.

koan;1351721 wrote: Carolyn Myss relates the following tale I love to read of this sort of incident koan. I have a story related to me by my sister-in-law and her car. I must post it in some time.

gmc;1351769 wrote: crowding around to see if anything would happen with the police trying to get them to go away. now there's stupid for you.Absolutely stupid for sure gmc. (idiots)

along-for-the-ride;1351792 wrote: Gawkers can also cause a second accident. It happens.Sadly so true AFTR.

SnoozeAgain;1351794 wrote: There was a shooting on our street years ago and everyone rushed outside to see what happened. "stray bullets" Perhaps it would teach them a lesson if one of the bullets skimmed their behinds SnoozeAgain.

Interesting and encouraging replies :-6

fuzzywuzzy · Post by **fuzzywuzzy** » Mon Jan 24, 2011 4:39 am

sometimes I often think it's about being apart of community ...I'm more concerned when people pass without noticing that someone in their community died ....Like stepping over or around a homeless dead person ..it's like they never existed. It's okay for people to speculate about an incident as long as they don't get in the way ....It's called being a human being.

binbag · Post by **binbag** » Wed Jan 26, 2011 9:38 pm

fuzzywuzzy;1351898 wrote: sometimes I often think it's about being apart of community ...I'm more concerned when people pass without noticing that someone in their community died ....Like stepping over or around a homeless dead person ..it's like they never existed. It's okay for people to speculate about an incident as long as they don't get in the way ....It's called being a human being.Do you feel the gawkers stop to gawp/stare/look at, the bloody aftermath of an accident are doing so out of concern for the dead or injured, fuzzywuzzy?

bb

fuzzywuzzy · Post by **fuzzywuzzy** » Thu Jan 27, 2011 3:32 am

It's simple human behaviour. did you watch the twin towers footage? have you seen the link of the bombings at moscow airport that Scrat put up? Do you watch any movie of wars ? Did yo watch schindlers list?

Also there's a very real psychology of humans confronting there own demise ...."That could be me" syndrome. There are many resaons girraffe necks (as an old teacher used to call it) do this ........Every policeman amboes /paramedic firefigter has a portion of this in them .......there are plenty of ways to help in hte community why choose to be up front and personal with tragedy all the time ........As I said it's just simple human make up.

fuzzywuzzy · Post by **fuzzywuzzy** » Thu Jan 27, 2011 3:38 am

Here you go this should explain it better

http://pbr.psychonomic-journals.org/con ... 4.full.pdf

Post by **LarsMac** » Thu Jan 27, 2011 8:07 am

Here is my favorite "gawker" story.

a few years back, we lived in Johnston County, east of Raleigh.

One afternoon, we were headed over to Chapel Hill for a theatre presentation at U of NC, driving west on I-40, the traffic was horribly slow. bumper-to-bumper, averaging less than 20 MPH

Traffic going the other way was fine, if not even light for that time of day.

We finally arrived at the choke point.

One of the local TV crews was set up in the median, with the reporter talking to the camera.

All the drivers were slowing and peering around to see what the deal was. looking for blood or destruction, or whatever. (none to be seen)

A soon as we passed that point everything opened up going west, but the eastbound lanes were now backed up all the way back to the RTP area.

That night, we got home in time for the 11 PM news.

The TV station was doing a piece on the traffic problems in the area, and right there on the TV we saw the same reporter, with the backed-up traffic behind her as she babbled about how how bad the gridlock was on the Raleigh highways.

fuzzywuzzy · Post by **fuzzywuzzy** » Thu Jan 27, 2011 1:41 pm

I think you answered that yourself........"All the drivers were slowing and peering around to see what the deal was." so would I.