People never cease to amaze me

[Blueface]

I had to contact my alarm company yesterday to run a test to see if the back up system to communicate with them, in the event someone tampers with my phone line, was functioning as it should.

That entailed disconnecting my phone line from the alarm and then intentionally tripping it and letting the siren go off for over a minute.

While a minute sounds like nothing, try counting 60 seconds with a glaring outside siren, while a second equally as loud or louder inside one is also going off. It seems like forever!!!

While the siren was going off, I went outside as I was concerned having a police officer next door, that was at home at the time. Didn't want him to come with guns blazing. Turns out that as I looked around, I noticed at least 7 very close by neighbors that were at home, including the police officer. Of all these folks at home, only one (the guy across the street from me) bothered to open their door, go outside and wonder what was going on at my home. I yelled across the street that I was doing a test and thanked him for being concerned. Today, I went over and handed him a Cuban cigar to thank him for being the only person interested in my home's well being.

All I can say is WTF??? That pissed me off. How can people be so accustomed to alarms going off that they no longer care and ignore them. This, while not nearly as bad, reminds me of the many videos we see on TV where folks are being assaulted and bystanders pass by and do nothing to assist. What is this world coming to? As much as I may want to not do anything in return for these neighbors should the same happen to them, I don't have that in me and it is not the example I wish to set for humanity.

[croatan]

Sad state of affairs, Carlos.

People in Texas are much friendlier (and more likely to shoot when they hear sirens). You should come here for another visit

[gettysburgfreak]

Originally Posted by croatan

Sad state of affairs, Carlos.

People in Texas are much friendlier (and more likely to shoot when they hear sirens). You should come here for another visit

In the 5 or so months I have spent living in Texas I have gotten that sense as well.

That makes me sick. What if someone was really in harms way, people could not be bothered to get off their lazy asses and check it out? Nobody is asking them to run in the "burning house", but they can at least see if their is anything they can do.

Losers.

[replicant_argent]

The neighbor that came out wasn't just annoyed at the noise and wanted to make sure whose ear to chew on for interrupting his nap? I have very little faith in the general population, and of all my neighbors, I would only trust one of them to have/show concern over my home. It's just the despicable cynic residing in my instinctual animal brain.

[Kreth]

Originally Posted by Blueface

This, while not nearly as bad, reminds me of the many videos we see on TV where folks are being assaulted and bystanders pass by and do nothing to assist.

Hell, some of them grab a video to post on YouTube.
I came to the conclusion a long time ago that most people suck. It's a shame that more people can't be like Asylum members, funny as that sounds.
Posted via Mobile Device

[Subvet642]

How do you know they didn't call 911? Or, what if it were a home invasion? It would be kind of foolish for your neighbors to go outside and become nice, soft targets for the bad guys.

[Blueface]

Originally Posted by Subvet642

How do you know they didn't call 911? Or, what if it were a home invasion? It would be kind of foolish for your neighbors to go outside and become nice, soft targets for the bad guys.

Well, as far as 911, no police ever showed up at my home so I think we can rule that one out.

As far as a home invasion? Sure, not saying that any of them should come running over, but what about the police officer? Isn't his job to serve and protect? The neighbor that came out told me today the reason he did it was his concern for what was going on. He didn't see me outside at first and was ready to go inside and call the police.

I guess there are a million "what if" one can ask. I guess my problem with understanding this is I am the kind of person that would have run over and would have tried to do something if one of my neighbor's homes was being compromised. I guess not everyone thinks the same and from my perspective, that is a sad state of affairs when human beings don't look out for one another.

[Subvet642]

Originally Posted by Blueface

(SNIP)...
I guess there are a million "what if" one can ask. I guess my problem with understanding this is I am the kind of person that would have run over and would have tried to do something if one of my neighbor's homes was being compromised. I guess not everyone thinks the same and from my perspective, that is a sad state of affairs when human beings don't look out for one another.

And, quite probably, you would have become a casualty. Damning your neighbors based on almost no factual knowlege of what they did or didn't do, is I think, somewhat less than fair. Now, your interactions with your neighbors will be be stained by a possibly inaccurate belief about their character(s). Your purchase of an alarm system does not obligate them to do anything. After all, if they know about it and its connection to a monitoring company, what's to make them believe that the police aren't on their way?

[Blueface]

Originally Posted by Subvet642

And, quite probably, you would have become a casualty. Damning your neighbors based on almost no factual knowlege of what they did or didn't do, is I think, somewhat less than fair. Now, your interactions with your neighbors will be be stained by a possibly inaccurate belief about their character(s). Your purchase of an alarm system does not obligate them to do anything. After all, if they know about it and its connection to a monitoring company, what's to make them believe that the police aren't on their way?

Darren,
Just curious.
Please don't be offended.
Purely me being inquisitive.

Are you one of those that I alluded to that walks by someone being harmed and does nothing?

[Subvet642]

Originally Posted by Blueface

Darren,
Just curious.
Please don't be offended.
Purely me being inquisitive.

Are you one of those that I alluded to that walks by someone being harmed and does nothing?

No, not at all. I've worked in security in Boston for 22 years. My wife and I always look after the neighborhood, but we usually don't stand in our door doing it. It's much more effective and safe to stay inside, look out the window, so as not to alert any perp that they are being observed, and call the police with an accurate description and direction of flight.

Problem is that the majority of the time an alarm goes off it is user error or a test such as in this case.

[tsolomon]

Originally Posted by Blueface

I guess there are a million "what if" one can ask. I guess my problem with understanding this is I am the kind of person that would have run over and would have tried to do something if one of my neighbor's homes was being compromised. I guess not everyone thinks the same and from my perspective, that is a sad state of affairs when human beings don't look out for one another.

I have done what you're suggesting, but I was told by the police that arrived later that poking around a house that has an alarm going off is a bad thing to do.

[Subvet642]

Originally Posted by tsolomon

I have done what you're suggesting, but I was told by the police that arrived later that poking around a house that has an alarm going off is a bad thing to do.

My point exactly.

[68TriShield]

I am not surprised in the least Carlos.

[elderboy02]

Carlos, keep a gun on you. Take care of yourself Your neighbors just proved that they only care about theirselves.

[T.G]

Originally Posted by Blueface

I yelled across the street that I was doing a test and thanked him for being concerned. Today, I went over and handed him a Cuban cigar to thank him for being the only person interested in my home's well being.

That tent peg ought to teach him not to meddle in your affairs.

[Blueface]

Originally Posted by T.G

That tent peg ought to teach him not to meddle in your affairs.

Actually, I gave him a Partagas PSD4.
I gave my other neighbor, who wasn't home at the time of my alarm test, and who always grubs cigars from me and rarely gives some back, who doesn't know what a good cigar is unless it comes from me, one of the Boli PC's that I left in my truck per my thread on the Habanos section.
He was also outside and I felt bad giving one a cigar and not the other.

[replicant_argent]

Remember Carlos, when seconds count, the Police are only minutes away..
The other thing to remember is that we all have our personal perspectives (legal/moral/ethical) on putting our own selves in harms way with protecting a neighbor versus a defensive stance with your own family.

[Blueface]

Originally Posted by replicant_argent

The other thing to remember is that we all have our personal perspectives (legal/moral/ethical) on putting our own selves in harms way with protecting a neighbor versus a defensive stance with your own family.

Totally agree Pete.
However, one would think that at minimum, from the safety of their front door, they could stand there, look over to my home, see if my truck was in the driveway, wonder what was going on, noticed other neighbors standing outside also scratching their heads, without walking over to my house, run to the police officers house instead and get his ass out, or even call the police on their own and keep an eye to see if the see anyone leaving my home with half of my contents, all from the safety of their own home?