Originally Posted by
ReadyAndAble 
Bah, you would not walk past someone if you knew he was having a heart attack, GFCO. I don't believe that for a second.
I don't know though! See, I find this so so fascinating even though it's a bit dark -the bystander effect. I've read a little about it and so many people do it in these situations, and other horrible ones that you hear about and go "Oh my goodness, I would never do that!" (That coach in PA that just got fired, for example) but yet in research that's what everyone does! People just walk away and ignore the problem.
I've read that if you are in trouble in a public place, don't scream for help or say call the police, or the usual stuff you would think to say because everyone will just look around and expect someone else to take care of it. Pick one person from the crowd and make them personally responsible for you. Say "You there in the red shirt and purple pants, help me, I need you to call an ambulance/police/my Mom/whatever." You have a much better chance of getting help if you single someone out.
So interesting!