Brave or Stupid

I have to wonder why that woman found it so important to risk her safety over a handbag, in which everything can be replaced.

Don't know if the OP was brave, but she was stupid.

I was just reading a thread and it reminded me of something that happened many years ago.. Not sure, if I would do this again, in a way I would hope so. I thought it would be better to write it here, instead of on that thread.

I'm wondering, has anyone ever done something that required such a brave move, but was also a stupid move? If so, what was it.

I'm asking this because still to today, I'm not sure of my reaction of what happened.

Some years ago, I parked my car in an underground carpark, to do some food shopping. When I finished and as I entered the underground carpark, I heard what I thought was kids and saw what I thought was three kids chasing each other.

I can recall that I "thought" then that I heard a cry for help. I walked closer towards what I could see in the distance and noticed that actually, it was two guys trying to steal a purse from what appeared to be an older woman.

This is the bit I don't get, how our minds go into action without thinking, fortunately with a good result, which could have been worse.

I started moving faster towards this woman and the two men.. I could then see she crouched down, curled up in a ball holding her handbag and I yelled out at the guys.. They looked at me and turned and got into their car. But, the next thing is what shocked me.

I went up to this woman and told her "it's ok".. She was sobbing.. I put my arm on her and told her again "it's ok".. Right then, this car came straight up to me. I turned around and it was a foot away, so for what ever reason, I put my foot on the front of it and just literally stared at the driver. I felt like it was for ever and I didn't budge. The staring match just went on..... Eventually, I think he was shocked as well, he simply reversed and drove out.

I didn't even get the number plate, it was like I think I was shocked myself at what I did.

Anyways, the next suprise was even harder to imagine. As, this older woman, started to get up and I again told her it was alright.. She looked at me straight in the eyes. It was a woman that I had worked with as a Volunteer, for Service to Youth, raising money for Street Kids. I knew her really well.

She later sent me a card, which she wrote out how she felt and heart felt thanks.

I will never forget that as long as I live but I still to today, wonder about my actions.. Whether that was a brave thing or a stupid thing for me to do. In reality we know to just let them take the handbag but for what ever reason, she digressed through fear I imagine and refused. I will never forget her scream for help either.

I wonder if that, is what makes us make moves that maybe we otherwise wouldn't do.. Hearing someone call out for help, perhaps we don't think and just act.

I will add, that at 18, some (dick) pushed me out of an exit door after simply walking out of a toilet, in a night club. Punched me in the face and tried to push me into his car. I held on to that door for my life, he was 6ft 3.. And, I managed to get away. I think from that day on-wards I held very little fear.. It's a longer story and I only mentioned it, wondering if that is the reason why I had no fear that day.

I'm wondering if anyone else here has just "acted" before thinking and doing something that could turn out dangerous. Not necessarily in regards to anything in particular, simply a dangerous situation that they acted on without thinking first.

Quote:

I have to wonder why that woman found it so important to risk her safety over a handbag, in which everything can be replaced.

I don't see it as being just about a handbag.
I see it more as an instinctive response to bullying, the strong taking advantage of a (far) weaker target.


Why did the woman automatically fall into becoming the weaker person, the target?

She was being pursued by men in a parking garage. An intelligent guess would be she had parked in an area where there were no other people around.....her first mistake.
I enter parking garages regularly, and make sure I ultimatley park where there are other people walking around. When going back to my car, I look all around me, and if I saw someone/2 men approaching would make direct eye contact with them to make sure they knew I knew they were there.

I'm not going to say for a second the woman didn't do any of these precautions, but it sure doesn't sound like it if she was running, cowering, clutching some unimportant piece of leather or cloth. She could have dropped the bag, and kept running, and the chances of her continuing to be chased would have dropped hugely.

People do have more control than they give themselves credit for whether they lose their minds or not.
Instead, many of us walk blindly through our day, not giving an instants thought to what is around the corner, or what's right in front of their eyes for that matter.

I choose not to live like a deer caught in the headlights of a car. But, that's just me.

******

As far as the man putting his foot in front of the car.....

I was leaving the pool last month, and overheard a man talking to his small son, who he was obviously trying to teach some water skills, getting closer to swimming. The son was obviously hesitant about whatever they were doing.

This little boy was too young to understand the meaning of something I heard the father say to him...but the father was saying it to him anyway, and I'm sure for not the first, or last time.

What he said was "Bravery is courage tempered by wisdom"

Personally, I don't think it was wise to confront a moving car with your foot. I have plans for my feet for the next few decades, and doubt I would look back at a shattered, painful maybe useless foot, that's keeping me from walking, running etc the way I want to, and think "I don't regret this, because I lost function of my foot defending a cowering woman clutching a handbag from a one and a half ton moving car"

He wasn't showing bravery, rather he was exhibiting bravado.

I would say more Honorable and Risky than either Brave or Stupid.

Bravery is when you overcome a fear to take action, but it sounds like you weren't afraid (probably adrenaline rush), so not brave. And stupid is when there is a much better solution readily available, and you either don't see it or don't choose it. But there wasn't a better option, so not stupid.

Congratulations, your instinctive reaction was to behave in an honorable and altruistic manner.

I wonder if there is a way of teaching your self to think over reacting.

There was a better solution.

take out your cell phone, saying loudly "I'm dialing 911 and giving them your license plate number and your description."