Citizen Callous: Gawkers Fail to Aid Victim of Hit and Run

Stories like these make me loose faith in humanity. I would love to think we would rush to each other's aid, but obviously that doesn't happen and not even among the best of us.

One case that comes to mind occurred about five years ago when a pedestrian, who had allgedly been drinking, was trying to cross a busy Phoenix street at night.

A driver hit the man and fled the scene, leaving the man for dead in the road. Given the large indentation in his front windshield, it would seem obvious to the driver he hit something. The driver's explanation to the police was that he thought he had hit a dog or that a rock had been thrown at his car. Hmmmmm.

As it turns out the driver of the offending vehicle was the Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Phoenix. Fortunately, (unlike the case above) a witness jotted down the license plate and the bishop was arrested, sentenced (but not to jail time) and resigned from his post.

I would LIKE to think that if I ever hit someone I would stop or if I saw someone who needed help, I would offer it. What do you think leads people to NOT step up and help one another? Fear? Callousness? Something else?