February, 3, 2006, 2:16pm

My M didn't come. ai...

Read the news about the car accident of the Hong Kong tour in Egypt. Feeling, I was so blessed that I only had minor complaints: cheating, terrible toilets, no shower for three days, sexual harrassment, robbery...

Having a car accident in the desert sounds really unimaginable. Going anywhere that has a hospital will probably take hours. I still remember I simply didn't know anywhere to get sanitary napkins the last day there before I flew back to London. And the lady made it explicit to me that I shouldn't ask the guy in that crappy shop. And I did.

Would it really make any difference to save at least some lives if one of those buses stopped? Maybe it would feel better. Maybe it would help a little if there's a healthcare professional on the buses. I had a physician in the tour group I went with.

Anyways, I don't see it fit to blame other Hong Kong tours as cold-blooded. It's documented that in some situations, people tend not to help and not to feel responsible to help. The bystander effect.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bystander_effect

Situational factors instead of internal factors (traits, personality, values etc) assert more influence on our behaviors at times.

Even if people stopped, would they be able to help? What kind of help were expected from them?