Have you ever 'ratted'?

[Araqiels]

1. How exactly do you confront a drunk driver?... How can you have a face-to-face talk if they are driving drunk and swerving all over the road?

2. If you ever caught me driving drunk and therefore risking other people's lives and well being. PLEASE inform authorities and let me be a victim of my decision.

What if you aren't driving drunk, but I call the police on you because I assume you're driving drunk? Worse, what if someone then calls the police on me because they saw me using my cellphone to call the police on you. What if I get in an accident and hurt someone trying to do so?

But okay, if I ever catch you on the road, and you appear drunk to me, I'll do you the favour.

I'll also want to make sure you're not stealing cable, internet, downloading music without paying for it, and you've not littered recently. If I go to the police, I want to make sure it's comprehensive, and you won't be getting out anytime soon!

 

[Rob MacLennan]

My outlook on this is if you cannot confront the individual directly, and inform them that you think what they are doing is wrong - then you shouldn't get involved at all. Having someone else deal with the problem because you refuse to intervene directly is cowardice.

That's just my opinion, however. I know the a great portion of you have more bark than bite, and thus resort to a higher authority to deal with such matters.

But if it came to court, and time to let the person you're snitching on face their accuser, most of you wouldn't show up.

Ironically, you're likely to rationalize it with safety, security, morality - and then be the same person posting obscenities when you're ticketed for one thing or another. You're okay with being the one laying down the law, but not the ones on the recieving end of it.

I don't know, I've never had my nose broken for minding my own business. But that's just me. You want to inform on others, then that's your right to do so. But should it come back to bite you, then I imagine you'll be recieving little sympathy. But should it come back to bite you, then I wouldn't imagine you would begin the story with, "well, it started when I called the cops on the guy because I felt the need to inform them.."

I've been to court, as a witness, for 4 separate cases. For one case, alone, I went to court to testify 3 times.

Next.

 

[OpenGambit]

My outlook on this is if you cannot confront the individual directly, and inform them that you think what they are doing is wrong - then you shouldn't get involved at all. Having someone else deal with the problem because you refuse to intervene directly is cowardice.

That's just my opinion, however. I know the a great portion of you have more bark than bite, and thus resort to a higher authority to deal with such matters.

But if it came to court, and time to let the person you're snitching on face their accuser, most of you wouldn't show up.

Ironically, you're likely to rationalize it with safety, security, morality - and then be the same person posting obscenities when you're ticketed for one thing or another. You're okay with being the one laying down the law, but not the ones on the recieving end of it.

I don't know, I've never had my nose broken for minding my own business. But that's just me. You want to inform on others, then that's your right to do so. But should it come back to bite you, then I imagine you'll be recieving little sympathy. But should it come back to bite you, then I wouldn't imagine you would begin the story with, "well, it started when I called the cops on the guy because I felt the need to inform them.."

I would be interested in your plan in stopping the swerving vehicle in order to "confront the individual directly".

Its not cowardice to let the police deal with something, or the military, or really any state department where their job is to deal with the exact thing that you are facing.
So no, its not cowardice to call the cops when you see a crime
or the fire department when you see a fire
or search and rescue when you realize there is a missing person.
or child protection services when you see an abused kid
or the ambulance when you see an injured person...
I can go on...

By the way, these are not "higher authorities". They are people who we as a society have delegated responsibilities to.

Ironically, dispite your grade school interpretation of being a "tattle tale". Programs that rely on a active citizen population working together to solve problems actually work extremely well. Easy example? The Amber Alert System. But according to you, if you were in the right place and the right time and saw a child that fit the description of an abducted child. You wouldn't say anything because that would save your perfectlly scupted nose.

I find your point that attacking an informant for calling the police is justified interesting. Its a common point of view for criminals.

 

[ABadjusterrider_5]

^ Seriously? Is this person trying to stir the pot?