In England recently, a 17-year-old bicyclist was broadsided by a car during rush hour trafic.  A concerned bystander stoped her car, got out and went over to help.  But when she saw the extent of the teen’s injuries, she had second thoughts: She apologised to the boy and then walked away, telling the mangled victum that her kids were in the car and would be “scared” to see all that blood.  Then she got in her car and drove her children to school.

While I can sympathize with this mother’s dilemma, it’s another example of protectionism gone too far.  If she thinks blood is too scarey for her kids, how frightening is it to send the message that others might abandon you just when you most need their help?