Was I over-cautious?

[RichardCranium]

So is this New Liebore's legacy? We have gone from being a country that stood up to tyranny and supported the underdog, to one that has been made so frightened of strangers that we approve and applaud someone wilfully ignoring a plea for help?

It is pitiful and shameful.

Is that really what it means to be British?

[AtW]

Is that really what it means to be British?

No, that's what means to be unarmed and thus defenseless.

HTH

[minestrone]

So is this New Liebore's legacy? We have gone from being a country that stood up to tyranny and supported the underdog, to one that has been made so frightened of strangers that we approve and applaud someone wilfully ignoring a plea for help?

It is pitiful and shameful.

Is that really what it means to be British?

You have obviously never been attacked on the street, last time it happened to me it started off with an "excuse me?".

OP made the right choice.

[CheeseSlice]

So is this New Liebore's legacy? We have gone from being a country that stood up to tyranny and supported the underdog, to one that has been made so frightened of strangers that we approve and applaud someone wilfully ignoring a plea for help?

I don't remember there being a 'plea for help' in the original post..

When approached in the street it is important to make a quick assessment of the person, and the situation you find yourself in. MrMark did exactly that and decided (correctly) not to take any chances. If he was walking through a shopping centre or another public place bustling with people or in broad daylight, he might have chosen differently depending on how he felt about his situation.

The last time I was stopped by someone with a plea for help was when a man with thick blood dripping from his forearm staggered towards me in an alleyway in central london. He claimed to have fallen off his bike and asked if I could give him taxi money to get him to a hospital urgently. It was only when a lady who was on her cigarette break said he'd done it before, that I realised I was the target of being conned.

[Troll]

Three of the times I was mugged and the time I was abducted started off friendly enough.

Is there anything about you that says 'victim'?
stature?
demeanour?

I've only ever been mugged once in Amsterdam - but took it the 3 guys were being opportunistic rather than planning to find a white guy in the wrong neighbourhood at 00:30

[shaunbhoy]

OP was correct. No point in taking needless chances, not in Londonistan anyway.
I am fortunate in that I have never been mugged. I put this down to 3 factors, in no particular order :-

I probably look like I can stand up for myself,
I am generally sensible enough to spot risky areas before venturing into them
I generally dress in styles which suggest I would hardly be worth robbing!!

[EternalOptimist]

So is this New Liebore's legacy? We have gone from being a country that stood up to tyranny and supported the underdog, to one that has been made so frightened of strangers that we approve and applaud someone wilfully ignoring a plea for help?

It is pitiful and shameful.

Is that really what it means to be British?

No its nothing to do with governments. People have been working people over for ever. Caligula used to dress up as a hoodie for a bit of nocturnal aggro.

The question as to whether Britain has lost a 'Golden age' that you harken back to..I seriously doubt it. My uncles and dad were involved in some serious pub brawls when I was a youngster

my guess is that some people sail serenly through life, others get a duffing, others deal it out

[alreadypacked]

OP was correct. No point in taking needless chances, not in Londonistan anyway.
I am fortunate in that I have never been mugged. I put this down to 3 factors, in no particular order :-

I probably look like I can stand up for myself,
I am generally sensible enough to spot risky areas before venturing into them
I generally dress in styles which suggest I would hardly be worth robbing!!

Keeps away the gold diggers too

Well any women really