Are you aware of the Good Samaritan Law? It’s in effect in many parts of the world to protect those who are trying to help someone experiencing life-threatening trauma, such as a heart attack, from being sued should an injury occur. And yet time and time again I’ve seen shows on TV where no one wants to get involved for fear of an unfair lawsuit. See it enough times and it sounds like it must be the truth.
Another classic is the case of the missing person. Here in Canada there is no waiting period, no matter how old the missing person is. As long as there is sufficient belief held by anyone, whether they’re a relative or a co-worker that someone genuinely is off their schedule and can’t be reached, the police will take the matter seriously. From what I’ve been able to find online, many parts of the U.S. have the same policy. That one must wait 24 or 48 hours to report someone missing is a myth. And yet how often do you see it in fiction?
I’m going to keep today’s post short, but I’d like to hear from you. Can you think of any more urban myths? If you can, please share them. Let everyone benefit from your myth busting!
Things are looking desperate for our hero over at my fiction blog. Read it here: http://lindaghillfiction.wordpress.com/2014/04/24/u-is-for-undermined/
lindaghill.com 
April 24, 2014 at 6:18 pm
I knew about the Good Samaritan laws because they teach that in first aid classes. Did you know that you can’t perform first aid on a minor unless you have the permission of the parent? Or that you can’t touch a muslim woman unless the permission comes from a muslim male? Funny old world isn’t it?
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April 24, 2014 at 7:21 pm
I didn’t know about either of those, no. If I saw a child choking though, and there was no one helping him/her, I don’t think I’d look around for a parent before saving the kid.
I know a lot of people who would have a hard time with the Muslim one.
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April 24, 2014 at 6:09 pm
Really? I always thought that was true. Thanks for busting that myth.
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April 24, 2014 at 7:18 pm
No problem! 🙂
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April 24, 2014 at 5:41 pm
I understand the Good Samaritan Law, but in America it’s being disregarded more and more often. Or even in the case of self defense, a lot of people aren’t trying to kill the assailant, yet those individuals end up getting sued. Weird world. Didn’t know about the missing persons.
I’m sheltered. I don’t know many urban myths. I was told by my father I could get STDs from masturbating. I suppose I really shouldn’t have expected anything else from him when I asked the question.
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April 24, 2014 at 7:16 pm
No STDs, just hairy palms. 😉
I do believe I have the responsibility to tell someone who tries to attack me that my hands are lethal weapons, but who knows.. maybe that’s a myth too! I should look it up.
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April 24, 2014 at 7:21 pm
That’s a myth. You’re good to go. I’ve also heard they have to hit you three times, but pretty sure that’s also a myth.
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April 24, 2014 at 7:29 pm
I’m not going to get hit three times before I retaliate. That I can promise.
I was very sternly warned by my sensei to go straight home when I bought my sai, and that if I was stopped by the police on the way to disclose I had them. That was kinda freaky.
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April 24, 2014 at 7:42 pm
I heard sai are good at pinning and disarming. If you need to practice, let me know 😉
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April 24, 2014 at 7:44 pm
Such a pal, Paul. Always willing to help out a gal in need. 😉
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April 24, 2014 at 5:15 pm
Canadian judges are unbiased?
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April 24, 2014 at 7:13 pm
It’s a myth!
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April 24, 2014 at 4:08 pm
hey there – i was in the us and a little girl was choking and i would have gone to see if I could help but was told by my american colleagues not to go near as I would risk being sued – in switzerland and germany if you are in the position to help someone but you chose not to you can be persecuted by the state and fined as part of our laws (unterlassene Hilfeleistung)…. which seems more sensible to me. Howevver, in most countries good sense means that you cannot sue someone who served you a hot coffee or the obstetrician who aided your childs birth in the event that your child later has a low IQ….
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April 24, 2014 at 5:42 pm
The funny thing is if you are qualified to help and you do not, there are laws in the US that they can go after you. It’s just harder to prove than you went to save her life and broke a rib while giving CPR.
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April 24, 2014 at 6:10 pm
makes sense, but also hard to find the qualified people in the crowd who didnt help……shame that overall willingness of people to sue leads to people being too scared to try to provide first aid. Same issue even in US airspace I think I remember reading somewhere. Tragic really.
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April 24, 2014 at 7:13 pm
It’s the American way, I’m told. 😛
You’re right, the Swiss/German law makes much more sense. Thanks for commenting 🙂
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April 25, 2014 at 5:06 am
🙂 – is it now? it’s sad, I felt bad not doing anything, even though I probably couldnt have done anything anyway….I did have a bike accident in Switzerland years ago and nobody helped either they just stood and watched like I was a soap opera live near them, the disinterest was somehow worse knowing that they could have helped but didnt, rather than didnt help for fear of being sued. There are articles however on how likely people are to help someone who had an accident, is being attacked, is in trouble, if there is nobody else around on is apparently more likley to help than if there is a whole group of people around, because with the group the accountability disperses …interesting I thought.
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April 25, 2014 at 10:06 pm
I agree, the psychology of it is interesting, but how horrifying! They’d rather you be the centre of attention as the wounded than try to help and fail in front of a bunch of people.
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April 24, 2014 at 4:04 pm
What? Are you saying that you can’t believe everything you see and hear on TV crime dramas?
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April 24, 2014 at 7:10 pm
No! Imagine that!
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April 24, 2014 at 3:33 pm
I never knew the 24-48 hour waiting period was a myth. I did know about people being scared of lawsuits if they helped someone. I think because the media pushes stories where someone is sued for helping, but they stop covering before the verdict comes in. Human nature assumes that the lawsuit was successful.
Another urban myth: drinking a diet coke and eating mentos will make your stomach explode.
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April 24, 2014 at 4:02 pm
That Diet Coke and Mentos story is a myth. The truth is that either drinking Diet Coke or eating Mentos will make your stomach explode!
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April 24, 2014 at 7:09 pm
Haha!
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April 24, 2014 at 7:09 pm
I thought that was true!
I agree, the fact that people try to sue and THAT part of it gets into the news probably has a lot to do with the myth. Everything is about the scare tactics these days.
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