Had a close one/ Casi Muerto

gabolicious says on Sep 12, 2007, 15:28:

wow Lowell it's a shame indeed... fortunately none of you were hurt... but I don't understand why people sometimes behave like this... so none of them give a f****?

Unbelievable...

the other day a person very dear to me, got robbed while on the bus... these guys had a knife and were trying to grab the cell phone to this person: "you gotta give us that cell phone or we will cut your neck"... Did somebody do something to help? NOOOOOO and the bus was empty....

However, in this case the story is different!!!

Shame indeed...

"The new land of opportunities: Colombia!" ----- Mr Miguel_Clavo on PBH

Lily03 says on Sep 12, 2007, 16:02:

Lowell, I am glad you and your family are fine after such an unfortunate accident.
A little Angel was sure watching over you guys... :)
Just be careful to judge too quickly, indeed it's a shame that some people could act this way..but not everyone in this country is that cold. In fact, we tend to be more on the warm side. I am sorry.

Gabo- something a little bit worst then that happened to a close friend of mine a couple of months ago, scary. She got a flat tire and had to stop at the first gas station to get it replaced..unfortunately she was in the south of Bogota (not a good place to be specially at night) Well..I guy came behind her with a sharp metal point and threaten her..pulled her by her hair and took her to this dark valley..during this time, she is screaming and people around were just staring..I mean seriously what the Fudge?..she was sure this was it and that the guy was probably going to rape her and kill her. Thank God..the guy (who was probably high) decided to let her go..he thought she was a cop or something. But she did get stabbed in her arm.
Tenaz no??
I just can't figure why people do NOT act when they see somthing of this magnitude going on? seriously..

vicshere says on Sep 12, 2007, 16:10:

hey lowell I get you man.... you have brought up a very good point....why is it that Colombians in general have a lack of concern/respect for anyone's even their own lives...it just perplexes me...today I was speaking to a director of engineering studies here at a major university..... and I was explaining the way construction is managed compared to Colombia.... I further went on to say that the lack of safety to the project over all/workers/visitors/surrounding building/ everything was nada most times.......he gave me a strange blank look ....like wants the problem...this is a guy who teaches the further civil engineers in Colombia...unbelievable...I also find that in Colombia we lack good Samaritans.....a couple of times I tried to pull over on the highway to help someone and my wife nearly rips me in half....I would guess being a gringo has something to do with it

listo

gabolicious says on Sep 12, 2007, 16:19:

Shame indeed Lily, fortunately this guy did not "hurt" your friend... but I think people don't get close because they don't want to become victims as well, but in Lowell's case... my Goodness people could've asked them whether they needed help or not!!!

no les costaba nada!!!!

Qué falta de tacto y sensibilidad para ayudar a personas que necesitan ayuda...

I have seen the same in Cuba and Mexico....

=(

"The new land of opportunities: Colombia!" ----- Mr Miguel_Clavo on PBH

Lowell says on Sep 12, 2007, 17:40:

kindness is weaknes, all good deeds are punished, deliberate ignorance is the norm

Alfred E. Newman. "What. Me Worry?"

Tinto (Moderator) says on Sep 12, 2007, 17:56:

Lowell, I think you need to buy a carton full of books - the Spanish version of "The Power of Positive Thinking" - and distribute them to the village idiots in Cartago.

;-)

poco says on Sep 12, 2007, 18:44:

Quote: I further went on to say that the lack of safety to the project over all/workers/visitors/surrounding building/ everything was nada most times

Concern for workers safety is non-existant. No hard hats, no safety glasses, no ladder tie downs, safety harnesses etc. on small projects I've seen.

Concrete nails are used quite often and bring this photo to mind. (Isn't the internet great)


Safety glasses cost less than 5 dollars and are mandatory in the United States on construction projects.

I have several pairs of safety glasses and insist they be worn when using nails or grinders. I have no desire to have a contractor leave the job site in worse condition because I failed to insist on certain safety practices and this is one difference between Colombian and North American practices and attitudes.

I also provide scaffolding and pay the rental. Left to their own devices they would be using barrels and boards or stacks of bricks, buckets etc.

"Violence is the first refuge of the incompetent" - Isaac Asimov

Lily03 says on Sep 12, 2007, 19:03:

"insist on certain safety practices and this is one difference between Colombian and North American practices and attitudes"

Poco I completely agree with you on this. It's unbelieveable..there is a construction site infront of the hotel and not once have I seen these workers wearing safety glasses or hard hats..

vicshere says on Sep 12, 2007, 19:09:

forget hard hats.....what about safety barriers on the street so people don't walking into...footings/trenches/holes in the ground for now reason......how about digging the hole for a new high rise building and they are about 20 meters down they use no shoring or tie backs and next door is a 5 story build..and no one seams to give a rats ass.... no one thinks the building just might fall into the construction pit and kill all the workers ....I just laugh and when a building falls down or has to be rebuild I just laugh my ass off... the only sad part of this crap is the poor kids who will grow up without a father

listo

john_stark says on Sep 12, 2007, 20:05:

Colombia and Utah have the same motto: "Life is cheap."

capitan_centella says on Sep 12, 2007, 21:40:

Industrial awareness it´s always an issue. I study Industrial design, and i see a matter called "antrophometrics" and "industrial safety". . after TWO YEARS, of our teachers repeating itselfs about "safety" I cross a skyscrapper worker in my social practices I went to him and say: "where is your helmet?" and the guy answer: I don´t need it becouse made my haircut disappear". . . And he´s not the only one with that type of answers.

And yes, this is the country where the irony were born. You can find in the same corner people who are conscious and aware of others humans beings, but in the opposite side on the very same street, you can find the guy who gives a f*** and are willing to kill you without any reason.

It´s easy to hate, difficult to understand but glorious to forgive. Still there are a few good people around, and yes apathics are the huge mayority, but´s not all the people. Sometimes they are plain scared. . . been the brave in my country its buying a ticket to the other side. (Just check th colombian history, Gaitán o galán)

And I hope you´re ok. And in behalf of those terrible colombians, I´m sorry.

"When you open your eyes, you turn around with the world, But it can change, if you only close it, and see a dream to yourself." Me.

Waterdawg says on Sep 13, 2007, 06:29:

I'm just glad you and the family are not injured in any way ( well may be mentally ) .. The , "not my problem turn and walk away " is featured in all of Latin America ..

danronian says on Sep 13, 2007, 12:11:

That's terrible no one cared to ask if you were alright. I personally did experience a lot of this attitude in Bogota, but here in Bucaramanga, and in the other smaller cities I've visited, it seems to be not as much of a problem.

To me this attitude is comparable to the contrast most NYC dwellers have in this same situation compared to that of someone living in a small town....though I agree, it seems to be more extreme here in Colombia.

la campiña says on Sep 13, 2007, 16:29:

Obviuosly I'm glad no harm came to pass physicaly to your family ( you will always remember the fear and shock) but bad experiences can tarnish an otherwise great time. For me Colombian people in general are so kind, generous, thoughtful and good folk despite the shite they have to handle everyday. Many people use horse and carts to do so many things here, dodging 4 by 4 jeeps is an art. If this cart had no driver maybe something previous had happened and I am amazed nobody offered assitance, sad Paul from cali. I think this is an unusual case´, don't let it spoil the big picture. Cuidate

Lowell says on Sep 13, 2007, 18:41:

"For me Colombian people in general are so kind, generous, thoughtful and good folk despite the shite they have to handle everyday."

Maybe it's Cartago. I don't see that here. It's more of "dog eat dog" along with an attitude.

The horse being used wasn't the normal work horse type. Larger and way more spirited. The spinless driver bailed when his horse took off.

Alfred E. Newman. "What. Me Worry?"

la campiña says on Sep 13, 2007, 19:26:

well, first of all I didn't mean to offend you .it must have been a scarey experience, maybe I have been lucky, 5 years in Cali, grey hair green eyes, never a problem( well , a few narrow misses, but all my fault, drunk, loud, obnoxious, etc,) i have nothing but respect for colombians, when they see that, you get what you give, as in Rome do as the romans. I think you had a bad one but but hold on it's worth it. Ciudate

Lowell says on Sep 14, 2007, 10:54:

Didn't take comment as offensive. sorry if sounded that way. I love the beauty of the area where we live. Blue skies, clear air, great clouds, not too hot, enough rain, little traffic, town flat and easy to walk around in.... Yesterday I did one of my beer walks of about 5 miles. I hit many a watering/beer holes on my walks. A different way to spend the afternoon away from house and family.

Like I said before, I wonder if it's the people of cartago who are different. There's a lot of people woho could use an attitude adjustment with a baseball bat. I see it in my wife's son of 11 years. He's a complete jerk. He lies, causes arguments between family members for enjoyement,, refuses to correctly complete less than 15 minutes of work a day, is rude and disrespectful to all, even in church. It goes on and on and on. His mother, sisters and grandmother have repeatedly spanked him and grounded him. As pissed and frustrated as I get with him, I don't spank. I'd like to take every privlidge away from him. T.V, sterio, skateboard, playstation....... for a long time.

However, after being in this family for now over 4 years, I believe that's where his heart is at. Just like many of the other men/boys of Cartago. Also, I've scolded him, worked with him, tried to reasn with him, been silent with him....... Kindness? Within 24 hours of each time that I went out of my way to be kind to him, it's backfired in my face. To him it's weekness. Good deeds punished. After I adopted him he really turned into a turd. All of no use. It's in his blood.

Alfred E. Newman. "What. Me Worry?"