Morality Question of the Day - 11/24/09

You have just caused a car accident which has killed 2 people. Your car is not damaged and no one has seen you. You will not cause another accident for the remainder of your life but if you report yourself you will serve a life sentence. Do you hand yourself in?

 

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What would you do?

 

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I honestly can't make up my mind on this question. Either you turn yourself in and spend the rest of your life in prison or not and keep living free.

The question boils down to, in my mind, will going to prison change anything? It won't awake the dead. But at the same time, should you pay for your actions, though it was an accident. It's a tough one.

 

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Screw it, I'm going to say turn yourself in. Gotta own up.

 

yeah...thats what you say.

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No I would not no witness' then it did not happen.

 

Well, I don't know damnit lol.

 

Well for one thing he assumes that someone would go to jail for life for an accident. Doesnt sound fair to me, other than that i would want to settle what happened because an accident is an accident.

 

Well, well. Now we see who you really are, don't ever presume to judge others that might actually understand the concept of "morality", flawed or not.

You just turn your back on it - if no one else knows, "then it did not happen" - f**ken priceless...

So now I know that if someone shoots you (hypothetically, say for calling their daughter a whore) and no one is around, hey, it never happened right? I'm sure your mother / father / siblings / friends would all agree...

As an aside, careful who you make enemies of...

 

That assumption would be correct however it is not polite to threaten people on the internet now is it.And I have lots of enemies lots of them pick a number and stand in line.

 

Oh, please, please show me where there was a threat made? You must have me confused with your self admitted numerous other enemies...

 

I have the private message you sent to me now dont I but let us not hijack this thread ok.

 

Oh, please do post said PM...

Sorry to thread participants - we now return to regularly scheduled programming...

 

I don't drive car. I am taking public transport everyday. :sleep:

 

Hypothetically speaking, though, I'd just call police and/or ambulance. NOT hand myself in.

Who says so? Why would we be jailed if we don't do anything wrong? Assuming you don't drive drunk, exceeding speed limit, or all other things that are causing accident deliberately, why would we be blamed and even be jailed?? Accident happens. If you hit and RUN, then you DO break the law and likely risking yourself to be jailed (I GUESS, I don't know much the law).

 

Do you live in America? Here we have homicide and manslaughter. The main different between the two is homicide indicates purpose. Manslaughter is accident.

If you accidentally cause the death of someone else you can get charged manslaughter which usually results in life in prison.

 

No, I live in Germany (or in Indonesia, when I go home in holidays). I do not believe anyone will be jailed for ACCIDENTALLY causing death of someone. But, as I said, I don't know the law, let alone the law in other country (USA).

 

Yeah, I don't agree with it either. Get this, I had a friend of my uncle's in the 80's who got sentenced to 19 years in prison for involuntary manslaughter. He was being held at gunpoint by a criminal attempting to rob him. He then decided to attack the gunman and in the process of getting the gun from the criminal, the gun discharged and sent a bullet into the chest of a passerby resulting in the passerby's death. The criminal was already wanted for murder prior to this event and he ended up getting life in prison.

My uncles friend was just released a few years ago, age 51, and has virtually nothing now. Before he went to prison, he was a fairly nice and successful guy. He worked for a major computer manufacturing company and even volunteered 1 weekend every month for some charity.

Talk about unfair!

 

Well, I guess that would be another topic. Ok, I looked it up just now about vehicular manslaughter:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vehicular_manslaughter

According to that link, the law about vehicular manslaughter in the USA is different for different states. For example, for Georgia:

There are two degrees of vehicular homicide:

First degree homicide by vehicle

This is a felony, that upon conviction will result in a sentence of between 3 and 15 years of imprisonment (or between 5 and 20 years for habitual violators), with no parole for at least 1 year. A homicide is first degree homicide by vehicle if the driver "unlawfully met or overtook a school bus; unlawfully failed to stop after a collision; was driving recklessly; was driving while under the influence of alcohol or drugs; failed to stop for, or otherwise was attempting to flee from a law enforcement officer; or had previously been declared a habitual violator".[6]
​

Second degree homicide by vehicle

This is a misdemeanor, that upon conviction will result in a sentence of up to 1 year (which may be suspended) or a fine of up to US$1,000 (or both). Second degree homicide by vehicle encompasses all other homicides by vehicle, involving any other violation of the laws governing motor vehicles, that are not classed as first degree homicides.[6] ​

As I understand it, you're just guilty if you are proven guilty. If you run away, and later be found, I am guessing the charge will be even worse.

 

a life sentence for a car accident? Hell no.