Hero???

[sp1814]

In more than one news outlet, the Putney bus driver (the one who avoided driving over the woman who had been pushed over by the jogger) is described as 'a hero'.

https://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/catch-putney-pusher-hero-bus-driver-urges-as-lengthy-police-hunt-for-suspect-continues-a3631251.html

I think the word is wrong here. 'Quick-thinking' yes, 'hero' no.

What do you think?

[dannyk13]

Tend to agree with you.I think that 'hero' is used too much these days.

[wolf63]

The word is overused and it is beginning to lose its true meaning.

The driver was fast and lucky.

[Sqad]

Yes, I agree "HERO?" a bit over the top and i agree with your assessment....."quick thinking" or "instinctive."

[Mamyalynne]

Your 'quick thinking' fits the bill perfectly, guess such terms don't make headlines though do they?

[aelmpvw]

your natural reaction is to try and avoid something that appears from nowhere when you're driving

[ToraToraTora]

yes, no hero, good reactions, good at his job.

[anneasquith]

In the big scheme of things, I don't think it matters really . I'll bet the woman is very grateful whatever he is called .

[ToraToraTora]

have they caught the bloke yet?

[Mamyalynne]

No.

[youngmafbog]

I agree. Driver is good at his job and good instinctive reaction. Shame same cant be said for plod.

[Ellipsis]

The bus driver could be described as "Vigilant" or "Fast-reacting", but not "Heroic".

It also looks like it could well have been an accident. That's not to say I think much of the jogger, he's clearly an oafish idiot (at least at that instant) for barging into the woman and knocking her over, but it doesn't look like he deliberately pushed her in front of a bus.

I was once out in London with a mixed group of Brits and Americans, and one of the Brits grabbed and stopped a young American who was mid-stepping out in front of bus. She had looked the wrong way. It was a talking point, her life had almost certainly been saved, but the Brit was not a hero ... simply vigilant. A hero would have had to put their own life at risk to save her, e.g. running out into the road to drag her back.

[murraymints]

not heroic...but good driving and quick witted..well done for that

[bookbinder]

I define a hero [or, heroine] as somebody who puts themselves in danger (when they really do not need to) in order to help another person.

[hereIam]

More of a 'hero' than say a footballer, who often get called heroes !

[murraymints]

in a similar vein to ellipses I dragged a tourist back by her coat hood as she was looking the wrong way as a bus whizzed by..she turned to give me a mouthful but turned very pale when she realized how close she had been to disaster

[douglas9401]

He's French, it's measured differently

[dannyk13]

This is what a hero is:-
http://www.theanswerbank.co.uk/ChatterBank/Question1569968.html

[Prudie]

Wouldn't absolutely anybody normal have done that? So we only have 2 options either be a hero or run her over and be a disgrace.

[cassa333]

How can it look like an accident?

The jogger swerves into her path and pushes her out the way.

I hope his intention was not to push her into the path of the bus (or any other traffic) but it in no way looked like an accident that he got in her way and deliberately pushed her.

[Baldric]

No way does that incident look like an accident!