For what reason would this happen?

[sp1814]

So, you're driving down the M3 near Luton, and you see a number of Sikh women and kids on the hard shoulder standing away from a coach which is on fire.

Do you

a) pull over to see if you can help
b) slow down to rubber neck
c) hurl racist abuse at them, telling them to "get back on the bus"

http://www.newstin.com/tag/us/136959527

Sikhs never get in the news, and are quietly integrated...so could someone explain why they would be subjected to this kind of abuse?

Does it back up my supposition that bigots are basically evil who deserve the sobrique 'filth'?

[naomi24]

If it's true, then it's appalling. Did the story make the news here? I can't recall seeing it.

[marval]

I think what they did was awful, the poor people had been through enough withoud stupid idiots shurling abuse at them.

I would have stopped to help.

[marval]

Sorry should be hurling

[zita-green]

Bigots and racists aren't born that way. They learn these attitudes and mix with others who share the same vile views.

[China Doll]

If true then the idiots that did it probably thought they were insulting 'moolims' or something, I've seen that happen before. Not that this is a justification of course, just the level of brain power I imagine would be in force .

(As an aside... Hi Splattitude! Hope all is well with you).

[Bbbananas]

As another slight diversion - this story reminds me of last night's episode of The Street on BBC1 - anyone see it? Very good and very thought provoking.

A suposedly racist man takes the praise for saving a Polish girl from a housefire (it was really his friend who did it, while first man stood by & did nothing) - but he couldn't own up to his heroic act because of being "on invalidity". To cut a long story short, he ended up falling in love with the Polish mother (who subsequently found out the true story behind her daughter's rescue) and the story ended up by his dating (but still insulting) a black woman.

Like I said - thought provoking.

[anotheoldgit]

In the first instance it mattered not if they were Sikh women and children, how would one know what religion they belonged to anyway?

Why did you not give the most sensible option to take?

Seeing it was a Motorway it would be unsafe to stop, after all what help could one usefully offer?

Also because it was a Motorway, the emergency services would swiftly be on the scene, with more practical assistance.

I have googled this, and can find only one other mention of this case, strange, is there a news black-out on this?

http://blog.taragana.com/n/sikhs-on-motorway-i nferno-subjected-to-racist-abuse-129664/

[marval]

The story about the coach fire was on our local Look East news. But there was no mention of the abuse.

[LazyGun]

I saw it on the BBC news - really fierce fire.

Several interviewed, talked about thinking they were not going to make it out, and that this was it - and then cut to one of the women, visibly upset, who said that in several of the passing cars, occupants were gesticulating ,making racist comments,and pointing at the burning bus as if to say get back on.

What wonderful human beings they are, expressing their sympathy with other humans that way.

Pretty sick and disgusting attitude to take, tbh.

[jackthehat]

Many neanderthals have not the wit nor the interest to differentiate between 'brown' peoples.

Would they, on realising that they were abusing Sikhs, and not muslims, have screeched to a halt and proffered their assistance...........?

Appalling story, but by no means representative of the greater population on UK, I hope :o)

[R1Geezer]

They almost certainly don't know what a Sikh is so I would imagine they thought they where Muslims. Not that it excuses having a go at a load of women and kids regardless of religion.

[saxy_jag]

Most Sikhs I know are honourable, hardworking, honest and law abiding citizens - indeed I have many Sikh friends. The morons who did this must be either jealous or severely retarded.

Incidently, I saw a report last night from a town (might have been Watford, but not sure) where estate agents are blatantly discriminating against Eastern European migrants, telling them properties have already been let rather than let them view them. One reporter posing as a prospective was told quite openly that the agent would ensure the flat didn't go to any Polish tenants.

Why? We currently have a Slovakian driver working for us. He's well-mannered, works hard and is a good driver with a clean CRB check (our drivers work with kids). I don't understand why anyone would want to be nasty to him by dint of his nationality/background.

Maybe, as zita-green says, it's how we're brought up and who we mix with. Thank god we're not all like it, because we'd be an ignorant and unlearned nation if we were.

[sp1814]

The story was on the BBC news last night. It wasn't on the main news bulletin, but in local news. Race came into it because of the kind of abuse being thrown at these women and kids (thankfully, no-one was hurt)...but here's what I find appalling...some people actually slowed down to abuse them!!! Can you imagine that???

Falls squarely into the "what the hell is happening" category.

And you know what? Doesn't matter if they're Sikh, Muslim, black or white, that kind of behaviour is stunningly disgusting. Or can it be defended somehow?

[ELVIS68]

a) Not much you can do unless you`re driving a Fire Engine
b) Rubber-necking is dangerous
c) That`s not on


Dodgy place Luton, not so long ago some soldiers were abused during a parade there

[caththecrazy]

I heard this on the local radio yesterday - down to ignorance- can hardly believe that people can be so cruel.

Shameful

[sp1814]

I honestly believe that if I saw a group on the hard shoulder by a burning bus, most people would pull over to the hard shoulder to see if they could help. These were women and kids.

ELVIS - perhaps those Muslims you refer to are more integrated than you think! I mean, if you have minority of scumbags who abuse women and kids in peril, perhaps those protesters were just trying to fit in with what they see every day?

Shame they have to copy the traits of the very worst type of Brit, wouldn't you agree?

[sp1814]

Hello yourself CD. Didn't notice your post earlier, as I'm writing this from my iPod and can't see the left of the screen all the time!

[tamborine]

I was a lone woman with steaming engine on the hard shoulder, and no-one stopped! This was a group so they had each other. There were some near crashes as drivers gawped at me.

Would this be racist?

[Ice.Maiden]

I wouldnt've pulled over onto teh hard shoulder and cluttered it up even more, but I'd have definitely called the police and rescue services, in case no one'd already done so. THEN I might've asked if there was anything i could do to help.
It sounds a disgraceful state of affairs that anyone should be subjected to abuse, especially in those circumstances.

[ELVIS68]

I don`t agree with your claim that most people would pull over to see if they could help, we`re talking about a motorway here not a high street

As for the insults hurled at them, yes thats`s wrong

Traffic must have been passing very slow for them to hear these insults and see the hand gestures pointing them back to the coach in which case they`d have noted their number plates and reported them