If I'm able to help, without bringing my own safety in too much danger, I will. I guess..
I never liked the feeling of standing at the sideline and not be able to help. So as teen I already took a first aid course (+ updates afterwards).
While still taking the first aid course (didn't do exam yet) I was once in the train and a guy jumped in front of it to commit suicide, train hit emergency beak and guy was laying a couple of meters away from my window, still alive. Through the speaker the conductor was calling for doctors and/or first aid people. I was shaking in my chair, should I go or not. Finally decided not to help since I didn't finalize the course yet and already a number of people volunteered. Ok, very different situation than OP suggested, but must say a tough decision to make at that time.
A year later I was biking home from a party at 4 am (had a few beers, yes it's allowed here). A car was approaching (going downhill), but I soon noticed it was speeding too much for the slight bend in the road. It managed to miss the first lamppost, but frontally hit the second with about 110 km/h and ended spinning in the road side at the other side... I was just biking next to that lamppost with only a sloppy wooden 70 cm high fence in between. Jumped of my bike and ran to the car. Did my first aid and waited for the cops etc to arrive. Was happy I could do something at that moment and lucky the car didn't bounce the other way.
No remote forest here, but I do offer help (also when I'm alone) if I find someone on my path. In the forest luckily less severe situations, mostly lost day hikers or someone with a twisted ankle. And if someone calling for help it's often kids playing. In the remote area's I'm never alone, so I'll assess the situation and most likely go there.
In my spare time I'm qualified rock climbing instructor and I'm also doing alpine climbing, via ferrata etc.. People signalling for help are generally in a situation and don't have bad intentions. Really depends on the situation if you go in or wait for mountain rescue who has the proper gear.
Once during holidays I planned for a via ferrata. On the trail to it I met an elderly couple sitting with their binoculars and coffee on a bench. They told me that due to a wash out the route was much more difficult and some people got stuck the day before and had to get rescued by mountain rescue (which had a hut nearby). They told another group was now probably stuck again at the same spot because they didn't see any progress for past 45 minutes. So checked with their binoculairs had a coffee with them and continued my approach. At the start of the route was a big sign with a note that due to a washout the route wash drastically increased in difficulty (and was now classified in highest grade) and they advised it was only suitable for very experienced people. I checked the start, which was ok, but decided to take another route since I was with an inexperienced friend. And I didn't want to end up in a situation rescuing some stupid tourists who couldn't read signs.
It's an interesting discussion (if you're going to help or not) which I have more often with other climbers/mountaineers. Once had a interesting discussion with an Everest expedition member that decided not to help a guy they found from another expedition team. On the way back they discovered he had died.
I never liked the feeling of standing at the sideline and not be able to help. So as teen I already took a first aid course (+ updates afterwards).
While still taking the first aid course (didn't do exam yet) I was once in the train and a guy jumped in front of it to commit suicide, train hit emergency beak and guy was laying a couple of meters away from my window, still alive. Through the speaker the conductor was calling for doctors and/or first aid people. I was shaking in my chair, should I go or not. Finally decided not to help since I didn't finalize the course yet and already a number of people volunteered. Ok, very different situation than OP suggested, but must say a tough decision to make at that time.
A year later I was biking home from a party at 4 am (had a few beers, yes it's allowed here). A car was approaching (going downhill), but I soon noticed it was speeding too much for the slight bend in the road. It managed to miss the first lamppost, but frontally hit the second with about 110 km/h and ended spinning in the road side at the other side... I was just biking next to that lamppost with only a sloppy wooden 70 cm high fence in between. Jumped of my bike and ran to the car. Did my first aid and waited for the cops etc to arrive. Was happy I could do something at that moment and lucky the car didn't bounce the other way.
No remote forest here, but I do offer help (also when I'm alone) if I find someone on my path. In the forest luckily less severe situations, mostly lost day hikers or someone with a twisted ankle. And if someone calling for help it's often kids playing. In the remote area's I'm never alone, so I'll assess the situation and most likely go there.
In my spare time I'm qualified rock climbing instructor and I'm also doing alpine climbing, via ferrata etc.. People signalling for help are generally in a situation and don't have bad intentions. Really depends on the situation if you go in or wait for mountain rescue who has the proper gear.
Once during holidays I planned for a via ferrata. On the trail to it I met an elderly couple sitting with their binoculars and coffee on a bench. They told me that due to a wash out the route was much more difficult and some people got stuck the day before and had to get rescued by mountain rescue (which had a hut nearby). They told another group was now probably stuck again at the same spot because they didn't see any progress for past 45 minutes. So checked with their binoculairs had a coffee with them and continued my approach. At the start of the route was a big sign with a note that due to a washout the route wash drastically increased in difficulty (and was now classified in highest grade) and they advised it was only suitable for very experienced people. I checked the start, which was ok, but decided to take another route since I was with an inexperienced friend. And I didn't want to end up in a situation rescuing some stupid tourists who couldn't read signs.
It's an interesting discussion (if you're going to help or not) which I have more often with other climbers/mountaineers. Once had a interesting discussion with an Everest expedition member that decided not to help a guy they found from another expedition team. On the way back they discovered he had died.
(Seen that one, too)
]
Yeah-- I'm not going to K2, and I wouldn't step over a dying man in order to summit.
