Mum or Law?

[Mish]

I think that Managing People and Organisations is the most fun subject I have ever had in my academic history. I came there with a headache last night and walked away cured.


Anyway this was a fun little class exercise:

Traveling in a passenger seat with your mum, you observe your mum hit a pedestrian while driving over 40km in a 40km zone. Her lawyer says that if you lie under oath and testify that she was under the speed limit it will save her a lot of trouble, which may include her going to jail. What would you choose? Saving your mum or compromising your integrity and obeying the law?

[Petit Papillon]

Ok I didn't read carefully. I think in that case I would choose law. Mum would understand that.Actually she wouldn't even ask me to lie about it.

[Gigabitch]

My answer is the same as Papi's.

[Petit Papillon]

I even asked my mum and she said exactly what I did Besides she said, 'lies have short legs' .

[Lipp]

Law. Mother or not, if she was speeding and hit a pedestrian it's a stupid move already, and in this case it'd just be a trade-off between risking jail for her instead of risking jail for perjury.

By the way, if I wouldn't recall that you were in Sydney Mish I'd guess you were here, my uni's got a subject with exactly that name. Then again, it's not exactly unique.

[Sonrisa]

i choose mom all the way. i would never let my mom suffer no matter what happened.

[Mish]

It was interesting, the lecturer split the class room down the middle and asked everyone to choose which side they were on. Most of the guys chose to protect their mothers, while most of the girls chose to keep their integrity. I thought that was a good insight into the human psyche.

[bluesummer]

I chose to protect my mom. A lie like that I could live with. Mind you, my mother would NEVER let me lie for her, so I know I'd never actually be in that position. If I had the choice I would, but I wouldn't really have the choice. My mom is so straight up, she'd probably call the cops on me if she found me doing anything illegal.

[vashti]

Is it even legal to make one testify against their parent? I don't think so....

[Doc Durian]

There is the letter of the law and the spirit of the law.

Speed limits are unethical, flawed by design, and are for revenue raising.

Driving at one speed versus another shouldn't matter.

Your mother hitting someone should. She did not have control of her vehicle... unless of course, it was the pedestrians fault.

If it was the pedestrians fault, I would protect my mother from the hypocrisy of the State.

If it was the fault of my mother, ie. Hitting someone because she wasn't paying attention... I would expect that she would be prosecuted for that, but as for speed limits, I would protect her from the hypocrisy of the State.

[Lipp]

Of course everyone's got perfect judgement of what speed is suitable.

[Doc Durian]

I've got perfect judgement and can out drive the best cop they've got behind the steering wheel. Of course, there's always those damn choppers and radios. Thank goodness for overpasses, tunnels, and underground car parks.

[Lipp]

Would you mind elaborating on your points about speed limits? Personally I don't see the problem with 'em, but would be cool to get another perspective.

[lastwish]

Of course I would choose my mother.

[Charlie Boy II]

Are you kidding? You guys would let your mum go to jail??

I never lie, but in that situation I'd lie a million times over.