Tender moments caught on Russian dash cams

[Are_grits_groceries]

Tender moments caught on Russian dash cams

Many Russian cars are outfitted with dashboard cameras to protect drivers against insurance fraud. These cameras have caught all sorts of crazy happenings -- car accidents, low-flying jets, insurance scam attempts, meteors, and plane crashes
-- leading many to believe that Russia is a place where crazy shit pretty much happens constantly.

But Russia's dash cams have also captured many more tender moments -- people hopping out of their cars to help old ladies across the street, looking after little kids who wandered into the street, pushing cars out of snowbanks, etc.
http://kottke.org/

who knew?

[HappyMe]

1. Now that does a heart some good.

Thanks for posting this.

[otherone]

51. good stuff

[roguevalley]

67. this is love. until all are one. thank you so much.

[Xithras]

2. I gotta say...

...a lot of those Russian dashcam videos can make you question your faith in humanity. This was a nice change of pace.

[Are_grits_groceries]

25. I saw a few of those clips when I found this one.

Now that is reality tv.

[FSogol]

3. K & R. n/t

[rhett o rick]

4. k&r

[lumpy]

5. Oh man, I don't cry very easily, but this made the tears flow.

n

[silverweb]

6. There are good people everywhere.

[font color="navy" face="Verdana"]It's nice to see them in action, too, instead of just the bad people who are always in the news.

[idwiyo]

7. K&R thank you for posting this

[skydive forever]

8. I dont know what the big deal is

I saw this video on FOX news just the other day.

[ladjf]

9. Those kind acts wouldn't be likely where I live in the U.S. nt

[dixiegrrrrl]

41. Happily, they are common where I live.

One of foremost reasons I chose to be here, esp. during the years as a single person driving at night.

[HiPointDem]

62. where is that?

[NCTraveler]

10. Things like these happen all of the time and we never hear about it.

Thanks for posting.

[idwiyo]

14. I wish we did. Seriously. I wish newspapers and TV DID show this every single day, multiple

times a day.

[Beaverhausen]

24. I just saw a photo of someone rescueing a wild bunny from the wildfire here in Southern California

can't post it, but it made my heart swell up.

[iemitsu]

83. Things like this do happen.

I have stopped many times to help others in need and, as a driver, I always try to provide safe passage/right-of-way for pedestrians to cross streets. In fact I believe that when I am present anywhere, I am responsible (at least partly) for how things unfold.
I know people act this way because my parents did and I do and most of my siblings do.
I know that plenty of others share this attitude and that plenty more don't.
Each one of us has it within our power to increase the number of people willing to stop and help others, simply by being that person.

[Ikonoklast]

11. At 2:25, that bear of a man literally picking up the rear end of that car.

And all those helping the old and infirm, the kids and the animals, Karma to you all.

[ZRT2209]

12. K&R

[kimmylavin]

13. That was lovely.

Thank you for posting!

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

15. "I still believe, in spite of everything, that people are truly good at heart." Anne Frank

[BlueJazz]

16. Didn't do anything for me

[Spitfire of ATJ]

17. When people think of Russia they think of Red Square but Russia is mostly forest...

The farmlands look like the Midwest.



They are not an aggressive people, they are proud working class types with a strong sense of community. The USSR told it's people they were defending them from Western invasion,..and "decadence" which coincidentally is the same campaign of fear of the "other", bravado and "proud work ethic" the Republicans use in rural America to sell themselves.

[HiPointDem]

63. the russians i've met in the us (not very many) have mostly been *very* aggressive types. i'd

like to meet the other kind.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

65. America doesn't hold the patent on "Asshole"....

....even though it feels like we invented it...

[iemitsu]

84. The community I live in has many Russian immigrants and they are, of course,

just like any other group of people, they come in all kinds.
The thing I find most amusing though, is how different the image of Russian people, that we were fed throughout the Cold War, is from the reality of what Russian people are really like (at least those, who have immigrated to the Pacific Northwest).
This includes what Russian people look like.
As a youngster every image I saw of Russian people could fit into one of two categories. Those Russians in heavy, military, winter regalia or those shaped like potato-sack peasants, sunbathing in skimpy bathing suits. I have had dozens of Russian students filter through my classroom and they really look like Swedish models.

[HiPointDem]

85. i understand intellectually that there must be other kinds of russians. but the ones i've met

(again, not very many) have been hyper-aggressive and to my taste unpleasant/manipulative.

[iemitsu]

88. I don't question your observations.

How we view a group depends entirely or mostly on those from that group we encounter. I suppose that Russians, who immigrate to America, do so for a variety of reasons. This might also affect the behaviors that you have seen displayed.
The Russians in my community are mostly here because the Soviet government persecuted their Pentecostal faith. Those Russians in America, whose families left Russia because of mafia involvement probably act differently than the church flock.
In school, the girls are much more ambitious than the boys (at least in my experience) but that may just apply to those born in the old country. Those born here are pretty well assimilated.
As with other immigrant groups, the pressure to adopt American behaviors and attitudes is strong among young Russian-Americans.

[HiPointDem]

89. yes, i'm not meaning to say 'all russians are such & such'. i know they're not.

[iemitsu]

90. I know. I didn't think you meant that.

Sometimes I'm just an ass and can't shut up.
Sorry.

[HiPointDem]

93. you weren't an ass at all & i didn't take anything you said that way.

[iemitsu]

94. :)

[Dash87]

18. 1:27 Alien attack! Just kidding - good video.

[TxGrandpa]

19. A welcome break from politics and life as usual!!!

Thanks for posting this!!!!

[hrmjustin]

28. Welcome to DU my friend!

[dixiegrrrrl]

54. Welcome to DU, Tx...

[TxGrandpa]

92. Thanks to both for the welcome....

I think I'll like it here..

[hamsterjill]

20. Wow, thanks for posting.

Uplifting...and I needed that today!

[neverforget]

21. Always nice to see the better side of humanity.

We need more of this.

[malaise]

22. That was absolutely beautiful

Touching doesn't quite describe it. Thank you Grits

[secondvariety]

23. That was nice.

Thanks.

[kdmorris]

26. Pregnacy hormones + that video = crying

Thanks for posting it....it was beautiful.

[libodem]

27. That made me misty

I'm all puddled up.

[WCGreen]

29. Ordinary people doing extraordinary deeds...

[RILib]

30. what was happening about 5:00 was that a hurt cat?

[timdog44]

31. I cried through the

whole thing. Big bad male that I am.

[gristy]

60. me too

oh my

[seabeyond]

75. you? me, too. every single time with things like this. sniff, sniff. nt

[timdog44]

87. It is real weird.

My Dad was an emotional man. I just assume I got it from him. But all kinds of things get me going. Dad was a Presbyterian minister and so I know lots of hymns by heart. I do not practice religion anymore, but for different situations I have to go to church and when I try to sing a hymn, I start to cry. Lots of times when I am trying to tell my wife about something touching or the very least emotional, I have to wait for the emotions to check in or out, before I can continue. I guess it is a good thing, or that is what my wife tells me. Even singing songs that were popular when I was growing up do the same thing. Even just listening to some do that to me. Nothing I can do about it, so I just let it happen.

[onethatcares]

32. Imagine that

they are just like us.

It's the leaders that use us against each other to enrich themselves.

Peace on all of you and them that have a heart.

[AsahinaKimi]

33. Do you think that still happens here?

I guess unless we install dash cams.. It would be hard to know.

[1monster]

43. Yes, it still happens here. It doesn't get news coverage and those of us

who regularly practice randome acts of kindness do not go around bragging about it.

[Luminous Animal]

45. Of course. Do you?

[AsahinaKimi]

46. I don't have a car..

all my transportation is bus, taxi or feet.

[Luminous Animal]

47. I meant do nice things for strangers whether your on foot or not.

Like helping people on the street. Or offering to help a tourist when they are clearly confused when holding a map. Or helping a person carry heavy bags if you are going their way. Or helping a neighbor bring in the groceries. Or helping a stranger get the baby stroller down the stairs of Muni or BART.

That kind of thing.

[AsahinaKimi]

48. How about

volunteering at the VA hospital with Vets..on my own dime. I think that might count.

[Luminous Animal]

50. It is a lovely thing to do but I think the point of the OP and my post is

spontaneous random acts of kindness.

[AsahinaKimi]

66. Well it started out as a spontaneous random act of kindness..

I just decided not to stop.

[ProdigalJunkMail]

55. i have many wonderful Russian and Ukrainian friends

and they do acknowledge that sometimes weird shit goes down on the roads... they also say you see a lot of this type of thing from big cities to rural roads... big hearted people!

sP

[roguevalley]

68. I live in their climate. It does.

[JNelson6563]

79. Oh I know it does!

I'm in a small city in northern MI & I see things like this regularly. Have been helped out of deep snow more than once, have helped others out of same. Have seen an older lady fall off her bike and just about everyone in the cars around jumped out to see if she was ok.

I could cite many examples I have done myself or witnessed but I'm sure you get my point. Take heart, there are lots of caring people out here!

Julie

[alphafemale]

34. And these are the people I grew up being told I was supposed to fear.

Many of us were.

I pretty much knew it was bullshit.

[treestar]

52. Yes.

And just like us, after all.

[nessa]

80. I grew up being told they were oppressed, not that they should be feared. (nt)

.

[colorado_ufo]

35. Thank you so very much for posting this.

I've had a rough day.

I'm OK now!

[Flaxbee]

36. The first people to call my husband on 9/11 (they all knew I worked in DC) were our Russian friends

to make sure I'd gotten out of the area and safely home.

Crazy shit happens all the time, and if no one gets hurt, it's often quite funny. You really have to just roll with it if you're in Russia. But the Russians I know are some of the kindest, most humane people I've ever met. One of our closest friends' dearest wish is to set up, as he puts it a "cat orphanage" and he feeds all the strays throughout the winter.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

37. That was just beautiful...

Brought tears to my eyes...

Thank you!

[DiverDave]

38. Very cool

thanks, that was great.

[Stuart G]

39. k & r thanks for posting..... nt

[City Lights]

40. I really needed this today! Thanks for posting!

[eissa]

42. That was so sweet!

No, I'm NOT crying....I just have something in my eye

[GeoWilliam750]

44. Most people are good

[Tikki]

49. Some of their streets are really wide, also.

Last edited Sat May 4, 2013, 10:16 AM - Edit history (1)

But the snow...



Tikki

[Buns_of_Fire]

53. Loved the person on the motorcycle...

just casually reaching out to adjust someone else's side-view mirror.

Everyone who drives any kind of motor vehicle should watch this at least once. Thank you.

[Samantha]

56. I did too -- so subtly cool

This was a very touching video. We need more like this.

Sam

[Control-Z]

76. Wasn't that great?!

And totally unexpected. I giggled. Then went back to these watery eyes.

[mountain grammy]

57. I love this, and that's why I love living in the rural Colorado mountains.

You're never in trouble for long in my neck of the woods.
But, Denver's pretty good too. My daughter had a flat tire at night in a high crime area of Denver. She and her girlfriend started getting the jack and spare out when a big latino man approached. He said, "don't worry, my mom is sitting on that porch across the street and told me to come over and help." My daughter looked across the street, and there was an older lady smiling and waving. In ten minutes they were on their way.

[Buns_of_Fire]

58. FWIW, Chris Hayes just showed a clip of this video on "All In"... nt

[freshwest]

59. Thanks, I will send this to my Russian friends in Moscow and Russian family in Houston.

[HiPointDem]

61. except for the one of the guy with crutches laying on a busy 4 lane highway while cars drive

by him and around him. one guy stops.

do they have traffic lights & crosswalks in russia?

[denbot]

64. Thank you for this post..

I needed that.

[marble falls]

69. Reminds me of who we used to be here in the USA.

[MissDeeds]

70. Wow

I've got a lump in my throat the size of a watermelon. Thanks so much for posting this. I really needed to see acts of kindness today.



K&R

[Sunlei]

71. Good, kind people. thanks for the smiles Grits!

[Solly Mack]

72. The world is filled with good people who are kind and thoughtful to others.

We don't always hear about them but they're out there.

[seabeyond]

73. i luv niceness. bookmarking for boys. they watched the crazy. they will love this.

thank you

[summerschild]

74. Thanks! I needed that!

[Historic NY]

77. As TR said..........

[SheilaT]

78. What was most touching to me was how many people

stopped to help elderly people cross the street.

Looks like they haven't forgotten that everyone has a mother.

[iemitsu]

81. Its wonderfu.l to know that so may are willing to help others in need.

These cameras document that quality in people, but they also document another, not-so-nice quality. They document how many don't stop for old women crossing roads or to help a fallen man with crutches right himself.
Other than the snow it seems that this could have been compiled about American drivers too.

[ashling]

82. Thanks

[CokeMachine]

86. Very cool -- Thank You!!

Made me homesick for rural Idaho -- the snow and everyone lending a helping hand.

[flvegan]

91. I hope folks remember this the next time they are in a position to help someone.

It doesn't take much, folks. We're all in this together.