Maybe people aren't so bad after all

Every now and then, I am pleasantly surprised by my fellow man. It doesn't happen often, but it seems to be just often enough to keep me from becoming totally jaded.

A couple of hours ago, a motorcycle policeman who was sitting at a red light was hit by a car. The crash launched the officer into the air, he hit the ground on his back, and his motorcycle landed on top of him. The perps (I've seen way too many episodes of CSI: Insert Your City Here) sped away from the scene.

But here's where it gets better: several people who were at the scene followed the perps in their own cars, a chase that went across the city. And of course, this being the tech age and all, they were on their cell phones as they pursued, talking to police dispatchers and giving them details, descriptions, and directions... while driving like bats out of hell after the perps until the cops were able to take over the chase. That really makes me feel warm inside.

Sure, maybe those folks were just adrenaline junkies, out for a thrill. Or maybe they were publicity-seekers who hoped to get their faces on the news and their names in the paper. But me, well, I'd rather think that they were just good-ole boys (and gals) who saw something bad happen, and wanted to make sure that the a-holes were caught. That someone needed help, and without thinking, they did what they thought was necessary, regardless of the possibility of harm to themselves.

Sometimes, just sometimes, my faith in humanity is given a restorative booster shot.

*ETA: They got the three guys who were in the car, and the officer is in non-critical condition at the moment.