You are driving down the road on a wild, stormy night, when you pass a bus stop and see
three people waiting for the bus:

1. An old lady who looks as if she is about to die.
2. An old friend who once saved your life.
3. The perfect partner you have been dreaming about.

Which one would you choose to offer a ride to, knowing that there could only be one
passenger in your car?

This is a moral/ethical dilemma that was once actually used as part of a job application.

You could pick up the old lady, because she is going to die, and thus you should save her first.
Or you could take the old friend because he once saved your life, and this would be the perfect chance to pay him back.
However, you may never be able to find your perfect mate again.

What would you do?

7 Comments

• rick said Monday, July 19, 2004 10:34:00 AM

  I would stuff the old lady in the trunk and let the perfect partner ride shotgun. My being alive is thanks enough for the old friend.

• Dave said Monday, July 19, 2004 10:42:00 AM

  Let the old friend drive the old lady to her destination/the hospital (depending on how ill she REALLY was :) then go to his destination and get out of the car and get on the bus with the perfect partner :)
  
  

• jast said Monday, July 19, 2004 10:47:00 AM

  friend.. then come back for the perfect girl

• Scott Galloway said Monday, July 19, 2004 10:49:00 AM

  A true friend would understand that the perfect girl is a priority...old people die, little you can do can stop that...

• Chad Myers said Monday, July 19, 2004 12:19:00 PM

  The old lady.
  
  The friend would understand and the partner would be impressed that you're such a generous and kind person to put the needs of others ahead of yourself.
  
  Remember, Karma is a nasty bitch and will repay ten-fold what you dish out.

• df said Monday, July 19, 2004 8:45:00 PM

  Pick up the old lady and be thankful your friend saved your life instead of doing something he would rather have been doing.

• Thomas Williams said Tuesday, July 20, 2004 12:06:00 AM

  G'day Rob - I would pick up the old lady (especially if she looks like she's about to die), probably out of a sense of duty. Other supporting reasons for this are that you can't tell a perfect partner on looks alone, and the old friend would surely understand (as Chad mentioned). Besides, it's just a bus they're waiting for in some stormy weather, it's not like they'll perish in a tidal wave or anything!