My friend is drowning - please call 911!

Is that a situation that would give you pause? It's not like the person asking for assistance has come to your door in the middle of the night and you're afraid of what might be lurking around the corner if you answer...

But, if you look homeless and aboriginal, some people are just hardwired to ignore you - as if you were sitting on a street corner begging for a handout.

And that might be the reason why nobody called 911 until it was too late.