But those dont affect us, do they?
Not like in the way the situation above would, anyway.

In my case the odds are that my intervening will result in three deaths, so the right choice is the one with the least fatalities. Possible none if the police do their jobs right.

The thing is, the situation you are describing, there is very LITTLE time to make a choice. And who is to say what's right and wrong? I am not sure there is a right and wrong in this kind of situation.
As FC mentioned, maybe it would be WRONG of me to leave my husband and family behind knowing that I died a violent death saving people I don't know. Maybe the guy being beat to death is someone that would be important to the world someday, while the girl is really a very bad person that will hurt the world more than she helps. What if you saved the girl, to only find that out later? Would your choice between the two be any less right then?
My reaction would just be that, a reaction, I wouldn't be able to think it through and come to a sound moral decision, I would just act....by calling the police and then jumping in.

True.

And because there is so little time, any decision one takes would make them feel like it was the right thing to do, AT THAT MOMENT. This is more of a conscience call than a moral or rational judgement, actually.

Different people react differently to the same situation. It all comes down to one thing - do you follow your heart or your mind when you are confronted with such a dilemma?

And which choice will ultimately be the best?

Mind you, this sort of thing is not entirely impossible out there in the world. If this were to be a real situation you are confronted with tomorrow morning, would you do the same which you wrote in here? Or would it be different?

The girl, if I had to. She's younger, probably a lot more innocent. But this is assuming people actually do heroic things like you somehow think, which isn't very common. However, if I had a sniper rifle...

yes,

I hope my responses in this thread haven't ruined my mother theesa-esque image.

Its not about heroics at all.

Maybe a poll should be included with this thread...

Both.

http://www.beyondhollywood.com/movie...uilibrium8.jpg

it is totally heroics.

I think you have to put yourself in the shoes of the other people as well.If you where the person being beating or raped and you saw someone standing there what would you want?

Would you say help me or run away and do nothing?