1 or 5?

There was an interesting question that I read a few years ago, and I'd like to see what everyone would do in this scenario.

You are walking, and hear a train coming. You see five people walking along the tracks, listening to headphones, so they cannot hear the train. You are standing right next to the lever that will switch the direction of the train to avoid those five people. However, on the alternate track, there is one person walking, unable to hear the train.
If you switch the lever, you actively murder a person, however, if you do not, you stand by and let five people die, when you know you could have saved them all.

So what do you do?
--donut3.5--

I throw stuff at the people, getting their attention, and point and scream...

Not an option. :P
No easy way out, those aren't fun.
--donut3.5--

Its times like this...when I would pray for a miracle..

But I would most likely have a moment of quick decision...and probably switch the track.....

AND THEN throw something at the solo guy..and pray he jumps away.

Same here.

I'd switch the tracks and TRY to help the lone guy.

Assuming I am unable to get anyone's attention, cannot move, etc. I would think I would have to let 5 people die. I cannot actively murder someone. By the same thought though, I would be committing manslaughter 5 times at once. I think God would want me to let one die than 5.

Damn, it is a hard decision. If I was in that situation, I would probably freeze up, look away and pray. If I could focus, I would probably kill the one, for the greater good.

I just hope I am never in this situation.

I have heard a tale of a guy who worked on one of those bridges that go up and down to let boats through. He had his son with him one day, and the son went out to play. He was told to stay away from the gears. A train was coming and he did as he always did, and started lowering the bridge. It was at this point he heard his son screaming. This guy had to choose whether to slowly kill his son or potentially send hundreds to a watery grave. He chose to kill his son. :'(

If I was a father...that would be the most heart destroying moment...

I would probably have selfishly...saved my son. Although I might also save the people...but I would think that my son being the most precious thing to me...

Elenai, I thought you would have thought of that father who sacrificed his son so billions of people could live. Poor guy, it saddened him so much, but it was for the greater good.

I would in a flash of reaction switch the lever before i know what i have done.

I might do nothing, I dont know....

EDIT:

Originally Posted by Modo

Elenai, I thought you would have thought of that father who sacrificed his son so billions of people could live. Poor guy, it saddened him so much, but it was for the greater good.

And his son came back alive. But lets not go there.

if it were a bunch of old people or hobos on the track the let em get pwned, if not merk the other guy, if he is walking on the tracks he probably deserves it.

Lets take away some variables. All the people are 20 year old males.

HA! What about the ones that are diseased, or crippled?

Lets take away more variable. They are all 20 year old male clones, none of them are the original. They were all created at the exact same time, had been subjected to the exact same conditions and the exact same environment. For all intents and purposes, they are the same.

I mostly agree with GST_Nemisis.

I'd ensure the death of all six morons.
Walking on the train tracks listening to music so loud that it removes the possibility to hear or feel the giant noise that is a train.
Yeah, letting such people live is as good as 1000 murders.

However, if the people were not in self inflicted danger, and there was no way to save all of them, then I'd have to do what I could to ensure less deaths.