View comments by: Most Recent - first / last | Most Popular - first / last | Replies - hide / show

Good Samaritan or Foolish Woman???

Yesterday I turned off the main road on to a country lane with fields on either side; there had been a hard frost during the night and there were icy patches on the road. I came across a car, overturned on to its roof, in a field. I stopped, slithered down a very slippery and muddy incline into the field and was then able to look through the car windows to make sure that no-one was trapped inside. Fortunately, the car was empty so I took a note of the car registration number (only visible in the field because the rear number plate was missing), returned to my car and rang the police on 101. They were very grateful that I had checked the interior of the car and said that the crew who had attended the accident didn't have any "police aware" tape in their car so had been unable to label the vehicle. Fortunately again, the occupants of the car had been uninjured. When I was explaining to friends (all, like me definitely the wrong side of 60 🙂 ) why I had been late for church, the majority were horrified that I had stopped to investigate. Several of them had driven past the car and not stopped because they said that you never know who might be lurking in the vicinity ready to attack and steal someone else's car! Had it been night-time and travelling alone, I think I would have rung the police before going into the field but the question is - would you check out an overturned vehicle or would you drive by on the other side of the road?


Created By on 22/01/2018

Not a member?

You need to be a member to interact with Silversurfers. Joining is free and simple to do. Click the button below to join today!

JazzeR77
25th May 2020 15:13:02 (Last activity: 25th May 2020 21:55:27)
0
Thanks for voting!
Well done, CaroleAH, I would do the same. The dozy Police who didn’t have tape with them!! Couldn’t they have written a note and left it on the car?
Response from CaroleAH Original Poster made on 25th May 2020 21:55:27
Thank-you, JazzeR77. As you say, the police could have left a note in the window to say that they were aware.
[deleted]
27th Jan 2018 18:19:02 (Last activity: 29th Jan 2018 09:58:07)
1
Thanks for voting!
[deleted]
Response from CaroleAH Original Poster made on 27th Jan 2018 23:20:06
Thank you for your comments and advice, Lochinvar. Fortunately, "my" incident turned out okay but having worked in a very busy A&E department in Leeds, I know that the tragedies outweigh the minor injuries and I couldn't have just driven past.
Response from CaroleAH Original Poster made on 29th Jan 2018 09:58:07
Hi Lochinvar,
So sorry to hear about the accident which your grandson witnessed. I'm not sure that it's ever possible to "get over" an incident such as that. Hopefully, as time passes and he can talk it all through with you and the rest of his family, the memory will fade to the back of his mind and it won't be the first thing he thinks about on waking and the last thing on his mind at night.
jeanmark
25th Jan 2018 16:23:26 (Last activity: 25th Jan 2018 20:11:11)
1
Thanks for voting!
Well done Carole and I think the important thing here is it was day time and thus unlikely to be a distraction, particularly being in a ditch.

Many years ago a close family friend skidded off the road into a ditch and lay seriously injured in his car for over 24 hours before being found. No on stopped to check if there was anyone inside, mainly because they 'didn't want to get involved'. One person did eventually report it to the police. At the post mortem it was identified that he had taken approximately 12-15 hours before he died, death being attributed to hypothermia, and had he been found before that time he would have survived with no ill effects. What a tragedy.
Response from CaroleAH Original Poster made on 25th Jan 2018 20:11:11
How awful, Jeanmark. His relatives and friends must have been absolutely devastated that people had driven past him and not stopped. Your story reinforces my thought that I did the right thing and thank goodness there was no-one trapped in the car. As for the people who drove past your friend and did nothing, I wonder if they can sleep at night!
[deleted]
22nd Jan 2018 17:03:27 (Last activity: 23rd Jan 2018 23:14:09)
2
Thanks for voting!
[deleted]
Response from CaroleAH Original Poster made on 22nd Jan 2018 21:00:58
Thank-you, Lionel. I couldn't have lived with myself if someone had been trapped in the car. I just hope that the three people from church who drove past the car never find themselves stuck in a ditch with other cars driving past ignoring their plight!
Response from CaroleAH Original Poster made on 22nd Jan 2018 21:06:38
Absolutely!
Response from CaroleAH Original Poster made on 23rd Jan 2018 00:23:56
It is very difficult in this world today as there seem to be ever more people who will take advantage of or even abuse another's kind deeds. Perhaps we should heed Oliver Cromwell's words when he told his soldiers to "trust in the Lord but keep your (gun)powder dry"! So, I try to live according to my faith but I'm also alert for the evil-doers who spoil our society.
Response from CaroleAH Original Poster made on 23rd Jan 2018 23:14:09
Thank you, Yodama. I love the poem - it is such a true reflection on life.

Community Terms & Conditions

Content standards

These content standards apply to any and all material which you contribute to our site (contributions), and to any interactive services associated with it.

You must comply with the spirit of the following standards as well as the letter. The standards apply to each part of any contribution as well as to its whole.

Contributions must:

be accurate (where they state facts); be genuinely held (where they state opinions); and comply with applicable law in the UK and in any country from which they are posted.

Contributions must not:

contain any material which is defamatory of any person; or contain any material which is obscene, offensive, hateful or inflammatory; or promote sexually explicit material; or promote violence; promote discrimination based on race, sex, religion, nationality, disability, sexual orientation or age; or infringe any copyright, database right or trade mark of any other person; or be likely to deceive any person; or be made in breach of any legal duty owed to a third party, such as a contractual duty or a duty of confidence; or promote any illegal activity; or be threatening, abuse or invade another’s privacy, or cause annoyance, inconvenience or needless anxiety; or be likely to harass, upset, embarrass, alarm or annoy any other person; or be used to impersonate any person, or to misrepresent your identity or affiliation with any person; or give the impression that they emanate from us, if this is not the case; or advocate, promote or assist any unlawful act such as (by way of example only) copyright infringement or computer misuse.

Nurturing a safe environment

Our Silversurfers community is designed to foster friendships, based on trust, honesty, integrity and loyalty and is underpinned by these values.

We don't tolerate swearing, and reserve the right to remove any posts which we feel may offend others... let's keep it friendly!