What would you do?????

[frock]

Last night on the way home from work we (me and my fellow operators) came upon an accident scene. There was a lady standing on the side of the highway trying to wave down traffic. A pickup had just pulled up to her and put his flashers on and we met a pickup that had gone past her about 200 yards and was puilling over as well with their flashers on. They went that far past because they couldn't stop, you could've played a game of shinny hockey on the highway it was a sheet of ice. As we were slowing down and getting near the lady a pickup coming towards us barely slowed at all, they went through the accident scene at 80 kph at least, AZZHAT. We pulled over by the lady, put our flashers on and got out. She was standing there talking to the person who had just pulled over ahead us when all of a sudden she goes into panic mode and starts yelling "my kids are trapped in my van". She had lost control of her van and went off the highway down a 20 foot bank and rolled the vehicle. At this point we could here little kids crying and screaming in the vehicle. We all ran down to the vehicle, got the kids out, packed them up the bank to our crew vehicle, loaded them up and hauled them to the Emergency room at the Chetwynd hospital. There was 4 kids, the oldest was about 7 and the youngest was still breast feeding. The 2 oldest were both cut up pretty good (had quite a bit of blood to clean up this morning from the back seat) and the 2 youngest appeared to be unharmed.

All the kids were wearing seatbelts with the youngest ones in proper car seats which, I believe, is why these little ones weren't more seriously injured. WAY TO GO MOM, anyone traveling with kids please do the same as she did.

Now to the point of this post. On the way to the hospital, she told us that she was starting to get very frantic on the side of that highway. Many, many vehicles drove by her before anyone would stop. I've had a night to ponder this and can't for the life of me figure out why so many would drive by a woman in jeans and a teeshirt trying to flag someone down on the side of an icy highway in the dark in the middle of nowhere at night and -10 degrees out. It sickens and disheartens me that people can't be bothered to help someone so obviously in need

 

[~Rowdy~]

Holy $hit good for you. I think the reason most people don't stop is because of the mentality "oh someone else will help them".

Just this past weekend I was driving on 64th Ave NE by Center street and I saw a 3 year old boy on the side of the road walking around with NO shoes or coat looking lost and who had obviously been crying. I did a double take, and pulled over with my flashers and ran to see if he was ok. Put him in my truck with a coat over him and called the cops. I had the same bewilderment about why NO ONE else was stopping. It's unreal, to me there are situations you just stop and help, no questions asked.

Good on you frock, you changed their lives forever. You were clearly meant to be there at that time. Cheers.

 

[frock]

Thanks and right back at you Rowdy, good on you too.

 

[eclipse1966]

Frock you did the right thing as I have done exactly the same thing as you did many years ago! Unfortunately it was a two car accident and the outcome for two teenage girls was not good as they eventually died at the scene. The family in the other car were also in very rough shape and we had to pull them out (my buddy and I) as the car caught fire. Took a long time to get over that one. When you drive by West Louise Lodge outside of Field there is now a turning lane going east into the lodge. This was done from the outcome of this accident.

 

[ferniesnow]

Great thing to doo frock!

Too many people are scared to stop, too busy to stop, too much in a hurry to stop, and it goes on and on.

People need to slow down in their lives and realize what is important!

It is not all about me, me, me, me...............society needs to get back to basics (if that is even possible anymore?) with a serious adjustment to attitude and values. JMHO

 

[SledMamma]

It's true: people are scared to stop and assume another guy will do it. I am an emergency medical professional and stop at all accident scenes UNLESS it is extremely icy and my kids are in the vehicle. I can't run the risk that the azzhat doing 80 thru the scene will take them out while I am out of the vehicle. I do always phone 911 and make sure the ambulance/emergency crew is on the way if I don't stop.

Two weeks ago we had a truck driver in ER who was making his last trip before retiring. He went off the road and was trapped hanging upside down for 15 hours before anyone stopped. At 8pm that night he was sitting up talking and telling me his story. By the next day he was in ICU and his legs had been cut off as the reperfusion to his lower extremities caused the release of toxins in his body and overwhelming sepsis. At 3am he coded and by the end of my shift his family was saying their good byes. All bcz no one would stop...

 

[GYMBRAT]

I would/will AWAYS stop, I could never live with myself if I jst drove by anyone that may look in need of help!!!!!!!!!!!!

GOOD on you Frock, This world NEEDS more peeps like you guys!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

ESPECIALLY for the 10 for a lady in my AVI OMG

 

[Summitric]

Good on you frock......... I carry orange cones and flares and reflectors and even carry a reflective vest and flashlites for emergencies like that...... People usually slow right down then.........

 

[teeroy]

good on you Frock. I was once sued for helping remove a young lady from a wreck after they discovered she had a broken back. it was thrown out due to the "good samaritan act" and has definitely had an effect on me and my thinking about helping in an accident scene. because I am now aware, if it happens again I can be found negligent. but if it was a situation such as you came across involving children, no threat of judgement would ever stop me from doing what I could to help.

 

[whoDEANie]

Way to go on the good deed Frock!

Can't say for sure, but I think a lot of people are just scared to stop after hearing stories of being ambushed after pulling over to help someone out. The rest are just too lazy or self absorbed to consider doing what you did. While I do stop to help the odd person out, I must admit that I've passed by more than I've helped without giving it a second thought. ...and am now feeling a bit of shame.

 

[frock]

Way to go on the good deed Frock!

Can't say for sure, but I think a lot of people are just scared to stop after hearing stories of being ambushed after pulling over to help someone out. The rest are just too lazy or self absorbed to consider doing what you did. While I do stop to help the odd person out, I must admit that I've passed by more than I've helped without giving it a second thought. ...and am now feeling a bit of shame.

This is awesome. You have made this thread worthwhile. If this makes someone take the time to help someone who may be in need then, WOOHOO!!!!!!!!!!

 

[eclipse1966]

you have a good point there as that happened to my daughter a year ago going up towards Big White in Kelowna a guy laying down beside his car so she slowed down and debated whether to stop or not when at the last moment her eye caught another guy hiding in the bushes. She reported to the police and apparently they had tried this a couple other times as well. Sad but true.

Way to go on the good deed Frock!

Can't say for sure, but I think a lot of people are just scared to stop after hearing stories of being ambushed after pulling over to help someone out. The rest are just too lazy or self absorbed to consider doing what you did. While I do stop to help the odd person out, I must admit that I've passed by more than I've helped without giving it a second thought. ...and am now feeling a bit of shame.

 

[frock]

you have a good point there as that happened to my daughter a year ago going up towards Big White in Kelowna a guy laying down beside his car so she slowed down and debated whether to stop or not when at the last moment her eye caught another guy hiding in the bushes. She reported to the police and apparently they had tried this a couple other times as well. Sad but true.

That's scary eclipse. Glad your daughter saw what was going down and got the heck out of there.

 

[SledMamma]

you have a good point there as that happened to my daughter a year ago going up towards Big White in Kelowna a guy laying down beside his car so she slowed down and debated whether to stop or not when at the last moment her eye caught another guy hiding in the bushes. She reported to the police and apparently they had tried this a couple other times as well. Sad but true.

That is friggen scary. I can't tell you how many times I have stopped by myself to make sure people are ok. That just gives me chills.

 

[carlsonswerve]

people shouldnt be afraid of doing the "right" thing. being sued for helping to the best of your ability. GYMBRAT and i had this dicussion before. even if sh!t goes bad at least you did the right thing instead of turning a blind eye

 

[teeroy]

you have a good point there as that happened to my daughter a year ago going up towards Big White in Kelowna a guy laying down beside his car so she slowed down and debated whether to stop or not when at the last moment her eye caught another guy hiding in the bushes. She reported to the police and apparently they had tried this a couple other times as well. Sad but true.

I had that sort of thing happen to me years ago out near Cadotte Lake reserve, saw a native guy laying on the shoulder of the road so I slowed down and was going to stop when I spotted 2 other guys come running out of the ditch. the guy laying on the road also jumped up so I cranked it toward the other lane and started hooking gears again, all three tried to jump on my lobed as I went by at about 30 mph. one of 'em did a pretty cool pirouette and landed face down on the pavement, I didn't stop to see if he was okay. but I did call the cops...

 

[007sevens]

good on you Frock. I was once sued for helping remove a young lady from a wreck after they discovered she had a broken back. it was thrown out due to the "good samaritan act" and has definitely had an effect on me and my thinking about helping in an accident scene. because I am now aware, if it happens again I can be found negligent. but if it was a situation such as you came across involving children, no threat of judgement would ever stop me from doing what I could to help.

I would never NOT stop to help if I could, BUT it scares me to death that someone could sue me for what I did while trying to help. I've been told that you cannot move them at all just stablize or you could be sued. I will tell you, if I felt that they were in greater danger where they were I would be moving them.
Damned if you do and Damn if you don't

you have a good point there as that happened to my daughter a year ago going up towards Big White in Kelowna a guy laying down beside his car so she slowed down and debated whether to stop or not when at the last moment her eye caught another guy hiding in the bushes. She reported to the police and apparently they had tried this a couple other times as well. Sad but true.

Friggan people. They should hang them by there nuts.

 

[Badass69]

I have only stopped once myself because it honestly has been the only collision I witnessed firsthand. A guy driving an Escalade had a Diabetic seizure and ran into the side of an oncoming highway tractor. I refused however to break the Escalade owners window as its doors were of course locked to get to him. He was doing the funky chicken but really I realized it was a seizure and he was probably better off that way. He slowly came around and hit the power locks finally. By the time emergency services actually got there he was fine, walking, speaking and drinking water. I don't like helping people based on how stupid they can be..... Like Teeroy mentioned about the lawsuit. I would come unglued on whoever if that was case, thrown out or not. So F you.... go ahead and die in the ditch then. If a person is truly like that, they don't deserve anyones help..... But what about those that do?

That all said I try and use judgement on it I guess. I wanted to be a witness for the Escalade collision to speak on behalf of the truck driver as he did his damdest to avoid the collision. That and every other time I have come across an accident there are already 20 or more people getting in the way of the 1 or 2 helping. I don't need to add to it.

 

[teeroy]

I would never NOT stop to help if I could, BUT it scares me to death that someone could sue me for what I did while trying to help. I've been told that you cannot move them at all just stablize or you could be sued. I will tell you, if I felt that they were in greater danger where they were I would be moving them.
Damned if you do and Damn if you don't

I was 19, she was inside an upside down chevy half ton and screaming while her drunk boyfriend was stumbling around in the ditch. lawsuit never even entered my mind, there were a few other people that had stopped but no one was doing anything. I pulled her out and carried her to the truck we were in and took her to the hospital. no cell phones back then and we were quite a ways from town. I think it was the taking her to town part that they thought they could get some cash out of it.

 

[007sevens]

I was 19, she was inside an upside down chevy half ton and screaming while her drunk boyfriend was stumbling around in the ditch. lawsuit never even entered my mind, there were a few other people that had stopped but no one was doing anything. I pulled her out and carried her to the truck we were in and took her to the hospital. no cell phones back then and we were quite a ways from town. I think it was the taking her to town part that they thought they could get some cash out of it.

I would have done the same in that situation