UKC

Just drove down the road and had the misfortune to see a girl(15ish) rolling with some velocity off the windscreen/bonnet of a car driven by an elderly lady. I naturally stopped to offer assistance. Thankfully an ambulance happened to be passing so I handed over to the pro.

I then thought that it needed to be "called in" to the police, which I did. As I was waiting for the police to arrive to take a statement I had mixed thoughts. Naturally I was concerned for the girl, although it turned out she was not seriously hurt, But I also felt sad for the lady driving the car and thought what trouble she would be in. I suspect she was dazzled by the sun.

I am now trying to convince myself that by calling 999 I did the right thing.

Mixed feelings.

In reply to FesteringSore:

Undoubtedly. Whether intentional or not the police will determine whether the old lady is "in trouble".

She would be in more trouble if the accident wasn't reported to the police

Well done for stopping, unfortunately a lot of people wouldn't

In reply to FesteringSore:
If I was bounced off the bonnet of a moving car, with some velocity, I too would hope that somebody would offer assistance and dial 999 for me.

You did the right thing and acted in the best interests. The police would more than likely have been involved from the outset.

In reply to FesteringSore:

Agree with those above you did the right thing and the police will decide wha t if anything will come of it.

In reply to FesteringSore

did you get any pictures

In reply to FesteringSore:

Yes, if the ladies not up to driving you did her a favour. Not nice to see any accident like that. Well done.

In reply to Ban1:


No, all I got was a telling-off from Mrs. Sore for being late back from the shops

In reply to FesteringSore:

I believe if some one is treated by an ambulance it has to be reported to the police. So it wouldn't matter if you did it or the lady herself did.

If she failed to report it she would be in a lot more trouble.

In reply to FesteringSore:

good on you for stopping. sadly, nowadays, a lot of people wouldn't bother. I understand you feeling sad for the old lady, but you did the right thing calling the police

In reply to FesteringSore:

Well done you! You definitely did the right thing, it's for the police to decide whether or not to press charges, but as others have said, if the old lady is past it, better to find out now in a minor accident rather than to go on and kill or badly injure someone.

A friend of mine was killed a few years ago when a car driven by a 85 year old mounted the pavement and hit him. At the inquest it transpired that all the locals knew the old boy was past it, and shouldn't be driving, and there had been a number of earlier near misses, but no one had had the heart to report him to the police.

The old boy wasn't injured but was admitted to hospital with severe shock. He died a couple of weeks later consumed with guilt and remorse.

Very sad for all concerned.

In reply to Trangia:

Could be the case, but also too often youngsters run out into the road without looking, mix that with an elderly driver who is not as alert as a younger one, and you have a bit of blame on both sides. Unless she mounted the pavement, then why would we assume that the old dear was to blame?

Come on sore more detail is needed. What was the youngster doing on the road, was she on a crossing or what ?

In reply to Jim C:


>

That's why I said it's for the police to decide.....

In reply to Jim C:



To be honest the only thing that is clear in my mind was the sight of the youngster rolling off the front of the car. Somehow or other, when I got there, she was beside the rear off side wheel.

I think I need to keep these things clear in my mind in case the police need a more formal statement.

In reply to FesteringSore:



I suggest that you write everything down while it is fresh in your mind. And once committed to paper, use some mind bleach to try and forget about the day's events. That way you can get a good night's sleep and get on with your life.

In reply to The Lemming:


Will brandy do instead ;0)

In reply to Jim C:



Yes, I have to say, in the driver's favour, that I suspect - and it's only an assumption on my part - that she may have had the sun in her eyes.

In reply to balmybaldwin:

15 year old girl bouncing off a car. Surely most, if not all, people would stop?

In reply to JH74:



Agreed, no one wants to have an accident ,and if they had a chance to react is what is being queried.
The OP did not see the victim entering the road , just the car hitting.
I can't say I or most people would be able stop, or not, there is no data to support either option.

If he had said he saw swerving or heard screeching breaks , if the tyre marks showed the driver reacted early or late, or did not brake at all , these are all info that is needed to help draw a conclusion. Unfortunately he saw only that moment of impact, which tells us next to nothing.

I drive to work in the dark most morning and nights, people for some reason dressed in black are regularly taking chances crossing in gaps in the traffic, they have been lucky so far, and I ,and other drivers are vigilant , I see others braking, as I have had to too on occasion.
But it really is hard to see them , and one of these days they are going to cut it too fine.

In reply to Jim C:




I think you've managed to add two words to JH74's post that completely change the meaning of his statement.

In reply to FesteringSore:

Would like to think they would do eye site test on the OAP driver, so many people drive with poor / uncorrected vision that many drive below the legal limit

In reply to Albert Tatlock:

>...the OAP driver, so many people drive with poor / uncorrected vision that many drive below the legal limit

An old guy [75+?] smashed into my car in his BMW causing much damage [5000 quids worth]. His daughter later admitted to me that he had terrible eyesight and that he shouldn't be on the road. I'm very glad I called the police.

He was never prosecuted though the guy paid for the damage to me. But I keep thinking, when will he hurt or kill someone? [I decided to leave the matter to the police - presumably they investigated].