Helping other motorists in trouble

Thanks for the support shown here and I am sure most of us would stop and assist. Too many scared or self centered people these days.
Generally I am talking about accident scenes or what looks like an accident.
You can actually be prosecuted for failing to provide assistance at an accident scene and the "Good Samaritan Act" will protect you even in a recovery scene as long as you maintain you did the best to your ability, competency and knowledge.
I can understand people not stopping for break downs (although generally I would) or women travelling alone, but in general I do not think it is acceptable to drive past. Even window down a bit and doors locked with a I will get help from the next town.
Most of the tales are Urban Myth. There are not too many of us that know someone that has been car jacked, abducted or mugged at a scene like this. It can happen though so we should always be on guard. You would be more likely to be the victim of a home invasion. Most times it is fairly obvious what has gone on.
First thing you should actually do is write down the rego and type of car, then survey the scene before getting out to assist. Initially only one person should survey the immediate scene. If anything looks dodgy then you should drive away and call for assistance on 000.
I had a big mag lite in my hands at the time and most times.:twisted:
Also my wife is no wall flower and the dog was in the car.
As I have said there is too much apathy around today and it may not be until you need help how vital it is.

When I worked in Sydney we had a large storm water drain that ran past our workshop,one day a very old woman came in asking for help so thinking the worst 4 of us ran outside to find an equally old border collie in the drain.Because I was the youngest I had to jump down to lift up the dog and it rolled onto it's back as I picked it up and then it came to life,The bloody dog was exhausted not from the drain but from biting me,it even bit the top off the pen I had in my top pocket.Not one of the by now assembled crowd was not laughing.Damn Dog Pat

I have not read all the replys but its good to see the general idea of helping is the same.

I have luckily never had any bad situations but I generally jump out and push the car off the road. I dont offer to help if I have the kids in the car when someone is broken down in suburbia. I will also look to see if they are male or female, I have broken down loads of times (run out of fuel in my younger days too) and as a male I think its part of growing up with a car, wouldnt want to deprive an avid xbox player of the experience. I will always give a female a hand as I think they are more vunverable. I stereotype everyone.

PS if its a LR broken down I just yell, sucked in Jerk, buy a land cruiser next time, while ignoring the hypocrisy of my statement.

Reading all these posts I remember that I had forgotten stopping to help a couple south of Norseman last year. They were very grateful - just a flat tyre, but they had just found they had no jack or wheelbrace, and it was very hot.

The danger from stopping for someone is a real danger, but it is very, very low, and despite the occasional bad story, probably getting lower; despite what you see on television and read in the news, the statistics confirm that Australia is a safer place than in years past - violent crime statistics in almost all areas are down in absolute terms, and certainly in per capita terms are way down. (this assumes you smooth out the spikes of course - if you look month to month, or even year to year, of course there will be increases).

The perception that we live in a dangerous society is largely a product of better communications, so more of it shows up in the news, plus the domination of the entertainment industry by violence, mostly from the other side of the Pacific, and reflecting a grossly distorted view of an admittedly much more dangerous society than ours (around five times the murder rate per capita for example - down from ten times only a few years ago, mainly because of improvements in emergency treatment of gunshot wounds and ambulance services).

The vast majority of Australians will never be the victim of any violent crime in their lifetime. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said about property crime - reminds me, just got a phone bill!

John

Well done Craig. It's reassuring to know that some people still stop to render aid.

Once though I came across a lady who had a flat tyre. I was surprised when my offer to help her was negative?

This hasn't stopped me though from offering assistance when I can.

I saw a P late girl broken down one day near Gunning and pulled over to offer assistance, my wife and kids in the car but she said no thanks, she had called the NRMA, this is quite reasonable as a girl broken down is every bit as vulnerable as you are stopping to assist. I said "It's moments like these you need mintees" and offered her one which she took and we said good luck and drove away.
Steve.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Stuuu

You'd be surprised how many 2wd's do the trip. Goyder usually stops them or the Wilton before the bridge went in.



12V and 240V don't mix - especially in most sparkies heads. 'Tis rare to find a sparkie who knows 12v well.

Dale

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S'pose he'd have to be a fan of AC/DC Dale ? :D :D :D

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Stuuu

12V and 240V don't mix - especially in most sparkies heads. 'Tis rare to find a sparkie who knows 12v well.

Dale

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Actually, you're right, most don't:(

I don't know anything at all about 12V stuff:twisted:

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/im...11/01/1051.jpg

Some people are suitably grateful when assistance is rendered.

My FIL was working in his garden in St Ives when he saw a woman in a Mercedes with a flat tyre and obviously no idea how to deal with it.

He chhnged it for her and the next day she turned up and insisted he take a bottle of red wine as a token of her appreciation.

It was a bottle of Grange Hermitage. I forget the exact year, but it would have been worth somewhere between $500 and $1200.

We always wondered if she had just gone home and grabbed the nearest bottle of wine from her husband's cellar without even reading the label.:D

OH Rant time.

Rant 1.

Two weeks ago, I was on the side of the road with a dead fuel pump, 7 Defenders, 3 discos went past a defender with hazards going... NONE stopped.. This was on the main road to the city, just past the airport. Not impressed, a Landrover of anykind on the side of the road gets me pulled over asking if they need a hand. TO SHAME!

Rant 2.

Got to an accident a bike rider was clipped, there was over 30 people looking at him, saying oh he is dead etc etc, NONE jumped in to help me in the 5 minutes from when it happened to when I got there. I Commenced CPR, and did that for 15 minutes til the ambos (my sister of all people) turned up, no one could even get me something to put under his head to get it out of a puddle of blood, or offer to do compressions. I did it with out a shield, as I didnt have one, I hope someone would have done the same to me. I got his heart started and breathing, but he died later on, due to spinal damage :(

Rant 3.

Truck ran over 3 cars in blacktown, 10 years ago, no one would go help one of the cars due to the car smoking, I pulled 3 people out, and started CPR on 2 people at once, 20 people watching. no one offered to help... I kept both of them alive for 15 or so minutes as the ambos did not notice there was 2 areas of the accident .. again no one went to tell them

Rant ?? What am I upto ..

3 months ago, accident up the road from me, I was FOC ... P plater hit a turning car, old couple, wasnt his fault, did a ABC, Old lady was gone for, but the older driver (80's Mind you) was awake, but in alot of pain, I asked a young girl to hold the old ladies hand and talk to her, as it may comfort her, she refused as she had blood on her hand.. FFS she was older than AIDS and Jesus himself was younger than this poor old duck, but no... wouldnt even do it with gloves on. In the end, she died as I talked to her, she gave me one last squeese of my and her husbands hand, as she stopped breathing. The Husband lived, I was invited to his grandsons birthday, and had a good time, he was in tears talking about the ambos, the doctors and everyone who helped, I thought he forgot me (didnt mind) til he introduced me as his angel, and as a part of his family. He lives 5 doors down from me, and I never knew him.

There are overs.

I am only 30, seen more people die than my sister who is an ambo, and saved 4 peoples lives, I wish others would do CRP courses, first aid, of just give a rats **** about people.

Rant over :(