Thread: Helping other motorists in trouble

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.

She sounds lucky, my old man was broken down on the side of the road in his merc........all he got was horn toots, the "forks" and a couple of " rich ******" comments. Good old tall poppy syndrome at its best, luckily the Merc equivalent of RACQ rocked up pretty soon.

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

Mate, all I can say is we are lucky to have folks like you in the world, along with others that have done this sort of thing. I have never in 40 yrs come across situations like this and others like you have....maybe there is a reason for that, just as there is a reason that people go into the fields that look after this type of thing.

Regards

Stevo

Guys,
WOW, this thread has started a great discussion and blown me away. It has reinstated my belief that most people are good at heart. Always Do What You Can To Assist.
As a sideline if you can do a first aid course, preferablly at least senior. Get a group and hire a trainer, it will work out cheaper or go to your employer with a basic business plan as why you need to do one.
I can teach first aid but it is not an accredited course as we are not an RTO, so if anyone wants to be taught basics I am happy to if around. It is not rocket science and anyone can do it. You will not remember everything but it may be enough to assist. Stick to the basics and what you know. If you do that you are safe under the good samaritan act, try and do something stilly like intubate or canualate if you are not trained or under Doctors direct instructions and you could be in a bit of bother. Just do the best to your knowledge and ability. Remember "What would happen to the casualty if you do nothing". If you do something you can not amke the situation for a dying person any worse as they are going to die without your help anyway.