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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Call the police?? Worried about stranger

114 replies

prawncocktail2 · 12/08/2024 21:25

Not sure if I’m being overly cautious but wouldn’t want to risk not reporting it?

I regularly go over the bridge that runs over j29a of the m1. Very high bridge that looks over the motorway. Just gone past and there’s a young lad maybe 16/17 sat on the pavement with his legs up, elbows on his knees and covering his face with his hands. He looks like he’s stressed. He’s dressed all black with his head up. I just feel uneasy that he’s sat on the pavement like that so close to the bridge? What would you do?

OP posts:
Thoughtsoncunt · 12/08/2024 22:33

I’ve been in the police - call !!

HavingABitOfAMare · 12/08/2024 22:29

It never fails to amaze me how many people witness a possible emergency, and their first thought is to log into Mumsnet, think up a user name, register it and then start a thread asking strangers if they should call the emergency services.

Just skip all that in the future and let them decide if your call warrants action or not.

They'll know best.

Chaotica · 12/08/2024 22:29

You did the right thing, OP.

johann12 · 12/08/2024 22:28

I think you did the right thing. But I do sometimes sit on the pavement if I'm tired walking (I have asthma) people do look at me strangely

NeverEnoughPants · 12/08/2024 22:23

My best friend lost his teenage son to suicide. I wish someone had been able to call that in.

Thank you. It's far better to call in and it not be needed, than not if it was.

Mumwithbaggage · 12/08/2024 22:23

@DoIWantTo don't put it on to the OP. She didn't cause the boy's issues and has reported it.

localnotail · 12/08/2024 22:20

Poor thing. You are a lovely kind person, OP - and you did the right thing. Hope he is ok.

mommatoone · 12/08/2024 22:20

Well done OP you absolutely did the right thing here.

Nextdoor55 · 12/08/2024 22:18

prawncocktail2 · 12/08/2024 21:36

I’ve rang it in. They’re attending as an emergency

well done OP you never know, you might have saved someone's life. Sometimes you have to intervene

Telemichus · 12/08/2024 22:16

@prawncocktail2 you don’t need to justify yourself here.
It’s difficult if driving & especially with no Bluetooth you can’t do hands free you needed to stop safely.
im very impressed that you knew so precisely where you were!

Theimpossiblegirl · 12/08/2024 22:16

There is a big difference between wasting police time with good intentions and prank calls. In this situation, I would have called them too.

Original poster
prawncocktail2 · 12/08/2024 22:16

I really do hope he’s ok, I know a lot of people were passing so maybe someone rang before me I don’t know but just hopefully he will get the help he needs.

OP posts:
Mangolover123 · 12/08/2024 22:16

I did exactly the same yesterday, a young boy on his own walking over a river bridge in a very busy A road. I called 911 and left it with them.

Original poster
prawncocktail2 · 12/08/2024 22:14

I would have pulled in somewhere but I was very almost home anyway, I don’t have bluetooth in my car, I also had my young DD in car as we were on way back from a family thing, other wise I would have stopped

OP posts:
JacquiDaytona · 12/08/2024 22:12

Call. Similar thing happened to me a long time ago - no idea what the outcome was but the police did turn up and took it seriously.

DoIWantTo · 12/08/2024 22:07

Christ let’s hope the lad was able to wait for you to drive to your destination and post on MN about it before bothering to ring anyone…

CoffeeLover90 · 12/08/2024 22:06

I'm sorry if this comes across as me being an uncaring arsehole. But if you ever see a sight like this, don't pull up to speak to the person. Too many people use this as bait to mug or hijack. Which is vile as it means too many passer bys will see something like this and not dwell on it.

You did the right thing, absolutely, get to safety and call the professionals the first chance you get.

I hope he's OK. I do have a little boy and I'd hope if he ever found himself in this state it's someone like you that takes notice and cares.

Noseybookworm · 12/08/2024 22:05

You've done the right thing. I hope he's ok 🙏

sonofrageandlove · 12/08/2024 22:00

You did a good thing OP

KaleQueen · 12/08/2024 22:00

@prawncocktail2 my DH laughs at me as I’m often calling 999 or 101 after seeing concerning stuff. But I’ll never stop as you never know and I’d always want someone to look out for me or my loved ones if they had the slightest inkling of concern. No one ever needs to worry about wasting emergency services time if they have a genuine concern about safety or crime ❤️

CountingMeIn · 12/08/2024 21:52

As the Mum of a teen boy - thank you for doing this. They say it takes a village to raise a child and sometimes the village has to do this. I hope they manage to find him and get his difficulty sorted out.

AugustAlready · 12/08/2024 21:49

I hope the kid is ok x

Redglitter · 12/08/2024 21:48

prawncocktail2 · 12/08/2024 21:39

Just worried they’ll think I’ve wasted a call, of course it’s not a waste if he needs help, but in case he’s moved on. But like PP said, it’s better that someone goes to see if he’s there than not and something happening. He only looked young :(

I'm a Police Despatcher & can assure you did totally the right thing and even if they don't find him or he's fine they'd never think you wasted their time

Far better to have them go out & potentially give him the help he needs than drag him out the river because noone bothered

In a case like that always err on the side of caution - always

Fannyfiggs · 12/08/2024 21:48

PoopedAndScooped · 12/08/2024 21:44

Christ sake!!!!!

Why didnt you call 999 straight away

Instead of ‘Oh i will wait till i get to my destination and then ask on mumsnet’

The mind Boggles !!!!!

Oh to be perfect...

CobaltQueen · 12/08/2024 21:48

Well done OP. You may have saved a life. Even if it's nothing, you wouldn't want that on your conscience knowing you could have helped but didn't make that call x

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