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Original poster

If you broke down round the corner...

59 replies

Laaaaa · 07/10/2021 18:57

If you broke down round the corner from home how many people would stop and help?

Smallish village but busy, stomped out of house after a row and looks like clutch has gone, just can't get it in gear.

So far one young lad stopped to help!

OP posts:

CSJobseeker · 08/10/2021 10:41

@Sh05

I broke down about 200 metres from home in the middle of a very busy road at 3pm. I didn't have my phone with me so couldn't call home. Within about 20 seconds two pedestrians crossed into the road to see what was wrong plus quite a few drivers parked in a side road and pushed my car off the main road. Someone lent me their phone so I called the children's schools and by the time I got hold of oh, who was wfh, he'd already heard from someone who'd driven past and recognized my car.

Key difference here - you were blocking a busy road. People intervene to move cars that are blocking roads, because it makes sense to do so.

Op was sat in a quiet cul de sac, perfectly safe, not obstructing anyone.

lockdownmadnessdotcom · 08/10/2021 10:43

I have home start so would call the AA.

MrsSkylerWhite · 08/10/2021 10:45

Other than asking if you had a phone, I wouldn’t because I know nothing whatsoever about car mechanics.
Do you have a breakdown service? Doesn’t matter how close you are to home, they’ll come out.

starfish4 · 08/10/2021 10:50

In that situation, I wouldn't have expected anyone to stop (unless someone who knew me really well was passing). I'd have phoned DH for a moan though, and being so close to home, he'd have come out to take a look (even though he doesn't know much about cars!!).

ImitationofBeing · 08/10/2021 10:51

I broke down in the middle of a road. Meant all cars behind me had to wait for the other side to be clear to overtake.

1 person stopped to see if I was OK. He was hiking past and gave me a bottle of water for me and my dog because it was a scorching hot day.

Most drivers seemed to think I had purposely broken down just to piss them off on a sunny afternoon.

Kite22 · 08/10/2021 16:02

I thought it was pretty normal if someone was outside your house with hazards on to come out and say are you ok.

Blimey, if you live near anywhere where people want to stop to 'pop in' somewhere (school, Doctors, chip shop, corner shop, dentist, any takeaway, newsagents, etc) you'd be in and out all day.

I also don't understand, if you were round the corner from your house, why you didn't just walk home and make your own cup of tea until the car rescue people called you to say they were approaching the vehicle.

Neonplant · 08/10/2021 20:17

@Laaaaa

I thought it was pretty normal if someone was outside your house with hazards on to come out and say are you ok.

Clearly not.

Really never seen this before. I live in an urban area where you'd be in and out constantly.

LittleBearPad · 08/10/2021 20:19

No one

And if I was just around the corner from home I’d leave the car and go there. I wouldn’t sit in it. expecting strangers to bring me tea.

Hellocatshome · 08/10/2021 20:22

If someone was in the road/a strange position I would probably ask if they needed help or wanted to borrow a phone, if they were in a parked position at the side of the road I would wonder what the f they were playing at and why they didn't turn their hazard lights off seen as they weren't being a hazard.

But to answer your question I have broken down/got stuck in snow in the middle of the road a couple of times and plenty of people have stopped to help.

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