to ask why so many people didn't stop to help?

[willothewisp17]

long story cut short - l was out last night at the threate with my sil and mil, once play had finished we went to wetherspoons, sil got taxi because her feet were sore and me and mil walked.

found a man passed out on the ground (it was cold and raining) made sure he had a pulse and tried to rouse him, he woke up a bit and it was soon discovered he was drunk, his friends had all left him, didn't want an ambulance or the police called because he's known with the police and then passed out again. felt his pockets for a phone to see if we could get someone but he had nothing so we phoned the local police station and they came and helped him up and took him home.

what gets me is in the time when we were phoning the police station (we had moved away from him to do this so he didn't hear and get angry/stressed) so many people walked past him and didn't even bother to stop and see that he was okay! not even a glance! is this normal? I don't think it matters that he was drunk and his own fault he was in that state, he still needed help, we couldn't leave him there in the rain!

I would not check pulse/pockets but I would call the police/ambulance or make sure someone had done that already.

I get what you are saying willothewisp17, it really depends on the circumstances (night/alone/etc) but I think people, in general, prefer not to get involved, and not only for safety reasons.
A couple of PP mentioned that no one helped them when vomiting/with seizures/a dead-looking child.
I have seen people walking past a man obviously having convulsions.

LipstickHandbagsCoffee I wasn't looking for a hands on intervention, I didn't want anyone to come in and swoop the man up over their shoulder a simple 'is he alright' would have been something!

He was on the ground of course he wasn't "alright"

Iamaporcupine I've seen it in my workplace, someone falling on the floor convulsing and all people can do is gawp and try to get a look in on the action, human nature at times just baffles me!

me being the up my own arse person I am, I was obviously* first on the scene! not! others visibly dealt with it so didn't go near.

I don't think you're stupid OP. Once my dad walked past a man slumped in a doorway, he looked drunk. But my dad stopped and tried to wake him, and called an ambulance when he couldn't. The man had had a heart attack and almost died. No one else stopped to help.

Gileswithachainsaw yep, but sometimes in situations like that you just ask the obvious? no?

But you don't know someone didn't already call.

You are basing opinions of people with actually no idea of anything they had or hadn't done

I’m genuinely baffled what you seem annoyed about,your snippy responses to posters. The face
I have given my opinion on why I think people do/don’t intervene
It’s not all about you...

No you sodding dont. Stupid questions just get in the way of deaking with stuff.

Either help, call someone to help or bugger off. Standing around asking stupid questions is the least helpful thing ever

putdownyourphone that's the only reason I intervened the way I did, just incase he wasn't just drunk and was actually really unwell and in need of medical attention. you just don't know, even if it's a Saturday night in a certain ominous location!

willow There are a lot of good people out there. I work for the police and we get calls like yours daily. People do care and do regularly report people lying on the ground etc. You did the right thing he could have been ill. At least he got home safe & well

I think you did a very kind and humanitarian thing OP.

Lots of people wouldn't have glanced his way because they don't much care what's happening around them. Some would have looked but thought they'd let somebody else deal with it, for many good (or bad) reasons. Others just couldn't care less.

It's easy after the event for others to analyse every detail of what you did and didn't do. You acted spontaneously but with caution.

Many years ago, about 8am, I called an ambulance in a very busy street for a middle aged man who had collapsed. I waited with him for about 15 mins 'till it arrived. On arrival the paramedics knew him. He was a man with severe mental health issues, no heart attack. I felt embarrassed, but the paramedics said they didn't mind being called out. What they did find frustrating and sad was that people like him were often ignored, and he wouldn't have been somebody that many people knew. The paramedic said to me just because he had mental health issues didn't mean he also might not have a heart attack or stroke one day, and who'd look out for him then?

I think it's unfair that some pp are trying to paint you as self righteous. I tripped over in broad daylight several years ago in a crowded London park. I was carrying two hot drinks. Loads of people looked at me, some laughed. Not one person came to my aid. I wasn't drunk or acting in anyway strangely. It made me feel pretty shit about human nature for a while.

👍🏻👍🏻 entitled to all your opinions!

if you all think I'm up my own arse you should have heard my mil proclaiming that it was some sort of destiny that we walked as we were 'meant to find him and help him' 😂😂

You stopping to help isn't the problem, your thread complaining that no-one else did is. Especially when you don't even know nobody else did.

I’ll say it again,cant get what you’re so irked about?you did a decent thing calling police.

TwattyCatty yep, I know that now, there is a million reasons why not to stop to help. understandable! no real reason for people to walk past and mock and laugh either though!

no real reason for people to walk past and mock and laugh either though!

If that had been the point of your thread it would have gone very differently.

And who has said walking by laughing is acceptable.

That's not what your posts were about

I would always stop for someone alone and unconscious or clearly in difficulty. Head injury, hypoglycaemia or the post-ictal state that follows an epileptic seizure can all cause symptoms that look like being drunk.

And even if someone is passed out pissed, they're still in a very vulnerable state.

I find it sad that society has become so uncaring.

LipstickHandbagCoffee I'm irked because people have deemed me as some up my own arse idiot that just wants to boast! I wanted an opinion, I've got it, plenty reasons why not to stop, can't judge people for not stopping, judgemental myself for the post in the first place, I didn't come on here for praise! I just wanted an opinion without being told I sound like I think am gods gift, because I'm not!

To be honest I once I discovered he was drunk, I wouldn't have bothered. My daughter is a nurse and is fed up of the time taken up by drunks in A and E.

A friend who was a patient in hospital once had to watch a fellow patient die as he struggled to breathe. He called for staff but they were all involved in dealing with a violent alcoholic who had gone on the rampage. That image still haunts him years later.

Twatty and Giles obviously I should have mentioned that previously then

The other day me and my 3yr old were on the bus, had to stand up to press the bell and the driver slammed his brakes on at a red light. We both fell hard to the floor. My daughter was screaming I was in pain, turns out I'd broken my hand, had to have surgery to put screws in.

No one helped, they just stared while I pulled myself up, gathered my bags and picked my little girl up.

People suck!!!!

Oh,ouch I hope you make a speedy recovery. That’s a rotten accident