....to be fed up of many members of the public ignoring emergency situations?

[RebeccaBunchLawyer]

OK, I’m no hero tbh, or angel for that matter. Far from it. I’m actually a bit of a misanthrope and am hiding from my new flat mates as we speak (to avoid having to converse with them)..

But, the amount of times now that I’ve had to step in to help people when out and about now is ridiculous. I’m talking: a few elderly collapses, a few drinkers collapsing at bus stops etc, an elderly man nearly going under a bus etc etc.

I am not a nurse or particularly good at my first aid, and as I said I’m a real mean misanthrope, but I am always the only person to act when the shit hits the fan. Other people tend to stand their staring, gawping in a gormless fashion, doing nothing helpful, not even calling 999.

When the elderly man nearly enough went under the bus, I had to run (and I am a big lady!), scream for the bus to stop, then help the man, all while other people stared, eyes glazed. An army bloke did take over from me in the end (whilst I made the 999 call) as he knew more, but you get the gist.

Today, for example (slightly irrelevant but also not so), there was a road rage incident towards our bus driver. The bloke was effing away and the bus driver called out for one of us to call 999. I was the only person who did this; everyone else just stared or filmed it. Wtaf???!

Is this normal now- to ignore people needing help etc in everyday situations or are people scared to get involved? What if you needed help? I’m genuinely interested.

I saw a brilliant example of someone not giving a shit the other day.

We saw an ambulance with lights flashing about half a mile back from us so when it started catching up we started slowing to pull over for it. A dipstick decided that meant he could over take and went for it. He then over took 3 further cars ahead of us who were pulling over to the side of the road for the ambulance.

He then held up the ambulance for about 10 seconds before finally realising, barely pulled over, then over took the next car in front as it pulled over for the ambulance too.

I really hope the ambulance driver got him reported for that as it was disgraceful. He didn't give a shit about the ambulance or anyone else. The fact he managed to miss it shows he was driving without due care and attention. If I'd gotten his number plate I'd have reported him myself but unfortunately missed it. Didn't think someone would be so stupid but they are.

I've noticed the same, OP. I've been on the floor trying to rouse a man who just collapsed and not one person looked up or came to help whilst I was clearly calling 999 and very worried about this man. I felt like I was in a parallel universe where I was the only one who could see him.

Meddlesom Ratbag

everyone else just stared or filmed it.

In my most recent experience of dialling 999, this turns out to have been the most useful course of action! I saw the chap who did my gardening being attacked, I am disabled, so I distanced myself a little more from him and the three people who were together, two of whom where setting upon him. I called 999. The police turned up long after the attackers had left. I gave descriptions, he gave names. Several months later I was called in to 'identify' the attackers. I was shown images on a laptop that had all backgrounds removed and had no hope, so the charges against the attackers accused were dropped, due to lack of evidence!

Filming would have been a much better idea, because they would have been on camera!

TBH I haven't noticed this. Actually seen very few real emergencies but witnessed a few nasty moments e.g. elderly person keeling over in the street, and IME everyone around (including me) rushes to help.

Mind you I live in a small town. Maybe it's different in a city.

But, the amount of times now that I’ve had to step in to help people when out and about now is ridiculous. I’m talking: a few elderly collapses, a few drinkers collapsing at bus stops etc, an elderly man nearly going under a bus etc etc.

Crikey, remind me never to go out when you are out and about OP. You are some kind of emergency magnet.
I'm old in MN terms, and am out and about quite a lot, but I never see any incidents like this.

Bystander apathy. People also don't have a clue what to do, how to stop bleeding, what to do with burns etc
I'm a magnet for emergency stuff but too long a decade in the ambulance service and I don't seem to panic at anything, just deal with it and then feel afterwards
Seems to be a thing if people are going to keel over, it's in front of me

Trying to think and I can remember a few I came across

Kicked in the head by a horse
Full force of creosote in eyes
Cardiac arrest needing defib/CPR
Pulled a guy out an upside down car through the windscreen
Another two car accidents
Fell over and split head open

Maybe I shouldn't go out

You're a shit magnet op! I am too apparently. It's a technical police term for someone that always has this sort of stuff happening when they are close by

My friends who are cops say they would refuse to partner up with me (if I was a cop) as they want a quiet life.

Not everyone feels comfortable getting involved.
Not everyone feels with situations the same ie the flight or fight syndrome.
Some will be able to cope and push through the situation and do what needs doing. But others can't and that's ok as they're only human.

We've witnessed it a few times(me and my DH)we saved one poor old man's life when he was chocking and had stopped breathing whilst the 2 idiot carers with him(it was they're job)just stood there and flapped.

My DH had to life him out of his wheelchair,we removed the blockages and gave CPR and we had to ring for the ambulance because the women with him couldn't even do that,we had to ring 999 back 3 times because they were taking so long to get there.

We spoke to and calmed down the other poor disabled man that was with them because he was terrified.

We gave the paramedics all of the details we could,afterwards we found out what home the men were from and we phoned the home and reported what had happened and how bloody useless and feckless the staff were!

We were on holiday in the middle of a huge market with tons of people around and we had 4DC with us and I was pregnant,only 1 person came to see if they could help us and that was about 10 minutes after we'd started the CPR.

Another one an elderly lady passed out,we were picking fruit with our 2 youngest DC,it was very hot and the heat had got to much for her,we saw to her whilst calming her Daughter down(he Daughter was late 60's)she was really upset,I asked if she was on medication the Daughter said no,her Mum told me she was for her heart(she'd been hiding it from her Daughter)we made her comfortable,got her Daughter a seat and a cold drink and calmed her down and once the ambulance arrived we handed over.

There were staff there and other customers once it was other people came upto us and said they wouldn't know what to do.

There's been many many more,I do think it's a sad state of affairs that CPR and First Aid aren't taught in schools and I do think all parents should be offered lessons in both,the amount of lifes it could save would be well worth the cost.

Sued??!!!!! You WILL NOT GET SUED FOR DOING FIRST AID!!

Sorry I did the St Johns paediatric first aid course 3 years ago, and they made it very clear than if you attempt first aid and get it wrong you could be sued. You have to know what you are doing and only do what you are confident you know to be right.

If that is information is wrong then first aiders are being taught the wrong thing, I am not prepared to take the risk.

Walking - if you ring 999 and follow their instructions then you are covered and it's fine
It's if you start doing something stupid like putting butter on burns or shoving a spoon in the mouth of someone fitting that it might get a bit hazy
But running cool water over burns, doing CPR etc, no problem at all

Sued for first aid? Find me an example where this has happened in the UK.

www.goodgelaw.com/2015/04/can-i-be-sued-for-providing-first-aid.html/

There's even statute law to prove that you won't get shafted. And St John's were advisors.

I am a shitmagnet too, OP. Had to call an ambulance yesterday when a woman fell down a flight of stairs in the pub. I’ve never had the experience of no one helping though. And I hope I don’t live anywhere near @walkingdeadfangirl with that appalling attitude.

I have never witnessed an emergency situation!

Wow, Phosphorus, no emergencies ever??! And yes, madamed, maybe some people freeze in fear. I do for a split second, then kinda get in there!

You appear to be the common denominator

I don't think I've ever seen an emergency situation either. I'm racking my brains trying to think of one, but coming up empty.

I had to jump in and give CPR to an old man once. I was 6 months pregnant and no expert. There were about 7 people around, and of course more gawkers collected as I worked on him. I’m sure I was quite the spectacle, with my big belly.

I had to yell at them to call the ambulance. Nothing happened until I picked out one woman and MADE it about her. I’ll never forget the shared look on the bystanders faces. It was clearly ‘Wait till I tell the kids at school/boys at the pub/ladies at lunch about this exciting dramatic development in my day’. Like they were watching it on video, rather than in real life. Like it could only ever be an anecdote to them, not real people.

No one gave a shit about his safety or comfort (or mine!).

I’ve had a similar situation where the bystanders flapped uselessly, but at least they were distressed (and afterwards embarrassed) by their inaction. That was about 15 years ago.

Something tells me time (& technology) have changed our culture, not for the better.

I’d like a reality tv show that faked these kinds of emergencies, so bystanders could be seen for what they are (and helped to do better). Everyone who goes around their social media day sprinkling posts with ‘U OK, hun?’ and sympathy emojis, but can’t budge out of their comfort zone to save someone’s life REALLY boils my banana!

SO worrying that some people are concerned about getting sued whilst administering first aid- ie cracking/breaking someone’s ribs etc. A doctor reassured me that this would be laughed out of court, but awful to think that your relative/friend/you could be left due to bystanders’ worries about any possible fallout due to their well-meaning actions.

You were there in the moment it happened though

Maybe give people a chance to react? 2 incidents and you are 'fed up'?

You’ve got me thinking about that Vinnie Jones ‘Staying Alive’ advert for some reason, Skittles! Maybe we need some high profile people to do more adverts/infomercials to raise awareness?

Had an accident in the street? You need to call @RebeccaBunchLawyer injury lawyer 4U!

More than 2 incidents, RunMummy! Several over the last couple of years, and like a pp said, many people won’t do anything even when you shout out for someone to call 999, because you are unable to due to being v busy attempting to help a poorly person!