to ask if you and/or people you know would have stopped?

[Lesserspottedmama]

My friend was telling me earlier about something that happened to her a few years ago.. she went for a run on a country back road and twisted her ankle.. she was limping along in agony a long way from home and trying to flag down a car. She said 4(!) cars passed her by.. it was the sort of road you had to go really slowly down so it’s not like they could whizz past her. They had to drive past her at 5-10mph ignoring her. She said they were all men aged between 40-60. A 5th car stopped and it was a young man who couldn’t have been much older than 19. He was very kind and dropped her home which was a 5 min drive away.

Would you have stopped if you saw a female runner in running gear limping and trying to flag you down? No judgement, just curious.
I would have, so would my husband, my parents and brother. I believe many of my friends would. I was surprised to hear so many cars passed by without stopping. She said it was about 8am so perhaps they didn’t want to be late for work. I would’ve stopped regardless. I understand some have had past experiences which would make them more reluctant though.

On Sunday a woman near me stopped as she saw a man lying by the road and he assaulted her. It's all over the local news and police fb. I am on the road it happened frequently and I think I would have stopped but now I don't think I would.

No

Yes I definitely would have stopped...what is wrong with people?!!

I would have.
Dd was in a similar situation although laying hurt in the road and many cars drove past her. It still upsets me years later.

Yes I would. I had a nasty fall in the street in our village a few years ago and every car that drove by stopped to see if I needed help. I was OK because I was waiting for DH to come and get me as I'd twisted my ankle, but I was very touched that people stopped to check on me.

I'm a runner and if I can still walk, there's no way I'm flagging down a stranger, I'd limp home. So on that basis I'm afraid I'd probably assume it was a scam of some sort.

I don't know what I would have done - but I know without a doubt that my daughter and son in law would. My daughter frequently rescues drunks and stoners on her way from work.

I'd have thought it was a scam so probably not but you don't know until it happens. I did stop when i noticed an unconscious woman in a bush to the side of the road. Thought she was dead.

Possibly. Last time I stopped for someone flagging me down they tried to get in my car and then punched it, causing £900 worth of damage. As he was a pedestrian they couldn't claim back the money and my insurance rocketed
A female limping though.. more likely

Much as I would like to say I would stop, the reality is I wouldn't, especially if I was alone. I would feel bad about it but I still wouldn't stop.

Honestly no I wouldn’t as I’d be too afraid something might happen. I’ve stopped for a car crash etc but I wouldn’t stop and invite someone in my car sorry

Yup I would have stopped. I slipped and feel in black ice while out running a few years ago, fell right back onto my tailbone, could hardly get up I was in so mu h pain and had to slide myself alone the ice to get a grip on the ground. 3 younger men saw it happen, one was just a cross the road waiting for someone, not one even asked if I was OK.

People in cars rarely stop to consider pedestrians. So many only ever drive.

I wouldn't feel safe to do that. I'm barely over 5ft and not as fit and strong as I'd like. I couldn't defend myself if I needed to. Maybe it'd be different if I was a burly man though.

She needs to take her phone next time if she's going to be running in places that she can't get home from.

I absolutely would stop and have in the past, I don’t drive so would always be in a car with my DH and would make him stop. As an on my own pedestrian and as a first aider I have helped many times with older people falling or taking ill. Even phoned ambulances for drunks passed out in the street. Gave CPR once to someone in a shop I seem to be a magnet for accidents happening arround me. I couldn’t just walk or drive on by, even though a friend of mine was stabbed and died when he tried to intervene when he saw a man beating up a woman in the street. My faith in people was amply repaid when a lone woman driver saw my son aged 20 hit ice on his push bike, while he was on a cycle path which ran alongside the road, he suffered a bad accident, he was knocked out for a while, she stayed with him after calling for an ambulance. We were able to find her and thank her on local social media. My son was in no way able to call for help himself even though he had a mobile phone and once he was down flat on the path it could have been ages til someone else saw him.

Similar happened near me pophop but it was a couple of years ago a driver stopped because she saw a woman lying in the road, the woman then got up and tried to get into the car! They caught the incident on camera,
I’m more shocked how many people are saying yes they would stop

www.newsshopper.co.uk/news/16165410.abbey-wood-drivers-warning-finding-woman-lying-road/

I think if I saw someone fall, I'd feel differently from someone standing on the side of the road waving me down - I'd be much more wary, as so many others have said about scams. If I saw someone running along and trip / fall, then I would stop, but not if they were just 'there' at the side of a road, no.

We broke down on a country lane with a horse box in the pouring rain. Waited an hour for arranged help. During that time period we were offered no fewer than two rows and one very kind chap offered to swap cars entirely for the afternoon so we could continue. He seemed quite disappointed not to be involved. Don't know his name, never saw him before. We also had to fend off various kind hearted people who wanted to at least take the children home (!) for a biscuit.

All during Covid.

I've led a charmed life. Everyone should live here.

Tows

Having said that, I personally wouldn't stop with kids in the car or in the evening in an isolated place but I'd try to notify someone

No, but I would have called the police and given them her location and say that she appeared injured. Those stories aren't all 'fake'. The 'injured person' scam does happen.

But honestly, if I was a lone female jogger I wouldn't be getting in a car with a stranger anyway.

Well, no-one stopped for me, and it was fairly obvious it wasn't a scam I'd have thought. Hiking gear, covered in mud, limping heavily on a (broken) v. painful ankle. About 4 cars passed and a few runners.

I would though, yes .

I live in London and have stopped for people who look like they need help. If I’m not 100% sure, I keep my door locked and only roll the window down slightly.

I’ve also been on the receiving end of help. Our car broke down whilst we were in a very remote part of the highlands. It was pitch black dark and cold and we didn’t have our coats (we popped out in the car to get some signal to make a call so didn’t bother with coats or layers).

We had already called a tow truck but were stranded. A car drove past and the old lady who was driving stopped and offered to help. She happily drove me back to our accommodation, whilst DH waited at the car (felt terrible I left him alone in the dark and cold but I was pregnant and luckily the tow truck arrived soon after.

I don’t think it’s a county / city thing or an age thing. I think it just depends on the nature of the person who stops (and who doesn’t.)

Yes, I would. In situations like that I don't think about potential scams & just help if I can. I've also picked up hitchhikers & people struggling. In turn I've had people help me.

I understand why some people don't, but I tend to think I'd rather live in a world where people do help each other.