Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Flip

1 2

Original poster

To have called 999?

40 replies

warmup · 27/05/2021 18:47

Driving home this evening on a busy A road. I was going about 65-70 and was in the right hand lane.

As I was about to move over I drove past a man on the opposite side of bridge railings arms stretched looking like he was about to jump.

Thinking 'oh my god' and not knowing what the drop was I called 999 to report. There was nowhere for me to pull over as there are no hard shoulders etc.

When I reported I said where I had been and said it was a bridge, potentially a railway (that kind of railing). I was thanked and my number taken.

I've received 2 calls since then asking me questions as they can't find anything. The second call had an air of you're wasting police time etc.

Since coming home and street viewing it seems it's a pedestrian underpass (I'll attach a picture). Now going that quickly and seeing someone the wrong side of the railings looking like they were about to jump I wanted to report it. I don't think I could've lived with myself if I hadn't and then something had happened. I'm not sure how big the drop is.

I feel terrible and like I've wasted time! Was I being unreasonable to report

OP posts:

RedHelenB · 27/05/2021 18:49

Better safe than sorry in this instance imo.

44PumpLane · 27/05/2021 18:50

I've reported similar before.... You were right to have done so

chickenyhead · 27/05/2021 18:50

I think you did the right thing.

Amammai · 27/05/2021 18:51

You reported it in ‘good faith’ - you genuinely thought there was an emergency. So you haven’t done anything wrong. Hind sight etc might mean you now realise there wasn’t but at the time you clearly felt someone was in danger

HJL400 · 27/05/2021 18:51

Don't feel bad, imagine if it was a suicidal person and you hadn't phoned 999. I second better safe than sorry.

PinkPlantCase · 27/05/2021 18:52

No you were right to call.

Warsawa31 · 27/05/2021 18:52

No of course not op - how can you tell what is under the bridge whilst driving past ?

What it it had been a suicidal person who jumped and was injured - maybe they would have been laying in agony for hours if no one had reported it.

Only thing maybe you could have done different would have been to pull to side of road where you could next to a sign or some landmark and explained in more detail where the location was

FedUp1984 · 27/05/2021 18:54

I had someone jump in front of my car 9 years ago. It was horrific. You acted with good faith, and did the right thing.

Original poster

warmup · 27/05/2021 18:54

@Warsawa31

No of course not op - how can you tell what is under the bridge whilst driving past ?

What it it had been a suicidal person who jumped and was injured - maybe they would have been laying in agony for hours if no one had reported it.

Only thing maybe you could have done different would have been to pull to side of road where you could next to a sign or some landmark and explained in more detail where the location was

When I called in I explained it was between x and Y and said it was near a brown tourist sign. When they called back the second time I gave them the next junction name.

I really did try

OP posts:

GertietheGherkin · 27/05/2021 18:55

I absolutely think you've done the right thing. It's better to be safe than sorry.

Maddox33 · 27/05/2021 18:57

You were absolutely right to call 999. I have worked for the emergency services and had a traumatic call from a pedestrian, trying to restrain a distressed person from falling from a bridge. We were able to pinpoint where they were and sent help. The outcome was positive. Never be put off summoning help if you feel someone is about to end their life.

I have personal experience of suicide within the extended family and I still wonder if the person could have been saved if someone had intervened.

Coldilox · 27/05/2021 18:58

It happens all the time that people report seeing someone on a bridge that they were concerned about, and by the time we get there they are gone. They were quizzing you to make sure they had the right place, as they wouldn’t want to miss him.

You did the right thing

Warsawa31 · 27/05/2021 18:59

@warmup

In that case you literally did everything humanly possible - it would be great if the world had more people who cared like you to be honest - don't let the call back out you off - the dispatchers have a hard job and unless they specifically said you've waged our time I don't think that's what they were trying to hint at

SummerHouse · 27/05/2021 18:59

999 is for emergencies. An immediate threat to life or a crime in action. This was clearly an immediate threat to life. Of course you did the right thing. If they were a bit off its probably just frustrating that they can't find the location. It's a frustrating job. Shouldn't be taken out on you though.

XenoBitch · 27/05/2021 19:00

You did the right thing, OP. Is best the emergency services attended to find the person had moved on, than for them not to turn up at all and a member of the public report finding a body.

Nookable · 27/05/2021 19:00

Definitely better to report, these tweets might help you . Police called out to an umbrella in New York and they still thanked the caller and told people they would always rather something reported.

Original poster

warmup · 27/05/2021 19:01

Thanks all. I know it sounds silly it just happened so quickly and I too have some family history.

Let's hope all was ok

OP posts:

picturesandpickles · 27/05/2021 19:01

of course ywnbu, you thought you saw something serious.

TomatoesAreFruit · 27/05/2021 19:02

YANBU

SheldonesqueTheBstard · 27/05/2021 19:05

Absolutely not being unreasonable

Love the NYPD and their response 🥰

Christmasfairy2020 · 27/05/2021 19:12

Can't see owt

ArcherDog · 27/05/2021 19:31

I had to call 999 for exactly the same thing. Drove past someone and just had a feeling something was up. Turned around and asked if they were ok and they said no and started crying. I stayed with them until the Police arrived.

I so nearly didn’t turn around.

Aways trust your gut.

Rainbowsandstorms · 27/05/2021 19:42

You absolutely did the right thing. You acted on your gut instinct and could have saved a life. Well done for not just driving by.

toocold54 · 27/05/2021 19:48

Nookable

Love that post!
As it says OP you are never wasting police time when it could be someone’s life on the line! You could have potentially saved someone’s family member which they would have been externally grateful to you.

godmum56 · 27/05/2021 19:48

You did the right thing and I applaud you. Its all to easy to think "its not my problem"

Flip

1 2

Swipe left for the next trending thread