To wonder how people use taxis to get to a&e

[User6778]

Whenever I’ve needed to go to a&e I’ve even been bleeding a lot or been being sick due to an illness. Aibu to wonder how people use taxis as would imagine the driver wouldn’t take too kindly to vomit in their car.

It must be quite distressing for a taxi driver

@SocialConnection

It must be quite distressing for a taxi driver

Probably not any more distressing than for any other driver.

My 3yo was in some sort of shock, deadly quiet but clearly needed medical attention my elastoplast wasn't going to do it.
My neighbour offered to drive us to hospital which was a relief as I was frightened he'd either start crying or pass out. Both of which could have been disastrous if I was driving.

Chance that I saw the neighbour but hindsight I should have looked for help.

I got a taxi to A&E, twice actually. Once many many years ago with a very bad burn. And several years ago with leg pain. Thought I had a blood clot.

Don't know why you assume there is always blood or vomit?!

My friend got a taxi to hospital when she was in Labour. She managed to stay quiet in the back the whole way and when she got there she was 9cm dilated. Wonder Woman I think .

I don’t think many would call a taxi if they were profusely bleeding.

I've been to A&E a lot with my daughter as she had asthma and I usually used taxis for that.

I think any decent taxi driver would take someone who was bleeding. Vomit probably not because it would tend to suggest you were drunk.

I've done A&E by bus with DD - nasty cut on chin, and local surgery told us to go to A&E. I checked with them that it was okay to give her calpol (yes if I noted the time), put her in the pushchair, grabbed some lunch for myself, and then sat on the bus for an hour. She fell asleep, which meant she arrived at A&E in a lot better state than if we'd gone straight there by taxi.

I once came down with severe vomiting away from home. The friend we were visiting stuck me in his car with a bin from his office, and took me to A&E. No damage to his car. Bleeding and vomit can usually be contained.

(I'm not sure what the approved route is when you are ill like that away from home, but since I ended up in hospital for 3/4 days, A&E worked out for the best on that occasion.)

I’ve taken a taxi to the a&e due to a suspected broken bone. No blood or vomit. Some tears.

@Kendodd in that situation you'd have little choice but to call an ambulance.
Certain people phone on ambulance for minor issues they're either unaware or don't care about the cost or consequences.
My cousin is a senior paramedic the amount of regular callers, first name bases is scandalous as they're lonely not necessarily in need of medical treatment but call weekly for a call out.

I think any decent taxi driver would take someone who was bleeding. Vomit probably not because it would tend to suggest you were drunk.
It's not a moral reason for refusing It's financial, soiling a taxi puts the driver off the road for the day/night for seat cleaning, the next customer won't sit in blood or a wet seat.

I've rarely seen people vomiting or profusely bleeding in a&e. Usually suspected fractures, head injuries and other low mess ailments

I've been to A&E twice in a taxi
Once with a broken foot( driver helped me in) also with retained placenta( bleeding heavily but padded up with maternity pads

@Kendodd

The people I worry about are those who need to get to A&E but have no money or way of getting any to pay for a cab. What do they do? You've got a sick child, it's the middle of the night so no public transport (couldn't afford it anyway) 111 tells you to go to A&E. What do they do? Do cab companies give credit?

I know someone who was in this situation - 111 eventually sent her a taxi in place of an ambulance after she'd cried down the phone at them and explained. That was some years back though - I don't know if they'd still do that.

I don't drive so have always kept £20 in the bottom of a drawer just in case this happens but I'm lucky enough to be able to afford to do that

I've never used a taxi to get to A&E, however of the 30-40 times I've had to visit A&E (either for son, myself, my ex DH , my DM or DF) none of us have ever been bleeding or vomitting. What a bizarre question!

Out of the 8 or so times that members of our nuclear family have been to a and e only one involved blood and it wasn't a bloodbath and none involved throwing up. If we hadn't had our own car then a taxi would have been fine.

The reasons were:
Broken wrist - child
Broken wrist - child
Broken wrist - me
Infected foot
Concussion
Cut head
Eye
Bladder retention

None of those involved an ambulance and someone drove the car.

BIL called an Uber when he realised he was having a heart attack. At the time I thought he was mad but with hindsight it was by far the quickest way to get there.

I’ve just bought some cheap incontinence bed pads for my car pending the arrival of DC1, might be an idea to keep some in the house for events like this? Put an inco pad down in taxi and sit on it/line a bucket with it. I’ve stocked DHs car up too just in case, I think he was eyeing it up this week when stuck on the motorway for 2.5 hours!

I've used them for dd following a seizure, also in mental health crisis - not all trips need ambulances, if the kind of situation where you could be driven, you can take a cab

Went with kidney stones in a cab. I didn't know it was kidney stones I thought I was dying but I live opposite a taxi rank and thought this would probably be quicker. I was being sick about every 15 minutes and I hobbled/crawled over to the taxi rank with a bucket. Guy at the office took me himself

He also didn't charge me

I’ve never been in a taxi to hospital. Always in an ambulance or with a lift.

I got a taxi from the gp to a&e with severe stomach pains. Despite my asking him not to the driver kept talking about how good or otherwise the food was in each restaurant we passed. I felt if I threw up in his taxi it was his fault.

@Kendodd

Ambulances aren't public transport though, they are for people who need medical attention en route to hospital. Everyone, even those on low incomes need a plan for what to do if they need to get to the out of hours gp or hospital, whether it's a neighbour, family member, community support organisation or taxi. I've driven neighbours to hospital including in the middle of the night, I've also driven people I don't know in the last 18 months as a volunteer with my local community support organisation (the recipient is meant to offer petrol money and parking but I've refused to take it)

My mum took me when I sprained my ankle (we didn't know it was a sprain at the time) but if she hadn't been available I would've got a taxi. I also got a taxi once when I had food stuck in my throat as we were nowhere near home.