Man lying on grass outside

[ChekhovsMum]

So there’s a man lying flat on his back on the grass opposite from my house.
I saw him as I drove home, walking with the aid of two crutches (not elderly - I would put his age at mid-40s), then just as I pulled into my driveway he appeared to collapse to the ground, although if I had to guess, it looked like a deliberate decision, not a giving-out of his limbs, IYSWIM.
I parked, went up to him and asked if he was okay - did he want me to call anyone, get him some water etc? He said he was fine and didn’t need anything, with an attitude that suggested it was weird of me to ask.
20 minutes later, he’s still there. I can see him from the window. My guess is that he’s drunk, although he didn’t come across that way when he spoke.
I don’t really want to go back out because I’m home alone, and although it’s a residential street most people work very conventional hours around here, so there is a chance of not being seen/heard if I felt unsafe.
I can imagine this happening when I lived in London, but this is a very family-oriented residential area in a leafy town and it just seems so bizarre.
WWYD?

Are you always this precious?

How strange! I guess you need to respect his right to lie there, but I'd definitely get your partner out there if he's still there in a few hours, it just sounds very strange that he'd choose to lay there in that way. I'm assuming it isn't a normal hang out spot?!

Are you always so rude?

Made me laugh there, 😂

I don’t know why folks would report it to the police. What would they say, officer there is a man with a disability that causes him to use crutches, he’s laying on the grass in a public space. I spoke to him and he says he’s fine, I think he’s just resting, can you come and sort it out?

OP you've done enough by checking he is ok. I get why you would be wary if you're on your own and unsure if he was drunk. Just go on with whatever you need to do and presumably some of your neighbours will start to arrive home soon too.

No.

It’s not illegal and would be fine if it was a park or a place where you’d expect someone to lie. But a person who lies on the grass outside someone’s house is either a. unwell or b. dodgy.

It’s a grass verge like some suburban houses have as part of the pavement outside their house, only bigger and in a triangle because it’s at the joining of two roads.
Him being on his back is part of my concern too, as if he is drunk - and I’m not an expert on drunk people, but aren’t the most seasoned alcoholics quite capable of speaking normally when they’ve had a huge amount? - then he could vomit and choke on it.
But whatever - I’m being an uptight middle-class pearl-clutcher and I need to get a life.

The worst thing likely to happen is people asking if you know there is a man lying in the grass and what are you going to do about it????!!!!

I think I’m interpreting this differently from other posters. I got the sense you were worried about his well-being because he’s collapsed on a grass verge where it wouldn’t be usual for people to sunbathe.

I think you’ve done all you can for now, checked if he’s OK. I’d keep an eye open and if he looks to have lost consciousness or hasn’t moved in a few hours you could try the police. Although don’t be surprised if they don’t come, we tried to help someone who was clearly on drugs on the outskirts of a children’s play area and was unresponsive at the weekend. They couldn’t have been less interested.

This! The police???? Can't people lay in the sun anymore?

Did you miss he’s in crutches? Have you ever walked with crutches. It’s exhausting.

@ChekhovsMum I understand your concern. It's quite normal (where I'm from anyway) to check on people- there are a number of things that could be going on (from health to other concerns).

When people are being a bit shitty and they don’t need to be, I point it out. So yes, I always am.

So ... you're frightened for your own safety? Or his? Or both? Or neither?

You should have called an ambulance 🤦🏻‍♀️

No, I meant, do you always fear for your safety if there are people on grass in your vicinity?

I don’t know why people are pretending they don’t understand the point of your post.
You’ve asked him, he says he’s fine. Just get on with your day. If he’s there in an hour, check with him again.

It sounds like he's off his head on something rather nice!

However, FWIW - I have T1 diabetes and when I was 14 years old I was on the way home from a friend's house and had a hypo. I obviously must have felt it coming on, as I was found 4 hours later under a tree out of sight of the road, and apparently was completely coherent and rational but just lying there! In my later teenage years, when I refused to acknowledge being an insulin dependent diabetic and felt getting pissed was more exciting, I had a couple of incidents where alcohol and insulin combined to lead to hypos. On all occasions, whilst I've no recollection of them, I was told that I appeared perfectly normal, but just couldn't or didn't want to get up off the floor. I also tend to become quite verbally aggressive then my BGs are low.

Just might be worth considering?

My dad is type 1 diabetic so I always worry in times like this that the person is diabetic. My dad hasn't got a clue what's going on if he hits a hypo suddenly, can become aggressive and behave like he's drunk.

He wears a bracelet when out alone. Did you notice anything like that?

I don't blame you for asking op. It's out of the norm behaviour. Where I live now it happened once in the last 10 years but the guy was drunk and made it back to his house.

He could be diabetic. Often people having a diabetic episode can be mistaken for odd or drunk. It happened to someone I know and glad someone called an ambulance. Just call 111 and explain you are worried about him. Trust your instincts not the random people online. Better to be safe than sorry.

A bit of both. Because if he’s very drunk and I approach him on my own, he could become aggressive. That’s a thing, isn’t it?
And because whether he is or he isn’t, I can’t imagine why anyone would just stop in their tracks and lie down on a residential street if they were physically and mentally fine.

Oh cross post lambstail!

3 times the OP has said he may be drunk

My guess is that he’s drunk
a man I don’t know who could be really drunk
I’m not an expert on drunk people, but aren’t the most seasoned alcoholics quite capable of speaking normally when they’ve had a huge amount

Ambulance or police - whatever - but if its drink then the police have a lot of training in that and if its medical they can call an ambulance.

The important point is that help should be sought.

But you know he's not physically fine, he's on crutches! This thread gets odder by the minute.