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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Was I wrong to call police?

17 replies

deeter · 13/10/2023 09:28

Woke up at 5am to the sound of trees smashing around in the wind. I'm post-partum and experiencing hot flashes so kept the windows wide open. As I'm waiting to fall asleep I hear a car beeping in the distance. Do think it's odd initially (as neighbours are VERY considerate) but as the beeping persists I get worried. So after around 20 or so mins (I was double checking it wasn't the wind/pipes making that sound)I ring the police and tell them what I hear, fearful someone needs help.

I'm currently staying in a very nice Cotswolds Village and was worried someone was stranded/injured on one of the many country lanes that surround us. Obviously there is not much the police could do so they informed me that they noted the incident and to call back if I have any updates. I explained to the person on the call I was not hearing a car alarm as the beating was irregular/rhythmic in its manner. DH told me to ignore it but I just couldn't.

Apparently, everything was ok in the end as I've not heard sirens etc. DH joked that I'll be locked up for wasting police time.

WIBU?

OP posts:

Unexpectedlysinglemum · 13/10/2023 09:29

No it's ok to call and let them decide. Imagine if there's been a local kidnapping or something that might have been the clue they needed

Original poster

deeter · 13/10/2023 09:30

I wanted to go drive around to see if anyone was in trouble but DH didn't like that idea - we compromised on him going outside but he couldn't make out where it was coming from (not very loud).

OP posts:

VeridicalVagabond · 13/10/2023 09:34

No, you did the right thing. When my best friend went off a road and down an embankment and got stuck in his car in the middle of the night, bipping his horn was how he got found. He'd have been there all night because he was hidden in bushes if someone hadn't heard him and called emergency services out to have a look round.

It was most likely nothing, but you did absolutely the right thing calling.

fieldsatnightfall · 13/10/2023 09:39

Better to have over reacted and no harm done, than to not have acted at all and someone has been hurt.

Talkingfrog · 14/10/2023 17:41

You did the right thing. There could have been something wrong or someone reported missing and that could have been the information that was needed.

MidnightOnceMore · 14/10/2023 17:47

You did the right thing IMO.

I once heard some strange noises, reported it, it was a person in distress. I was very close to ignoring as the sound was not clear.

Darkmode2 · 14/10/2023 17:49

Some people ring up about their toaster not working lol don't worry about wasting their time, not that you did!

Pinkflamingopants · 14/10/2023 18:02

I doubt the Cotswolds police had much else going on tbh. You did the right thing

Dedsec2023 · 14/10/2023 18:14

always safety first op

Cowlover89 · 14/10/2023 18:23

You did the right thing

DinnaeFashYersel · 14/10/2023 18:26

You did the right thing.

Hobbi · 14/10/2023 18:31

Hope all these posters can hop over to the thread where everyone is saying someone's husband shouldn't call the police when he saw a stranger interfering with a front door. Apparently 'grown men' shouldn't be worried about things like that.

Sugarfish · 14/10/2023 18:37

I think it was a good thing you did as you never know. To be honest it would never have crossed my mind that it could be someone in trouble. My mind would go straight to someone being annoying. If anything, this thread has made me change my mindset!

bigbluefish · 14/10/2023 18:59

You absolutely did the right thing. Probably nothing but it’s the job of the Police to check it out. Too many people do nothing.

NeverAloneNeverAgain · 14/10/2023 19:05

You did the right thing. Better safe than sorry! I once called police because there were people in next doors house where we used to live and was worried he was being broken into (he was away at the time) turns out he'd had an an accident and it was nephews getting him some bits and pieces. Thankfully they saw the funny side!

Sayitaintso33 · 15/10/2023 07:12

Unless you live next door to the police station, you did the wrong thing if you thought someone might need immediate help.

Ellen1990 · 15/10/2023 07:32

I called the police (non emergency number) when I was on the way home from work one night and someone was laying in the middle of the path.. I told them I didn’t want to stop as I didn’t feel safe (never know) it was down the road from my house… I saw the police pull up and 5 min later I saw the lights for the ambulance.. never did know what happened but glad I called even if it had been nothing

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