Should customers show more respect for customers or staff that need first aid?

[Auburngal]

Today a customer had an epileptic seizure in a busy area. We coned off the area. Customers were tutting and muttering unpleasant things because they had to go round the long way.

In the past, customers have stepped over the customer or staff member who has fainted, fallen etc. Very disrespectful. How would they react if people were doing this around their loved ones!

People can’t control when they are going to feel ill or it happens suddenly like myself a year ago after a reaction to a flu vaccine that I had 3 days before.

My mum had a medical incident at Center Parcs. The other guests kept a suitable distance and didn't do any of those things, thankfully! The staff were all very helpful (though there was a training issue as the restaurant staff didn't know how to get hold of first aiders initially.)

People are generally rude but I guarantee you that most people weren’t think the had a fit. They probably thought he was passed out drunk and that’s why they were pissed off and walking over him

Still no excuse though

No excuses for this type of behaviour - how awful! But doesn't surprise me at all. Some people are just so freaked out by illness and accident and want to get away. But you're right, if it were one of their loved ones, they'd want them to be looked after.
I fainted on the tube in London years ago. Totally flat on my face on the floor of the train close to the door. Seconds later, the doors opened at a station and people walked over me to get off and people walked over me to get onto the train. Literally didn't give a shit! It was awful - and I lost one of my shoes! Thankfully a couple of people helped me off the train and one lady waited with me until I had recovered and called my DP to get me.

Dd2 was 11 when she collapsed on a flight during the landing. The air steward and a doctor onboard needed the couple in the row in front to move so they could get oxygen to her. They refused until they’d collected all their bags! Steward was furious.

Next, the captain came on and said “we have a medical emergency on board so please stay seated while paramedics board the plane”. That was met by groans and moans asking why they couldn’t just be let off first. It was the minority but I was so disgusted.

We got her checked and they decided she’d be fine to come with us but needed a gp follow up rather than hospital. We went through passport control etc and reached baggage claim to find the luggage had been delayed and still hadn’t arrived on the belt, so the passengers in such a rush hadn’t achieved anything and actually left when we did. Utter pricks.

I know it's more likely they were utter knobends but don't discount the thought one of them might be incredibly claustrophobic or scared of flying and not be thinking rationally. Like I say they were probably just knobends

YANBU. I have a friend whose DD had a seizure in a supermarket. The staff were amazing, and cordoned off the aisle.

But other times, people are awful. I have a friend with autism who had a meltdown due to sensory overload in a public place, and the police were called. People were gawping and laughing. Some were filming him on their phones. The fallout has wrecked his life.

My fil had a cardiac arrest and died in a supermarket. I really hope people didn't gawp or be rude. Someone posted something about it on social media in his local town which I think upset sil.

People can be so rude and impatient.

Again this sounds terrible but how packed was the train? Were there loads of people getting off? They might have thought they were best off just getting out your way and alerting a member of staff. Of course they may all be knobheads

I don't think there should be anything wrong with calling the police if someone is in danger? Was he in danger? Personally I think the police should be better trained so that it isn't an issue contacting the police for keeping people safe

@Auburngal working with members of the public can be an absolute joy, can’t it!?

A few years ago I was covering in another branch (as manager) while someone was off sick. There was myself and 2 other staff. I was serving on the till when a lady in the queue took very unwell right at the desk - it was a stroke.

Obviously, we did all the necessary things - ambulance, making sure she was safe etc. People were beginning to just stare and the shop was getting busier while waiting for the ambulance so I asked all other customers in the store (maybe about 8 people) to please leave their items on the counter as we were closing temporarily to allow the lady some privacy to be dealt with by medics.
The backlash I got was unreal! I actually had one of the customers immediately phone my head office complaining that they were “paying customers and would never be back after being treated this way” 🙄🙄 At least 3 or 4 of the customers made comments!!

I hope your customer was ok!

Have you got some kind of compulsion to repeatedly make excuses for absolute arseholes or is it just a weird hobby?

My daughter collapsed in a residential street in the middle of the day and people just stepped over her. Not one person asked her if she was OK or stopped to help her. I was flabbergasted.

See that's just weird there's no excuses for EVERYONE to do that

It must be that bystander effect

I genuinely don't see why someone shouldn't call the emergancy services during those situations. Someone called the police for someone close to me who was having a severe meltdown on a night out. They thought he was drunk. The police were great and took him somewhere safe. They kept him safe.

I genuinely couldn't get my head around it at all.

He was not in danger, but he was in meltdown and thought he was. He shouts and swears when he has meltdown. It was handled very badly, as in people shouted back at him. He just needed calm, and removal to a calm space.
He now constantly wears a sunflower lanyard with a card saying he is autistic.

That happened to my friend too. He is now banned from a pub for having a meltdown (they don't understand), but the police were great. He ended up in hospital with a head injury that he can't remember getting.

They were knobheads.

Woah, is there some backstory here with you and @llamali ?

Yeah, they were just knobs who wanted to get home in time for the football.

No, was just struck by the several posts in a row suggesting different excuses for awful behaviour. Reminded me slightly of the MN classic "have you considered dementia?"

I'm SO glad I left retail!!

That is horrendous. I would most likely have been sacked for shouting at them that they were fucking arseholes. Would have been worth it.