Dangle_kt
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 posted on 28/11/08 at 09:51 AM |
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Witnessed a horrible accident yesterday
Yesterday I was off work, taking my wife for her 30 week check up at the hospital.
We were sat a junction, and an old man was crossing the road in front of us, he was walking very slowly, more of a shuffle than a walk. Both my wife
and I commented what a cruel thing old age. I genuinely felt sorry for this guy.
He got to the central reservation, and continued to cross, half way across the road the lights changed and I watched in disbelief, quickly followed by
horror as a car filtered right, and turned onto the road he was crossing.
The small citroen, didn’t slow or brake and hit the old frail man at full speed (I estimate approx 15 or 20 mph).
I watched as his body was slammed into the bonnet, cantelivering his head down and into the windscreen, crushing it against the windscreen and side
piller.
He was thrown by the force of his head hitting the window and the forward motion of the car down the road.
I burst out the car and ran to his aid.
His forehead was crushed, with a sizable hole with what looked like shards of his skull visible through the copious blood flowing down his face.
He was writhing in agony groaning. I screamed at the woman, and got her phone of her to call 999, my wife was already on the phone. I stood over the
man, unable to move him for a few seconds I couldn’t believe cars continued to drive round him. I stood in the junction and stopped the traffic.
Fortunately the fire brigade training station was less than 50 yards from the scene of the accident, they were having paramedics train them yesterday,
so within a few minutes I was relieved to see the old man, now with eyes closed being treated by professionals.
Two fire engines blocked the road, and treatment continued.
The lady who had ran the old man down was being treated for shock – and rightly so, she genuinely hadn’t seen the guy and was in a right state.
On lookers were moved on, but we were asked to stay for the police to arrive.
After about 20 minutes, the supervisor of the fire engine came over to say the police said they were too busy to attend, and no was available to come
at this time, so could he take our details and they will contact us.
He said, police rarely attend unless someone had died.
We happily gave our details and left.
What shocked and appauled me was what I saw as I drove down the road, less than 100 yards and within clear sight of all the fire engines and
ambulances.
A police livered van, with – you guessed it, ROAD SAFETY PARTNERSHIP all over it, and someone sat in it catching speeding motorists.
The van was in SIGHT of the accident, and yet all the police were too busy to attend?!?
I am disgusted by the state of the police force. It is not down to the individual police officers, who I am sure are frustrated with their work, but
whether the guy in the van was a civvy or officer, he could have come and help.
But no, he was busy making the roads “safer” by catching speeders rather than helping secure and take witness statements from people about a poor,
vulnerable old man, who’s life has either just been ruined or even ended.
I will be writing a letter to the police in the next few days, once I have calmed down enough to be objective – does anyone know who you complain
to?
What a horrid day. I am waiting to hear of the old guy made it.
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russbost
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| posted on 28/11/08 at 09:55 AM |
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Must have been horrible to see & be involved in - commiserations, hope the old guy makes it.
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vinny1275
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| posted on 28/11/08 at 09:59 AM |
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Complain to the lcoal police authority, and copy it to the area inspector I guess - look up the police force in the phone book and there should be a
list of areas and their contact details. The police authority is the kind of oversight comittee for the force, so best to get them in on it as well.
Hope the guy is OK, lucky there was a load of paramedics nearby, and they didn't have the same attitude as the guy in the camera van.....
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robinj66
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| posted on 28/11/08 at 10:05 AM |
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Write to the Chief Constable - he won't deal with it but should forward it to the appropriate party and the lette will have to be logged.
Alternatively it should be the Area Commander (usually a Superintendant) - he should be based at the main police staion for your area.
I would also cc a copy of your letter to your local MP
[Vinny posted whilst I was typing this - good suggestion there too]
[Edited on 28/11/08 by robinj66]
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theconrodkid
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| posted on 28/11/08 at 10:08 AM |
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strange that they didnt turn up,anything that involves injury in london gets them down,send a copy to the local papers as well,they hate bad
publicity.hope he pulls through ok
who cares who wins
pass the pork pies
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GeoffT
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| posted on 28/11/08 at 10:17 AM |
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It's really a classic example showing that if the police spent less time obsessing about speed, and more time investigating safety at slow speed
junctions, etc, this poor guy might not be in hospital (or worse) today.
Would I be being cynical if I suggested it's something to do with no monetary return in such research...?
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maartenromijn
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| posted on 28/11/08 at 10:23 AM |
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I'd write to the queen herself. Explain the horror you have seen, and the way from her police force to handle the accident (not attending).
Maybe the media/ newspapers will help too.
But for you personnaly and your wife, it must have been horror. Especially when you are expecting a child, this must give a lot of things to think
about. And how respectful you have to be to life.
I hope for the old guy that things work out well, even though from your story I do not have much faith. And for you and your wife: I hope things do
work out well, and that she can give birth to a beautiful child.
All the best,
Maarten
BLOG: http://thunderroad-super7.blogspot.com/
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tegwin
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| posted on 28/11/08 at 10:30 AM |
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God thats terrible... Commendations for keeping calm and objective!
I had a similar unpleasant experience a year or so ago....
Driving along in a minibus full of sixthformers on a nice NSL road following a car doing about 55.... The next thing I know the car has left the road
and flipped upsideown at the bottom of a steep bank...
I ran as fast as I could back down the road, slid down the bank hopped over the field at the bottom and went to the drives window...
The car was wedged...one side against the bank, and the other side against the trees/fence....
When I got to the car the man was slumped upsidedown with his weight resting on the seatbelt and his head pressed against the cieling... He was
breathing for around 4 mins whilst we tried in vein to get to him.... We couldnt open the doors....
After 4 mins he stopped breathing.....all I remeber is standing there with the feint sound of terry wogan comming from the car radio... and
silence....
The cocky sod who stopped his car on the road above and shouted down "well he wont go so fast next time!".... There wont be a next
time!
The police arrived 15 mins later....
Apparently he had a heart attack/stroke...
Its just haunting to think about it!
Edited to say...and guys... dont leave anything hard in the cabin with you..... you dont want to die with a tapemeasure stuck in your head!
[Edited on 28/11/08 by tegwin]
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Would the last person who leaves the country please switch off the lights and close the door!
www.verticalhorizonsmedia.tv
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smart51
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| posted on 28/11/08 at 10:44 AM |
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Police Complaints Commission
I'd also write to the local MP. They're there to champion this sort of thing, not just be told which way to vote in the commons.
[Edited on 28-11-2008 by smart51]
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Guinness
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| posted on 28/11/08 at 11:08 AM |
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I'm sorry to hear about you witnessing this accident.
Top marks for sticking around and trying to help! If only other people were so well natured.
I could be wrong, but I thought that Scamera Vans are not operated by the Police themselves, but "Road Safety Partnership" schemes. The
people inside the vans are often coppers, but AFAIK they are off duty, and doing it on their own time for a bit of extra cash? Or they are
"trained technicians" who have no other police training (i.e. First Aid / taking statements etc).
I know this doesn't excuse the police not attending in any way shape or form, but it does show that the vans can afford to pay overtime, but
that normal policing can't!
Personally, if that was my Dad / elderly relative that had been involved in an accident and the police refused to attend I'd go ballistic!
Mike
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scootz
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| posted on 28/11/08 at 11:39 AM |
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Old guy with a hole in his head after an RTC? Definitely a police emergency response situation! I cannot understand how the Police were 'too
busy'. Didn't hear of any bombs going off yesterday!?
Heck any RTC involving injury is a police matter! This country is going to the dogs!
I'm not too concerned about the Scamera van thing... most probably was being operated by a civilian member of staff who wouldn't have had
the first clue of what to do anyway! Another example of bad-PR though... if a vehicle or uniform is marked 'police' ANYWHERE, then it
should be staffed or worn by police officers ONLY!
Well done for helping the old chap out!
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Dangle_kt
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| posted on 28/11/08 at 12:24 PM |
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quote:
I'm not too concerned about the Scamera van thing... most probably was being operated by a civilian member of staff who wouldn't have had
the first clue of what to do anyway!
I know the van probably isn't manned by an officer, but the fact is that a "safety partnership" which is funded by the public decide
to invest money into a van, expensive speed cameras, and a civvy to sit taking photos of cars.
When it is quite obvious that the local force could much better use the money to get more police on the road. Another patrol car out there to do the
whole range of police duties rather than just tackle "speeding".
I want more police on the road to catch proper driving crimes. By being so blinkered about what safety partnerships are to target, cripples their
effectivness.
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scootz
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| posted on 28/11/08 at 12:55 PM |
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Agreed!
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tomprescott
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| posted on 28/11/08 at 01:10 PM |
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The police force don't stop crime or help people asnymore, they are only interested in taking money from people that go over the limit!
It's a typical example of what's wrong with our country. Congrats with the baby though!
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chrisg
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| posted on 28/11/08 at 02:20 PM |
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Where I live (south yorkshire) all the revenue cameras are staffed by police officers on overtime - still there's plenty of money being made to
cover their wages.
I hope the old fella is alright.
Cheers
Chris
Note to all: I really don't know when to leave well alone. I tried to get clever with the mods, then when they gave me a lifeline to see the
error of my ways, I tried to incite more trouble via u2u. So now I'm banned, never to return again. They should have done it years ago!
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Dangle_kt
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| posted on 28/11/08 at 05:03 PM |
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THE OLD GUY IS ALIVE!  
I just got a call from the wife to say he made it, and is well on the way to a full recovery.
I'm made up! 
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MikeR
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| posted on 28/11/08 at 06:52 PM |
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i didn't post earlier as i wasn't expecting him to pull through. Thats brilliant news.
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adithorp
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| posted on 28/11/08 at 07:07 PM |
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"...The lady who had ran the old man down was being treated for shock – and rightly so, she genuinely hadn’t seen the guy and was in a right
state..."
I've had countless near misses and a few more serious cases of "I didn't see you" while cycling. It's not, I
didn't see you, in reality it's "I wasn't looking where I was going".
The police not attending is annoying, but this old man almost lost his life because someone couldn't be bothered to pay attention when doing
what is probably the most dangerous thing she ever does.
adrian
"A witty saying proves nothing" Voltaire
http://jpsc.org.uk/forum/
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02GF74
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| posted on 29/11/08 at 06:30 PM |
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^^^ wot he said - it is not like he jumped in fornt of the car is it? - but he made it which is nice to hear.
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NS Dev
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| posted on 30/11/08 at 11:22 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by adithorp
"...The lady who had ran the old man down was being treated for shock – and rightly so, she genuinely hadn’t seen the guy and was in a right
state..."
I've had countless near misses and a few more serious cases of "I didn't see you" while cycling. It's not, I
didn't see you, in reality it's "I wasn't looking where I was going".
The police not attending is annoying, but this old man almost lost his life because someone couldn't be bothered to pay attention when doing
what is probably the most dangerous thing she ever does.
adrian
here here agreed totally!
In the modern "wrapped in cotton wool" society where its always somebody else's fault, people seem to forget that driving a car is
bloody dangerous, and does require brain engagement.
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retro car restoration and tuning
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Benzine
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| posted on 30/11/08 at 03:03 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by NS Dev
people seem to forget that driving a car is bloody dangerous, and does require brain engagement.
Absolutely, lots of people seem to be very distanced from the car/road with no idea how dangerous a tonne or two of metal can be when moving.
Glad to hear the old chap is making a recovery!
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