Did I do the right thing?

gramar

Did I do the right thing?

On the way home yesterday I saw a car that had lost control and was wedged in a field
just off the road. I stopped to see if they were ok. The guy who was driving (he was on his own)was not to put too fine a point on it..scuttered. No damage been done to himself or anyone else and the car wasn't in a dangerous place but if the gaurdias had arrived he was in serious shít as he was way over the limit.

When he got out of the car he could barely stand and was a bit dazed due to the drink and the knock he took. He stumbled a few times and as I caught him by the arm as he stumbled it felt odd, kind of hard. I asked him if he had his arm in plaster and he told me he was missing an arm and he had a kind of plastic arm. The car was automatic and was set up for his disability but in his state and with one arm he wasn't fit to look at a car let alone get behind the wheel.

I got him to call a friend which wasn't easy as he hadn't got his wits about him. Frankly it was like talking to a child. His friend came but it was impossible for us to move his car from where it was so I rang a guy I know with a tow truck who got the car out and his friends son drove it home while he went with his friend.

I did the guy a favour but I'm not happy about it. He shouldn't have been on the road and he could have caused a serious accident to me a loved one or anyone other innocent road user. So my question is if I did the right thing or not? Should I have shopped him? He would have lost his license for 2 years and had to pay a serious fine and would have had to
apply for his license again etc. If he had previous he would have been looking at jail. The only thing that makes me feel any better is that hopefully it was one off but if I found out he was at this shít the whole time I'd be furious with myself for helping him out.
What would other people have done?

Kylo Ren

Time will tell. If he does it again and kills someone it'll be partly your fault.

Have a nice day.

IM0

NO

Nabber

I would have recorded it all and put it up on youtube.

May have shamed him into not doing it anymore, would have been funny too.

tfitzgerald

Keno 92 wrote: »

Time will tell. If he does it again and kills someone it'll be partly your fault.

Have a nice day.

I agree with keno. If he was that bad you should have called the Garda. I have no time for people who fcuk around in cars. As a result of a little fcuke in a stolen car hitting me head on a few years ago. I'm still not recovered over his little joyride

Should have reported him tbh

Chuck Stone

Hitler.

Dravokivich

gramar wrote: »

Should I have shopped him? He would have lost his license for 2 years and had to pay a serious fine and would have had to apply for his license again etc.

Yes, the consequences of his actions that he has to face are his own fault. All he's suffered from this is the loss of an arm and possibly needing to buy another car.

neonman

Personally I would have called the Garda. Nobody should drink and drive full stop. He could have caused a serious accident or even killed someone. His disability shouldn't have been a factor in your decision not to call the Garda imo.

You could always call them if you have his reg number or details? Maybe put the spooks up him, he can't be done for drink driving now but it might deter him from doing it again if the Garda pay him a visit.

Valetta

Shopped is too emotional.

You should have reported a crime.

Ms. Pingui

I probably would have called the guards if I was in that situation.

Arciphel

But on the other hand, he might be a good driver.

(I'll just get me coat)

LostDamo

I don't think this was the right thing by any stretch of the imagination, not only that but think you've assisted in covering up the accident and any damage he did. Also guarantee it's not a one off.

tfitzgerald

Arciphel wrote: »

But on the other hand, he might be a good driver.

(I'll just get me coat)

Thank you. For bringing a smile to my face on this otherwise dreary morning.

Whatever_fools

I know its maybe easier said than done but being a bit of a skeptic I very much doubt that this was the first time and there's just no way I wouldn't have called the guards. Imagine if he did it again and cleaned a child out of it. People like this deserve to be off the road for 2 years, they deserve to lose their licenses. If you had caught him breaking into someones house, which wouldn't even really be life threatening behaviour, would you have let him away with it? Sorry, I totally disagree with your decision.

KeithTS

Should have left the prick by the side of the road once you found out he was pickled.

Fart

Chuck Stone, why do you have a pair of dangling testicles at the end of your "Location"?

JustAThought

Fair dues to you for stopping & helping .

If he was scuttered the chances are that there are no traces if it left in his blood now , and i dont know if the guards would have any chance of getting him.

The guy could say the incoherence was due to head injury/medication - tou mentioned that he was disabled - he might be on some tablets .

You acted in good faith & helped him -tow truck etc.

What you could do is report the incident to the guards on the basis above. You cam be sure the insurance company will be interested.

It may be the fright he needs never to do it again - but there is a big difference between 1 over & scuttered.

I still have issues from " my" crash driver not being as lucky as he was - that was 3 years ago .

Did you get his name/number/reg.

You could follow up & see how remorseful/his attitude today -could be the basis for a judgement call.

It kind of hinges on that -I wonder dies he have previous convictions.

gramar

Whatever_fools wrote: »

I know its maybe easier said than done but being a bit of a skeptic I very much doubt that this was the first time and there's just no way I wouldn't have called the guards. Imagine if he did it again and cleaned a child out of it. People like this deserve to be off the road for 2 years, they deserve to lose their licenses. If you had caught him breaking into someones house, which wouldn't even really be life threatening behaviour, would you have let him away with it? Sorry, I totally disagree with your decision.

Don't be sorry! I disagree with my decision but I did what I did or didn't do as was the case. A crime is a crime whether you're caught or not.

December2012

No.

You should have (and maybe still can) call the gardai.

It probably wouldn't been the only thing that actually saves his own and others lives in the future.

michael.dublin

gramar..... lets say, that the next time this person is drink driving, and he hit one of your family members, ask yourself..... did i do the right thing ?????

Chuck Stone

Fart wrote: »

Chuck Stone, why do you have a pair of dangling testicles at the end of your "Location"?

Ah sure why not?

fryup

Keno 92 wrote: »

Time will tell. If he does it again and kills someone it'll be partly your fault.

Have a nice day.

yep, next time he might crash into you OP karma

KeithTS

Just out of interest, how did his mate react?

GarIT

Honestly I think you deserve at least a driving ban yourself.

Esoteric_

You should have reported it. This isnt a case of someone luckily making it home safely while drink driving. The bloke crashed ffs, what if there had been a person there??

the_syco

gramar wrote: »

On the way home yesterday I saw a car that had lost control and was wedged in a field
just off the road. I stopped to see if they were ok. The guy who was driving (he was on his own)was not to put too fine a point on it..scuttered. No damage been done to himself or anyone else and the car wasn't in a dangerous place but if the gaurdias had arrived he was in serious shít as he was way over the limit.

This time he hit a field. Next time it may be a person or another car.

Did you check for any blood at the front of the cars bumper?

kfk

If it was me, I would have called the garda. He should have been handcuffed and put in the back of their car instead of a friends car.

gramar

JustAThought wrote: »

Fair dues to you for stopping & helping .

If he was scuttered the chances are that there are no traces if it left in his blood now , and i dont know if the guards would have any chance of getting him.

The guy could say the incoherence was due to head injury/medication - tou mentioned that he was disabled - he might be on some tablets .

You acted in good faith & helped him -tow truck etc.

What you could do is report the incident to the guards on the basis above. You cam be sure the insurance company will be interested.

It may be the fright he needs never to do it again - but there is a big difference between 1 over & scuttered.

I still have issues from " my" crash driver not being as lucky as he was - that was 3 years ago .

Did you get his name/number/reg.

You could follow up & see how remorseful/his attitude today -could be the basis for a judgement call.

It kind of hinges on that -I wonder dies he have previous convictions.

He had a mark on his forehead even though he said he didn't feel any pain (probably the alcohol) but he must have whacked it off the windscreen or steering wheel. Now that I think of it he almost certainly did. He told me that having one arm means he's exempt from wearing a seatbelt. The knock he took and the fact he had arm no doubt messed with his balance but drink was the main factor.

I know his name, his friends name where he works, what he does and I have his phone number and I'll ring him today to see if his attitude is one of remorse and regret or just delighted he got away with it and he'll do it again tonight.

December2012

Actually, the more I think if this the more pissed off I am at you.

Tell me OP, what do you think of religious orders not reporting crimes to the Gardai, and just saying "ah sure they won't do it the next time".

The Backwards Man

Too many people have the Ah shure it was grand .

Sometimes it isn't grand. Report it today OP.

hyperborean

Do the right thing and report it now,

gramar

KeithTS wrote: »

Just out of interest, how did his mate react?

His mate was alright, he kept his cool but obviously embarrassed that his friend had gotten into this state. He didn't berate him there and then but it wouldn't have helped given the state his friend was in. I hope he'll take him to one side and make sure he realises he seriously fúcked up.

Esoteric_

Op, I just noticed you said you're going to ring him and see if he's
remorseful or not.
Who gives a fcuk if he's remorse or not?! Should muggers and rapists be let off scot free if they realise they made a mistake and feel rubbish about it?

Ffs, do the right thing and report it today. I hate attitudes like this.

Drkitkat

Reporting it now, would be a bit sneaky. You could also potentially get yourself in trouble. You acted as you thought fit at the time, just leave it at that.

Havermeyer

Drkitkat wrote: »

Reporting it now, would be a bit sneaky. You could also potentially get yourself in trouble. You acted as you thought fit at the time, just leave it at that.

Is that you, one armed bandit? :-D

gramar

Reporting it now wouldn't really change anything would it? Would it even be followed up? No-one is going to deny that the right thing to do was call straight away but I saw the situation first hand and took the decision I took. It's completely hypocritical because I don't drink and drive and certainly don't condone it and I can think of at least two times over the years where I have helped to wrestle car keys off someone who had too much to drink and wanted to drive.

Esoteric_

You won't know if reporting it would be any use unless you REPORT IT.

Clandestine

No
Report it, right now.

The next time it might not be a ditch he goes into, it might be a person....

The Backwards Man

gramar wrote: »

Reporting it now wouldn't really change anything would it? Would it even be followed up? No-one is going to deny that the right thing to do was call straight away but I saw the situation first hand and took the decision I took. It's completely hypocritical becausfRe I don't drink and drive and certainly don't condone it and I can think of at least two times over the years where I have helped to wrestle car keys off someone who had too much to drink and wanted to drive.

Well, they won't get him on a drink drive charge, but a couple of guards coming round his house for a word wouldn't do any harm, would it?

Odysseus

OP you did the right thing in seeing if anyone needed help or medical treatment. As to the reporting aspect well that is for you and you alone to decide.

Reporting it now will not achieve a thing, it cannot be established if the person was intoxicated.

All you can do is learn from your experience and hope you respond in a way that sits with your morals if you encounter a similar situatiion again.

Cody Pomeray

The Backwards Man wrote: »

Too many people have the Ah shure it was grand .

Who? Not anybody on this thread....

I don't think "it was grand" but I would have done the same as the OP.

Maybe the OP was wrong but I don't think I would have called the Gardaí either. It's not even something I think would have occurred to me to do, if I came across this man. I'd probably make sure he was embarrassed about it the next day, but I wouldn't have reported it.

KeithTS

Odysseus wrote: »

As to the reporting aspect well that is for you and you alone to decide.

Is it though?
Surely there is some responsibility on all of us to report such things?

None of us here have a right to bitch and moan about the state of the place or people going out killing others when driving drunk if we don't assume some responsibility to do the right thing in these situations.

We all have our place in keeping the roads safe and reporting things like this is pretty integral to that I'd imagine.

kylith

I'm with the rest, OP, you should have shopped him. Even just calling an ambulance, which in fairness you should have done after coming across an accident where the person involved is in no state to tell you if they're ok, would have done the trick.

Odysseus

KeithTS wrote: »

Is it though?
Surely there is some responsibility on all of us to report such things?

None of us here have a right to bitch and moan about the state of the place or people going out killing others when driving drunk if we don't assume some responsibility to do the right thing in these situations.

We all have our place in keeping the roads safe and reporting things like this is pretty integral to that I'd imagine.

I think not, it is up to the subject to decide in my opinion. In the course of my work I learn of many crimes which I can't report, in my private life it is up to me to respond as I see fit.

At the end of the day I am the one who has to live with the decision. In cases like this it is very easy to look objectively at events and say I would have acted this way.

However, when the situation is occuring things can happen so fast, people can experience shock and only after when they have time to reflect, they see the other options that they should or should not have taken.

That is why first responders train and train and train over and over again; because in these situation few people think straight.

As to reporting, I have found that the decision to report is not as easy as some may like to think it is. I have made many reports over the years, there are also cases where I did not report for various reasons, these have included my own safety and that of others.

At the end of the day for me inanyway it is a personal decision but one the individual should take personal responsibility for.

gramar

kylith wrote: »

I'm with the rest, OP, you should have shopped him. Even just calling an ambulance, which in fairness you should have done after coming across an accident where the person involved is in no state to tell you if they're ok, would have done the trick.

The first thing I was going to do was call the ambulance as when I saw him almost fall out of the car I thought he was concussed and I had the phone in my hand. He insisted he was alright and physically (missing arm apart) he was ok.

Cody Pomeray

gramar wrote: »

The first thing I was going to do was call the ambulance as when I saw him almost fall out of the car I thought he was concussed and I had the phone in my hand. He insisted he was alright and physically (missing arm apart) he was ok.

Might be interesting to know how he lost the arm.....!

poldebruin

...never mind the Gardai, OP should simply have called an ambulance. Plenty of people take a knock to the head, make it home and die later.

You would have done the right thing, and you wouldn't have had to "shop" this guy to the Gardai. (although he obviously would have ended up in Garda custody, albeit indirectly)

humberklog

It's refreshing to see a "Did I do the right thing?" thread that isn't karma hunting.

I think you did the normal thing OP, being at the scene of an accident is an unusual and stressful situation and one's reaction should be to see to it that all involved are ok.

Calling the police would have been the correct thing to do but I don't think it would have been such an automatic response as many people seem to think it would be.

You did the normal thing OP. Reacted to the immediate situation.

Freddy Smelly

i'd have called the gardai... cos he will likely drive drunk again... he may not have injured anyone this time... but driving drunk while having a disability is even more of a danger than drunk driving without a disability and next time it could be far worse... he could hit a child, person or another vehicle killing them.

driving drunk reduces your reaction times... driving drunk with a disability would be even worse as not only is his reaction times reduced but the physical ability to regain an out of control car would be practically non existant

Ilik Urgee

How many of us would've done the same thing as you OP? I would and have. He was a very lucky boy the same fellow, instances from a burning death and pissed as a fart.

And btw well done!