Did I do the right thing?

johnny_knoxvile

you should have given him a dilema...
told him it was the police or you were going to introduce him to the Gimp.

kylith

666irishguy wrote: »

What crime did the OP commit? The guy was plastered fair enough, that was wrong on the drivers part. The OP was just the last guy in a series of events that should have stopped the guy long before he ever ended up in the ditch. Did nobody behind him see him swerving all over the road? How many passed by the scene and didn't stop and report it? As far as I am concerned the OP can continue on with a clear conscience because the fact that the guy had already gotten into the car is proof that nobody gives a toss about stopping drink driving or still don't have a fear of being caught. My post might shock you, but it's the reality of what people do when they encounter something like that.

I'm fairly sure that failing to report a crime is an offence.

Cody Pomeray

kylith wrote: »

I'm fairly sure that failing to report a crime is an offence.

It's only an offence if you act with intent to impede the apprehension or prosecution, or agree not to provide the prosecution with evidence. (Section 7 & 8 Criminal Justice Act

Simply knowing about a crime of this nature and not reporting, no, that's not an offence.

Towing the drunken man's car away is more shaky in terms of Section 7 of the Act, but still probably not an offence.

pickarooney

I can imagine the cops' response when he reports the crashed car and there's no sign of the perpetrator.

A one-armed man did it, you say? Sure, Kimble.
Bake him away, toys!

I would do the same as the op did, I'd have helped him out and left the Guards out of it.

looking_around

humberklog wrote: »

I simply don't believe anyone, that hasn't been in the situation, saying that they'd automatically call the police or ambulance.

The OP comes across as an average decent person and this is what he did. I think it's what most people would do but not what most people would think they would do.

It is ok not to believe people expressing an intent that haven't been in the situation.

Thanks for the assumption. :cool:
I have been in a similar situation. And people need to "expect" themselves to call the cops. So that they do so, when something like this happens.
It's not like he only had a few minutes to make the choice.

And more so, an ambulance should've been his frst choice on seeing the crash. I mean people have mobile fones, on his way to check out the crash, he should've been dialing emergencies too.

666irishguy wrote: »

The Op did nothing wrong. .

Actually, NOT reporting a crime is wrong.

It's about the fact, that you're saying that what they did was "ok". That drunk driving is ok. Thats exactly what one is saying when these incidents aren't reported.

Cody Pomeray

looking_around wrote: »

NOT reporting a crime, is against the law.

Not reporting certain major crimes like terrorism and child sex abuse is against the law.

What law do you have specifically in mind causing you to make the above, seemingly blanket suggestion?

looking_around

Cody Pomeray wrote: »

Not reporting certain major crimes like terrorism and child sex abuse is against the law.

What law do you have specifically in mind causing you to make the above, seemingly blanket suggestion?

Okay my apologies, that it isn't "illegal", but it certainly is wrong.

looking_around

looking_around wrote: »

What I don't get is WHY calling the police/ambulance isn't an automatic response?

It certainly is for me. And should be for everyone. Otherwise we're trying to exempt ourselves from blame. But we're not exempt. Not reporting the crime, makes us as much at fault as he who did the crime.

I don't think any decent person would have got the guards involved in this to be honest.

looking_around

Allison Powerful Combat wrote: »

I don't think any decent person would have got the guards involved in this to be honest.

So you ARE saying drunk driving is ok?

--Kaiser--

Allison Powerful Combat wrote: »

I don't think any decent person would have got the guards involved in this to be honest.

I don't think anyone but an amoral scumbag would NOT call the Gardai

--Kaiser--

--Kaiser-- wrote: »

I don't anyone but an amoral scumbag would NOT call the Gardai

I can guarantee you the vast majority of people would not call the guards.

looking_around wrote: »

So you ARE saying drunk driving is ok?

No but I wouldn't land someone in trouble in this situation either. Do you sit in your local pub and ring the guards every time you see someone driving home after a few pints?

Clandestine

Allison Powerful Combat wrote: »

No but I wouldn't land someone in trouble in this situation either. Do you sit in your local pub and ring the guards every time you see someone driving home after a few pints?

If they are breaking the law, why shouldn't someone do that?

Clandestine

Clandestine wrote: »

If they are breaking the law, why shouldn't someone do that?

You have obviously never been in a country local, you would be ran out of town if it was known you were reporting people like that.

Grandpa Hassan

Allison Powerful Combat wrote: »

I can guarantee you the vast majority of people would not call the guards.

I agree with that. But also think that the vast majority of people would not go out of their way to help the scumbag out either

kylith

Allison Powerful Combat wrote: »

No but I wouldn't land someone in trouble in this situation either. Do you sit in your local pub and ring the guards every time you see someone driving home after a few pints?

People should report drink drivers, that way maybe there'd be fewer of them. If you are honestly saying that they shouldn't be reported then, well, I hope no-one in your family gets killed by one.

--Kaiser--

Allison Powerful Combat wrote: »

I can guarantee you the vast majority of people would not call the guards.

Then the vast majority are cowardly scumbags

Big Nasty

OP was there a bang of drink off this chap or could he possibly have been on heavy medication?

S28382

MCMLXXV wrote: »

OP was there a bang of drink off this chap or could he possibly have been on heavy medication?

I bet he was on medication and had a few jars which messed him up even more, a friend of mine is on medication and when he drinks he gets so messed up he fights with his own shadow.

Ush1

Odysseus wrote: »

Please re-read post, I stated he did the right thing by seeing if anyone needed medical attention. As for the report I left that to his own morals.

However, neither person would be going to jail and no one will be, no matter how strong your personal opinion is.

But that's the point of the thread, was he right from a moral point of view? Nobody is saying he shouldn't have checked if people were okay. C'mon now, mister mod of the psychology forum....?

Grandpa Hassan

Grandpa Hassan wrote: »

I agree with that. But also think that the vast majority of people would not go out of their way to help the scumbag out either

Agreed, I would probably have checked that he was ok and gone on my way rather than helping him as much as the op did, If he was badly injured I would have called an ambulance otherwise I just leave him alone.

looking_around

Allison Powerful Combat wrote: »

No but I wouldn't land someone in trouble in this situation either. Do you sit in your local pub and ring the guards every time you see someone driving home after a few pints?

But NOT reporting is the same as saying that it's perfectly ok and acceptable behaviour.
These people are putting themselves AND others at serious risk and deserve any legal repercussions they get.
And if you know someone is in that situation, AND they do end up injuring someone, than YOU are as much to blame as they are, for you could have stopped it.

Odysseus

Ush1 wrote: »

But that's the point of the thread, was he right from a moral point of view? Nobody is saying he shouldn't have checked if people were okay. C'mon now, mister mod of the psychology forum....?

Look at the post I quoted, and see how that poster quoted me, then you may understand my post.

I refused to judge the right or wrong of the situation for the OP than is up to him and his personal morals.

I did in another post give my personal experience of reporting crimes in the past and also of not reporting others. If I see a person leave my clinic I cannot report them as a staff member, I can report them as a concerned member of the public.

I don'tknow if I would have reported this person, I think not, but then again I think have if I experienced. However, each incident is different and as I was not there I don't think Ican give an honest answer on it.

As to the OP, I don't see his action as wrong, but it is up to him to decide whether he was right or wrong I cannot and will not do that for him.

That ok Mr poster...?

Ush1

Odysseus wrote: »

Look at the post I quoted, and see how that poster quoted me, then you may understand my post.

I refused to judge the right or wrong of the situation for the OP than is up to him and his personal morals.

I did in another post give my personal experience of reporting crimes in the past and also of not reporting others. If I see a person leave my clinic I cannot report them as a staff member, I can report them as a concerned member of the public.

I don'tknow if I would have reported this person, I think not, but then again I think have if I experienced. However, each incident is different and as I was not there I don't think Ican give an honest answer on it.

As to the OP, I don't see his action as wrong, but it is up to him to decide whether he was right or wrong I cannot and will not do that for him.

That ok Mr poster...?

Not really. Maybe I'm talking to the wrong person, does morality come under psychology or philosophy?

Gonzovision

Same thing happened to me a few years ago, except the guy nearly hit us but swerved at the last second and ended up in the ditch. He got out and tried to pull the car out......by hand. Called the guards and waited until they brought the POS away.

JustAThought

Everyone is giving the guy who bothered to stop at the scene of an accident & help a stranger a really hard time. Bothering to help someone is not a normal reaction for people these days
& I'll bet after The Hammering he's been getting here that he never stops again. People are Human. The OP was in an unusual position to help with a tow truck and so he did. The car was a specially modified one for a one armed disabled driver. It's not as thou he could have borrowed someone else's and drove back the next day.

The OP was showing a bit of compassion & helping a stranger . Yes - on reflection the OP thought he should or could have done things differently and may yet . But maybe you all could give him for credit for being a good Samaritan & bothering . As for the next time he sees a car in a ditch - you can be sure hell probably remember all this and just drive on by. And THAT could be somebody's child or daughter or husband - dying in a ditch with no-one bothered.

Give him a break.
No doubt this being Ireland the keyboard warriors that really care can ring around all the wheelchair modification certified garages & make inquiries as to whether a one armed man towed his car in this morning with a big bruise on his head & track him Down & report him to the gAurds themselves.

( wasn't there a long running TV series & subsequent film with Harrison Ford made on a similar theme?)

National manhunt .over .

Odysseus

Ush1 wrote: »

Not really. Maybe I'm talking to the wrong person, does morality come under psychology or philosophy?

Under both really, but then it depends as to which school of moral philosphy you subscribe to. None has been shown to have the ultimate say on personal ethics.

bren50c

JustAThought wrote: »

Everyone is giving the guy who bothered to stop at the scene of an accident & help a stranger a really hard time. Bothering to help someone is not a normal reaction for people these days
& I'll bet after The Hammering he's been getting here that he never stops again. People are Human. The OP was in an unusual position to help with a tow truck and so he did. The car was a specially modified one for a one armed disabled driver. It's not as thou he could have borrowed someone else's and drove back the next day.

The OP was showing a bit of compassion & helping a stranger . Yes - on reflection the OP thought he should or could have done things differently and may yet . But maybe you all could give him for credit for being a good Samaritan & bothering . As for the next time he sees a car in a ditch - you can be sure hell probably remember all this and just drive on by. And THAT could be somebody's child or daughter or husband - dying in a ditch with no-one bothered.

Give him a break.
No doubt this being Ireland the keyboard warriors that really care can ring around all the wheelchair modification certified garages & make inquiries as to whether a one armed man towed his car in this morning with a big bruise on his head & track him Down & report him to the gAurds themselves.

( wasn't there a long running TV series & subsequent film with Harrison Ford made on a similar theme?)

National manhunt .over .

People are shocked by the fact that some take the view that "oh he just helped the poor guy that got smashed and then proceeded to drive into a wall" . This is not just some guy who happened to crash his car. I think when driving drunk is no longer socially acceptable that will be a good thing.

southsiderosie

JustAThought wrote: »

Everyone is giving the guy who bothered to stop at the scene of an accident & help a stranger a really hard time. Bothering to help someone is not a normal reaction for people these days
& I'll bet after The Hammering he's been getting here that he never stops again. People are Human. The OP was in an unusual position to help with a tow truck and so he did. The car was a specially modified one for a one armed disabled driver. It's not as thou he could have borrowed someone else's and drove back the next day.

The OP was showing a bit of compassion & helping a stranger . Yes - on reflection the OP thought he should or could have done things differently and may yet . But maybe you all could give him for credit for being a good Samaritan & bothering . As for the next time he sees a car in a ditch - you can be sure hell probably remember all this and just drive on by. And THAT could be somebody's child or daughter or husband - dying in a ditch with no-one bothered.

Well, this is rather melodramatic.

If in this instance, or your hypothetical, the OP just called the guards to say that there appears to be an accident and there is a dazed-looking man next to his car in a ditch, gave the location, and then kept it moving, that would have been sufficient. Stopping to help is nice, but helping a drunk driver cover up his crime is shocking, frankly.

kylith

JustAThought wrote: »

Everyone is giving the guy who bothered to stop at the scene of an accident & help a stranger a really hard time. Bothering to help someone is not a normal reaction for people these days
& I'll bet after The Hammering he's been getting here that he never stops again. People are Human. The OP was in an unusual position to help with a tow truck and so he did. The car was a specially modified one for a one armed disabled driver. It's not as thou he could have borrowed someone else's and drove back the next day.

The OP was showing a bit of compassion & helping a stranger . Yes - on reflection the OP thought he should or could have done things differently and may yet . But maybe you all could give him for credit for being a good Samaritan & bothering . As for the next time he sees a car in a ditch - you can be sure hell probably remember all this and just drive on by. And THAT could be somebody's child or daughter or husband - dying in a ditch with no-one bothered.

And that could be somebody's child or daughter or husband that the drunk driver kills next time he gets into a car too drunk to stand. The OP reporting him may sound harsh, but it's by far the better option in the long run; for the driver, and for society in general. No-one is lambasting the OP for stopping to help, just saying that when he realised that the driver was drunk he should have called the authorities; it could have taken this driver off the road and potentially saved someone's life.