Have you ever gone to extreme measures in order to avoid something/someone?

SkyBlueClouds

Have you ever gone to extreme measures in order to avoid something/someone?

Most i've ever had to do is tell a white lie for why i'm not meeting a friend at the cinema, or fake a migrane for the sake of avoiding housework.

This guy faked illness and coma for two years :eek:

LONDON (AP) — He might have got away with it if it hadn't been for his supermarket loyalty card.

A British fraudster who pretended to be quadriplegic and sometimes comatose for two years to avoid prosecution has been convicted after police caught him on camera driving and strolling around supermarkets.

Alan Knight of Swansea, Wales, stole more than 40,000 pounds ($64,000) from the bank account of an elderly neighbor with Alzheimer's disease, prosecutors said.


When police began investigating, the 47-year-old Knight claimed to be quadriplegic and so sick he sometimes fell into a coma. He checked himself into a hospital to avoid court appearances, saying he was having seizures.
The South Wales Evening Post reported Wednesday that the suspect's wife, Helen Knight, had written to the newspaper saying her husband had obtained a doctor's letter certifying he was "quadriplegic and in a comatose condition, bed-bound at home" after a neck injury.


"We've been through absolute hell and we're still going through hell," she wrote, according to the newspaper.



Knight's deceit was uncovered when police tracked the use of his supermarket card, and produced surveillance camera footage of him walking and driving.


Warned that the trial would go ahead whether he was present or not, Knight arrived at Swansea Crown Court Tuesday in a wheelchair and neck brace. Faced with the video evidence, he pleaded guilty to 19 counts of forgery, fraud and theft. His wife has not been charged with any offense.
Judge Paul Thomas said Knight was "a very accomplished and determined actor ... and the conditions he claims to be suffering from are simply nonexistent."


"His illnesses coincide with impending court appearances. I do not believe the symptoms are genuine," the judge was quoted as saying by the South Wales Evening Post.

Tokyo

So he avoided facing reality by sitting in a chair and napping a lot?

Sounds familiar....

I was in court once for speeding, and when the judge asked me what I had to say about it I said the speed crept up and I didn't notice but I should have, so I had no excuse and I apologised. He halved the fine because I took responsibility for my actions and apologised. Honesty was the best policy there.

I'll leave the comas and the paralysis for the seasoned professionals.

hairyprincess

I once drove four miles out of my way to avoid giving someone a lift. She's a nasty, dodgy character that one would not wish to have in ones car.

mike_ie

mike_ie wrote: »

So he avoided facing reality by sitting in a chair and napping a lot?

Sounds familiar....

Whenever my dad is asked to do anything in the house, he pretends he's dozed off.

This guy has taken it to extremes though .

YFlyer

SkyBlueClouds wrote: »

Have you ever gone to extreme measures in order to avoid something/someone?

Yeah left a full pint behind to avoid somebody that just walked into the pub.

SkyBlueClouds

YFlyer wrote: »

Yeah left a full pint behind to avoid somebody that just walked into the pub.

Must have been someone really awful to avoid drinking a full pint :eek:

SameDiff

I leave the country for a week when a "Boards Beers" is announced.

If I want to spend a night drinking pints with the overweight, I can move to Mexico.

YFlyer

SkyBlueClouds wrote: »

Must have been someone really awful to avoid drinking a full pint :eek:

It worked out cheaper leaving the pint behind.

Son Of A Vidic

SkyBlueClouds wrote: »

Have you ever gone to extreme measures in order to avoid something/someone?

Reminds me of my best mate. We'd often forge notes to sign out of school or to cover a day we missed. At the start of 5th year, he brought in a note from his mum to cover a Friday he missed. The note like all our notes was forged and as usual, they always passed the highest scrutiny.

Anyway, the teacher reads my best mate's note and her face goes white. The teaches calls my mate outside the class, eventually both come back in and everything continues as normal. I assumed he said someone died in the note and thought nothing of it. A couple of days later, the Principal interrupts our class and calls my mate outside. About 10 minutes later, my mate comes in, gathers his books and bag. Looks at me and says "That's me fúcked now." and off he goes.

After school I called straight to his house and asked him Wtf happened? And then he tells me. When he handed the teacher the note on the Monday morning, he wanted to have an excuse that would cover him for the school year. An excuse that would keep teachers of his back and cover all angles. So he decided to forge a note in his mother's hand writing. Telling them that her son was very sick, yes apparently he had cancer. He was terminally ill and the doctors didn't know how long he had left. So when he handed the note to the teacher, the teacher goes white, called him outside to offer her support and express her sorrow.

But what my genius mate didn't factor in was, the teacher notifying all her colleagues. And several days later the Principal ringing his mum to offer his support, apologised for not knowing her son was sick and not realising he had little time left. Needless to say his life became a living hell for the rest of that year. And how I loved bringing that up in my bestman speech a few years ago.:D

cloud493

When I was in school, there were these girls who enjoyed making vaguely nasty comments to me at the train station (vague form of bullying I guess) , so I used to get on the train going the other way, get off the next stop, then get on the train going back the other way, and avoid seeing them at all.

The Strawman Argument

I hated gaelic football and my school had it as the sole option for PE for a few years. If you turned up without gear you were stuck spending the whole class chasing after balls that were kicked out, which was arguably worse (having to go through long grass getting soaked and all). So to avoid doing PE in first year of secondary school, I used to excuse myself to the bathroom right beforehand and climb out the bathroom window to hide in a shed for the two hours.
After several weeks of this I discovered I could just wander down into town and no one would give a f*ck.





Also miss my bus pretty much every time I've needed to get back home in time for a removal, it's really weird because I'm generally very punctual!

--LOS--

I'm very good at avoiding things all right In a less dramatic fashion than that lad though! He took it to a whole new level

Email and post is tricky though, I go through periods of just not logging into my email, if there's something there I don't want to deal with I can't even bring myself to open it and read it, it's stupid but sometimes I've had to ask someone else to open my mail and tell me what it says.

Wompa1

I didn't drink in school. Turned 18 and my dad wanted to bring me for my first legal pint...which would have been my first pint ever. I said, I wasn't interested.

When I was 19, I was at a family event with a bunch of grandkids. I was told since I was the only adult that wasn't drinking, I'd have to look after all of the kids.

I went to the bar and had my first drink ever and proceeded to get sh1t faced.

IrishExpat

Have also left a pub mid-pint, to avoid a row. Small town bull***t many a moon ago. Was a hot-head back then (still am a bit tbh) and knew I would have risen to any comments, so just left.

SkyBlueClouds

Wompa1 wrote: »

I didn't drink in school. Turned 18 and my dad wanted to bring me for my first legal pint...which would have been my first pint ever. I said, I wasn't interested.

When I was 19, I was at a family event with a bunch of grandkids. I was told since I was the only adult that wasn't drinking, I'd have to look after all of the kids.

I went to the bar and had my first drink ever and proceeded to get sh1t faced.

I also refused aclochol, untill similar circumstanes!

endacl

hairyprincess wrote: »

I once drove four miles out of my way to avoid giving someone a lift. She's a nasty, dodgy character that one would not wish to have in ones car.

Could you not have just said 'I'm not giving you a lift'?

Duff

Went to college the other end of the country to get away from my ex. Best decision ever.

unichick

Moved home to Ireland when I split up with an ex. He then moved here. We nearly got back together due to his persistence but thank God I came to my senses. He was an abusive little prat.

Sunnyisland

A few weeks ago, I knew this :friend: of mine be knocking on my door looking for me, so I parked my car in a hotel car park and walked home and kept the blinds down...

nlgbbbblth

My friend Mr A bought a house at the wrong time (2006). It cost him €200,000 and he regretted it fairly quickly.

One of our closest friends Mr B decided not to buy at the boom. He thought he was better off renting for a few more years. In 2012 he bought a house in the same estate as the Mr A. It cost €100,000. However he delayed moving in for a few months and continued renting because he didn't want to have to tell Mr A about it. He didn't want to rub Mr A's nose in it and annoy him.

tomwaterford

nlgbbbblth wrote: »

My friend Mr A bought a house at the wrong time (2006). It cost him €200,000 and he regretted it fairly quickly.

One of our closest friends Mr B decided not to buy at the boom. He thought he was better off renting for a few more years. In 2012 he bought a house in the same estate as the Mr A. It cost €100,000. However he delayed moving in for a few months and continued renting because he didn't want to have to tell Mr A about it. He didn't want to rub Mr A's nose in it and annoy him.

Fair play to him makes a change from usual smug arrogance that happens around house purchases!!!

Sounds a top chap

Calibos

nlgbbbblth wrote: »

My friend Mr A bought a house at the wrong time (2006). It cost him €200,000 and he regretted it fairly quickly.

One of our closest friends Mr B decided not to buy at the boom. He thought he was better off renting for a few more years. In 2012 he bought a house in the same estate as the Mr A. It cost €100,000. However he delayed moving in for a few months and continued renting because he didn't want to have to tell Mr A about it. He didn't want to rub Mr A's nose in it and annoy him.

...and MR A probably doesn't want to rub it in that he's probably paying less per month than Mr B even though he borrowed double the amount because he's on a tracker and Mr B is on a much higher variable rate....

Duff

Calibos wrote: »

...and MR A probably doesn't want to rub it in that he's probably paying less per month than Mr B even though he borrowed double the amount because he's on a tracker and Mr B is on a much higher variable rate....

I genuinely don't know what a tracker mortgage is.

LeBash

Yeah, im Alan Knight so i dont need to explain what i did. The OP did it for me

rafa05

hairyprincess wrote: »

I once drove four miles out of my way to avoid giving someone a lift. She's a nasty, dodgy character that one would not wish to have in ones car.

I've done that before to, I was coming up to a junction and about to turn right. I seen this girl I knew and she seen me. So I indicated left as I had just farted and the car was stinking.

KomradeBishop

Sometimes when I was having a particularly shíte time at school, yet could not stay at home as my parents would be there, would go for a 5-8 hour long walk instead; learned to like long walks :pac:

COYVB

Kinley Scruffy Renter wrote: »

When charity/sales people call to the door I look at them and still say "My mams not in"

I'm just an awful ignorant bugger to them tbh

SkyBlueClouds

COYVB wrote: »

I'm just an awful ignorant bugger to them tbh

Most i've ever come to is telesales. Lasted a month. Wouldn't wish those jobs on anyone - most of whom are doing it only for the money - it ain't east

Rubberlegs

When we first moved in together, a friend of himself took to calling every Saturday evening. He wasn't a bad chap, just tended to outstay his welcome, to the point of having to be led to the door to leave on one occasion. We took to turning out the lights, and making it look like we weren't home, when we saw his car. Great fun with a mad toddler, remember hiding behind sofa with her, telling her we were playing hide and seek! Mental looking back on it!

bb1234567

Corvus Maximus wrote: »

Reminds me of my best mate. We'd often forge notes to sign out of school or to cover a day we missed. At the start of 5th year, he brought in a note from his mum to cover a Friday he missed. The note like all our notes was forged and as usual, they always passed the highest scrutiny.

Anyway, the teacher reads my best mate's note and her face goes white. The teaches calls my mate outside the class, eventually both come back in and everything continues as normal. I assumed he said someone died in the note and thought nothing of it. A couple of days later, the Principal interrupts our class and calls my mate outside. About 10 minutes later, my mate comes in, gathers his books and bag. Looks at me and says "That's me fúcked now." and off he goes.

After school I called straight to his house and asked him Wtf happened? And then he tells me. When he handed the teacher the note on the Monday morning, he wanted to have an excuse that would cover him for the school year. An excuse that would keep teachers of his back and cover all angles. So he decided to forge a note in his mother's hand writing. Telling them that her son was very sick, yes apparently he had cancer. He was terminally ill and the doctors didn't know how long he had left. So when he handed the note to the teacher, the teacher goes white, called him outside to offer her support and express her sorrow.

But what my genius mate didn't factor in was, the teacher notifying all her colleagues. And several days later the Principal ringing his mum to offer his support, apologised for not knowing her son was sick and not realising he had little time left. Needless to say his life became a living hell for the rest of that year. And how I loved bringing that up in my bestman speech a few years ago.:D

Was he a bit slow?

bb1234567

In my old school in German class every friday we would have to present something to the class or recite something or whatever and it was a double german. I was so terrified of public speaking I would sit in the bathrrom for almost two hours every friday just so I didnt have to do it

Going Strong

73Cat wrote: »

When we first moved in together, a friend of himself took to calling every Saturday evening. He wasn't a bad chap, just tended to outstay his welcome, to the point of having to be led to the door to leave on one occasion. We took to turning out the lights, and making it look like we weren't home, when we saw his car. Great fun with a mad toddler, remember hiding behind sofa with her, telling her we were playing hide and seek! Mental looking back on it!

I used to do that as well. It was a friend of a friend who had serious mental health issues and would stay for days at a stretch if you let him in the door. Think Father Stone from Father Ted and you wouldn't be far off! Usually I'd spot him coming and pretend not to be in.

Only, one time as I was doing the garden, I saw him passing along the footpath so I dived into a large hydrangea bush. I could hear his footsteps on the gravel driveway and heard him ringing the doorbell before the footsteps started moving away once more. I was congratulating myself on my cunning plan until the branches parted and there he was looking down at me. I stammered out some sort of lame excuse and was stuck with him for the rest of the day.

branie2

I usually avoid dodgy areas in the daytime by going to the town centre

barneyrubble46

I try to avoid my husband as he has turned into a pain in the neck, so a long walk most mornings or a bike ride until he gets his sorry arse out of bed and out of the house does me just fine

FairytaleGirl

Not me but my brothers best friend. Ended up getting kicked out of uni for a year and just didnt tell his parents. He drove from Derry to Belfast and back every Monday - Friday for a whole school year. Spent his days playing Xbox in his friends student house. He went back and finished his degree the following year - graduated last summer. Still too afraid to tell his ma and da!

SkyBlueClouds

FairytaleGirl wrote: »

Not me but my brothers best friend. Ended up getting kicked out of uni for a year and just didnt tell his parents. He drove from Derry to Belfast and back every Monday - Friday for a whole school year. Spent his days playing Xbox in his friends student house. He went back and finished his degree the following year - graduated last summer. Still too afraid to tell his ma and da!

Jaysus that's extreme. What was his explanation for the extra year in college?

Lalealea

No, not personally.

But a friend of mine was going to a wedding where there was someone he did not want to be recognized by was going as a guest also. He grew a beard and it worked.

Mrs Garth Brooks

Crossed the road.

pharmaton

ooh. I bought a one way ticket to anywhere else and stayed there for six months.

Sinister Kid

I've hidden under my desk on nightmare customers more than once...

Ghost Buster

I hid behind the couch when i was 17...for two hours to avoid going to mass. My dad, totally uncharacteristically decided to come in, take a seat and watch a film.

Sunnyisland

“I walk down the street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I fall in.
I am lost... I am helpless.
It isn't my fault.
It takes forever to find a way out.

I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I pretend I don't see it.
I fall in again.
I can't believe I am in the same place.
But, it isn't my fault.
It still takes me a long time to get out.

I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I see it is there.
I still fall in. It's a habit.
My eyes are open.
I know where I am.
It is my fault. I get out immediately.

walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I walk around it.

I walk down another street.”

shruikan2553

I stayed in work for an extra 2 or 3 hours to avoid my housemate.

bodice ripper

when I was 10 I dropped a breeze block on my leg to get out of irish dancing...

aaronjumper

One of my friends had such a possessive ex that we all had to dodge her.

Going through a shop with my mother one day when I saw her, so I dove into a different aisle to hide. My mother came into the aisle and asked what the hell I was doing only to get shushed and waved away until I saw her leave.

Yearning4Stormy

--LOS-- wrote: »

I'm very good at avoiding things all right In a less dramatic fashion than that lad though! He took it to a whole new level

Email and post is tricky though, I go through periods of just not logging into my email, if there's something there I don't want to deal with I can't even bring myself to open it and read it, it's stupid but sometimes I've had to ask someone else to open my mail and tell me what it says.

Thank feck it's not just me! <squinty eyes at unopened post, defo bills and scary letters with the harp on them/>

tomwaterford

When I was in school I used to get collected half day most Wednesday in transition year to get out of activities because I taught they were **** and didn't like the people in my group

After a while the principal copped on and would try to make me go .....so I used just not bother getting him to sign the note from my parents or bother signing out...used just walk out.. Never told the parents or was never found out

Ice Storm

--LOS-- wrote: »

I'm very good at avoiding things all right In a less dramatic fashion than that lad though! He took it to a whole new level

Email and post is tricky though, I go through periods of just not logging into my email, if there's something there I don't want to deal with I can't even bring myself to open it and read it, it's stupid but sometimes I've had to ask someone else to open my mail and tell me what it says.

I can relate to this. I went through a period where I wouldn't listen to my voicemails because I couldn't face a particular message.

And I haven't logged into Facebook in a couple of weeks because I'm avoiding reading a message... no real loss there. :pac:

Going Strong

FairytaleGirl wrote: »

Not me but my brothers best friend. Ended up getting kicked out of uni for a year and just didnt tell his parents. He drove from Derry to Belfast and back every Monday - Friday for a whole school year. Spent his days playing Xbox in his friends student house. He went back and finished his degree the following year - graduated last summer. Still too afraid to tell his ma and da!

I knew someone who failed to get into CIT but told his parents that he'd got a place. He never wanted to go there as it was his father's idea so he deliberately messed up the application forms. Instead he spent his days in our student digs watching daytime telly and smoking joints. At the end of "First Year", he told his parents he'd failed his exams so that was that. They believed him too and never asked why no letters or what have you came to the house from the college.

osarusan

I used to live with 2 friends - we all worked in the same language school, in a flat we rented from the school owners. There was another teacher who moved in two floors above.

He was the first to move in, so he was living alone for a couple of months before others moved in. He used to come down to us every single night, and he was a constant motormouth who just talked about all the booze he drunk and women he slept with.

We used to lock the door, turn off all the lights except for the living room (which was on the balcony side, not the door side), and even went to the trouble of getting a curtain to hang over the door (it was one of those with a glass panel in it). We'd sit there quietly, waiting for him to knock, knock again, and again, before finally leaving.

It went on like that for a few months.

I actually became good friends with him once I moved out. He's not a bad guy when you only meet him once every couple of months.