What should you do?

ba_barabus

A slightly random one here guys so bear with me. Just pulled in at the services station North of the airport in the M1.

I nearly hit a car on the M50 that had stopped half on the hard shoulder and half in the over taking lane just before the M1/airport turn off.

Got a fright as the car, a black Audi A4 was very hard to see. Anyway after getting onto the M1 I decided I'd call 999 as it looked like people were stuck in the car.

The call turned out to be very frustrating. The person answered and I explained the problem to be told that they already knew about the car on fire and no need to keep calling. I explained I was calling about a different one. "Theres two????" Was the reply. I said no. Moving along to explain it again and I was asked for the junction number. I explain I missed it and didn't mnow. The same question subsequently got repeated 5 times. Each time I responded I didn't know. I described where it was, I only know of one northbound airport/M1 turn off on the m50 so I'd be surprised if it got confused with another one.

It the end the call ended with a thanks and I'll note it down from the call handler.

Surely they have maps they could look at? Hope the people stuck on the car are ok as it's pretty ****ty on it tonight. Obviously I'll keep an eye out for junction numbers again but I didn't revalling seeing one at the time but surely calls should be handled better than that?

Alanstrainor

Very surprising attitude by whoever answered, given it was an emergency call.

ba_barabus

Alanstrainor wrote: »

Very surprising attitude by whoever answered, given it was an emergency call.

I was pretty shocked by the incident and was trying to report it. M50 is pretty wet and where it was the traffic was moving pretty hard.

Incidentally I did pass the car on fire at the airport just as the fire brigades pulled up.

I'm assuming I did the right thing as far as I could or am I missing something here?

ironclaw

Pretty sure 112 is call centered now. Your generally not talking to 'an expert'. They are just routing your call. So you are dependent on them knowing where you are talking about if you don't know exactly where you are.

I generally just ask for the Gardai and state the nearest station area. The faster I'm through to them I find the better.

Stheno

That car was still there when I passed it twenty minutes ago it's just past junction four on the m50 northbound. The m50 have a dedicated rescue service who will be sent out as soon as the control room see tthecar on cctv

heldel00

ironclaw wrote: »

Pretty sure 112 is call centered now. Your generally not talking to 'an expert'. They are just routing your call. So you are dependent on them knowing where you are talking about if you don't know exactly where you are.

I generally just ask for the Gardai and state the nearest station area. The faster I'm through to them I find the better.

Was just reading posts thinking "I've never had to ring 999 thank god". Have you had to do it much? (Not bein smart in case it comes across that way.)

ba_barabus

I called 999, asked for Gardai, confirmed it was for Dublin area.

I've no idea what the station local to it would be.

That's the one Stheno! Its in a really bad and dark spot. I reckon it's in a camera blind spot tbh where it is.

ba_barabus

heldel00 wrote: »

Was just reading posts thinking "I've never had to ring 999 thank god". Have you had to do it much? (Not bein smart in case it comes across that way.)

I had to call them last Sunday after a woman was knocked down at a roundabout in Mallow. Twice in a week

Stheno

ba_barabus wrote: »

I called 999, asked for Gardai, confirmed it was for Dublin area.

I've no idea what the station local to it would be.

That's the one Stheno! Its in a really bad and dark spot. I reckon it's in a camera blind spot tbh where it is.

We passed it about the Same time it will be spotted. When I broke down on the m50 the rescue guys appeared about twenty five minutes later

ShaunieVW

A couple of years back I came across an accident Caused by a drunk driver, I rang the cops and they said they would send someone out. This was on an unlit backroad. I helped the SEVEN people ou off the mangled Passat at that point they became aggressive towards me and my brother.

So I rang again and was told to stop ringing about the same incident. A lorry came upon the scene and they tried to jump into his cab and he forcibly kicked them to get them out. Called again as the situation was getting hairy. I had my car running a few meters down the roa with the lights on and hazards to stop anyone ploughing into the accident. So I ran back to get the keys before they robbed it.

When I turned around they had jumped into another car that stopped which pulled off after I heard some shouting inside. It was a poor women that they forced to drive the the nearest town.
Rang again and told to stop ringing and he hung up before I got to tell him, that was repeated 2 more times. I stayed to stop others ploughing into the car straddled across half the road. Cops arrive out 25 mins later and I gave them the Reg of the car and descriptions of the lads ( speaking in Polish, 3 bald and 4 younger lads is as much as I could give) Never heard anything more. I hope that woman was ok. That cop was a prick on the phone.

quadrifoglio verde

heldel00 wrote: »

Was just reading posts thinking "I've never had to ring 999 thank god". Have you had to do it much? (Not bein smart in case it comes across that way.)

I used to call them 20 or 30 times a night in my old job.
Became a bit of a pain when bt took over the transferring service especially when the guard on the other end of the line knew you by name yet had to listen to some chap saying in a Meath accent "Navan connecting, number, location is Dublin but he's requested cork gardai". Used to hate dealing with that bt crowd

ironclaw

heldel00 wrote: »

Was just reading posts thinking "I've never had to ring 999 thank god". Have you had to do it much? (Not bein smart in case it comes across that way.)

Yeah, a few times. As bad as it sounds, you don't have to be polite. Just state clearly and exactly what you want:

Hello, Gardai. Dublin South. Please.

If you don't know, ask for the Gardai. They'll call in extra resources as required unless you know there is someone injuried or there is a fire. Don't guess obviously You can always ring back and update the case. If you arrive at a scene, ensure someone else has rang. Absolutely confirm it. Its often the case 'someone called anybody and everyone did it'

It sounds absolutely daft but the majority of people go into a blind panic when they call the emergency services. If you have kids, practice with them.

Also, for the older generation, its 112

ba_barabus

I'm pretty medthodical about these things as I used to regularly call them as part of a job in a previous life so no panic. The person just didn't listeh to a word I was saying.

Hachiko

does an Audi have hazard light? just a thought like.

A car should not be stationary on a hard shoulder, if it is it should have flashers on.

Stheno

Hachiko wrote: »

does an Audi have hazard light? just a thought like.

A car should not be stationary on a hard shoulder, if it is it should have flashers on.

It did have it's flashers on

Hachiko

so it should be quite visible then, black or not.

ba_barabus

Hachiko wrote: »

does an Audi have hazard light? just a thought like.

A car should not be stationary on a hard shoulder, if it is it should have flashers on.

It wasn't on the hard shoulder though. It was on a small strip on the Center median and half on the overtaking lane.

Spook_ie

ba_barabus wrote: »

I had to call them last Sunday after a woman was knocked down at a roundabout in Mallow. Twice in a week

You'd think the first time would have taught her a lesson!