**** Poll closed. ****
This weeks poll, as suggested by HF is now available.
"A person is lying at the roadside. Unable to see who they are, or if they?re at all injured. Do you:-"
Drive past, swerving slightly to avoid their body and carry on with your journey.
Drive past, pull over as soon as it's safe to do so, and phone the emergency services.
Stop immediately and offer any necessary assistance.
Other.
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I believe I am correct in saying that in Spain, it is an offence NOT to stop at the site of an accident to offer aid. Obviously if the emergency services are there aleady this does not apply.
A friend of ours had a minor prang at a roundabout and no less than eight Spanish drivers stopped (at 5am!) to see if he was OK.
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Roger. (Costa del Sol, España)
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Roger, the same rules apply at sea. Excellent law -- well done the Spanish!
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This incident illustrates a phenomonem that is well known to those who study human behavior. For instance, if you are the only other person in a train carriage when someone faints, it is almost certain you will go to their aid. If however, there are 50 people in the carraige it is more likely that nobody will do anything except hope that someone else reacts first. It apparantly takes a fair bit of courage to take the lead when among a crowd of strangers, fear of making a fool of oneself I suppose.
I would guess that if the lady in the incident in question had been lying on a quiet country lane the first to come across her would have stopped to render assistance.
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I truly think it also has something to do with the Spanish, (in general) and the Andalusian, (in particicular), character - absolutely laid back in so many ways and happy to overlook the strict application of the motoring laws if it suits them, but also at heart, genuinely nice, caring people.
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Roger. (Costa del Sol, España)
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I think it is the same in France - hence the requirement to carry a first aid kit
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I suppose I could vote "other", but I think I would probably stop, phone the emergency services then offer assistance! - combuination of options 2 &3
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Two factors influenced my vote.
The first was the fact that the question referred to "the next safe place to stop". This suggested to me that the victim was lying somewhere that was not safe to stop. Thus, by stopping there I may be increasing the risk to the victim and placing myself at risk. Not clever. Then, once stopped past the accident, I may as well call 999, as I am no longer adjacent. Then, they will be able to advise me (I am not a qualified first aider!).
The other factor is that I (regretfully) no longer automatically trust the rest of the population. Nice way to get a new car, that one. If it is done to me, I'd rather be already on the phone to the emergency services when I arrive to help.
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My natural reaction would be to stop,but I have heard recently of friends who were robbed by a gang using this approach to lull them .I would use my instincts as to whether to stop first or call 999...
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