Came across a car in a ditch..
Discussion
Every other Friday night I play taxi driver (rather fitting seeing I’m in a 405) for my Dad and his mate. This usually entails collecting them from Rileys snooker hall in the centre of town, letting them pour themselves into the car in a drunken manner and I proceed to take his mate home first, to a village just outside of Lincoln.
Last night, the first part was no different. Steady drive there, bit of banter about how usless either one was at snooker and that’s it. I leave the village down exactly the same road every time amd last night was no exception, apart from halfway down Scothern lane I start to see some hazard lights, I slow down and as I pass I realise someone has managed to come off probably the straightest part of that road, into a ditch which is about 4 to 5 ft down from the road.
I pulled over into a field entrance about 50 yards further on and ran back to the car. On inspection, it was a chap on his own, late 20s, early 30s perhaps. He seemed pretty oblivious to me being there, him trying in desperation to get his car out (white Citroën Saxo). I shouted and knocked on his window and he wound it down and straight away I could smell booze, very very strong. I asked if he was hurt and if he was ok and he replied in a slurred voice "I appear to be a little bit stuck", to which point I told him to not try and get out as he is burying himself deeper and to sit tight while I get help. He was never going to get out, although he did carry on trying and one point he managed to reverse a little bit up the bank then got stuck again.
I got back to the car, called the police and was told to wait there while they turned up. Bearing in mind I mentioned that the car had gone off into a ditch, the car would need towing out and that I suspected the driver to be heavily under the influence of alcohol, it took them 15 - 20 mins to send out a car. They finally turned up, one officer in a panda car. Went down to see the driver and he too confirmed the strong smell of booze. Took mine and my Dads details and said he would let him sit there for 10 more mins before providing a breath test (he could of just left the pub in the village so wouldn’t of had chance for the alcohol to make it around his system). We then went on our way.
In some instances I believe I did the right thing in stopping, calling the bib. Could of been anyone in that car, could of been injured and so on, but another part of me feels guilty that I had called the police and grassed someone up. The bloke didn’t even register that it was the police that had turned up, even with the blue lights on.. he must of been that far cut.
I guess its people like him, that cause our insurance to go up. I don’t think I could live with the guilt having not done anything, if he managed to get out the ditch and then injuring or killing someone (or himself) by crashing or running someone down that was leaving the pub.
I just got a phone call as I type this from the police, saying he is still in the station under arrest, and has admitted fully and is quite remorseful. He was 3 times over the drink drive limit too. According to the Police, he lived 100yards away from where he was in the ditch. He was making his way to another village when he changed his mind, turned around on the country road to head home and forgot the ditch was there.
What I knew was going to be a late night for me, turned out even later!
Last night, the first part was no different. Steady drive there, bit of banter about how usless either one was at snooker and that’s it. I leave the village down exactly the same road every time amd last night was no exception, apart from halfway down Scothern lane I start to see some hazard lights, I slow down and as I pass I realise someone has managed to come off probably the straightest part of that road, into a ditch which is about 4 to 5 ft down from the road.
I pulled over into a field entrance about 50 yards further on and ran back to the car. On inspection, it was a chap on his own, late 20s, early 30s perhaps. He seemed pretty oblivious to me being there, him trying in desperation to get his car out (white Citroën Saxo). I shouted and knocked on his window and he wound it down and straight away I could smell booze, very very strong. I asked if he was hurt and if he was ok and he replied in a slurred voice "I appear to be a little bit stuck", to which point I told him to not try and get out as he is burying himself deeper and to sit tight while I get help. He was never going to get out, although he did carry on trying and one point he managed to reverse a little bit up the bank then got stuck again.
I got back to the car, called the police and was told to wait there while they turned up. Bearing in mind I mentioned that the car had gone off into a ditch, the car would need towing out and that I suspected the driver to be heavily under the influence of alcohol, it took them 15 - 20 mins to send out a car. They finally turned up, one officer in a panda car. Went down to see the driver and he too confirmed the strong smell of booze. Took mine and my Dads details and said he would let him sit there for 10 more mins before providing a breath test (he could of just left the pub in the village so wouldn’t of had chance for the alcohol to make it around his system). We then went on our way.
In some instances I believe I did the right thing in stopping, calling the bib. Could of been anyone in that car, could of been injured and so on, but another part of me feels guilty that I had called the police and grassed someone up. The bloke didn’t even register that it was the police that had turned up, even with the blue lights on.. he must of been that far cut.
I guess its people like him, that cause our insurance to go up. I don’t think I could live with the guilt having not done anything, if he managed to get out the ditch and then injuring or killing someone (or himself) by crashing or running someone down that was leaving the pub.
I just got a phone call as I type this from the police, saying he is still in the station under arrest, and has admitted fully and is quite remorseful. He was 3 times over the drink drive limit too. According to the Police, he lived 100yards away from where he was in the ditch. He was making his way to another village when he changed his mind, turned around on the country road to head home and forgot the ditch was there.
What I knew was going to be a late night for me, turned out even later!
shakotan said:
JimNotJon said:
but another part of me feels guilty that I had called the police and grassed someone up.
Why should you? As you say yourself, he could have knocked down and killed/injured someone.You should feel quite smug, I know I would.
ScottishSamurai said:
shakotan said:
JimNotJon said:
but another part of me feels guilty that I had called the police and grassed someone up.
Why should you? As you say yourself, he could have knocked down and killed/injured someone.You should feel quite smug, I know I would.
Don't feel guilty!
You did the right thing IMO. You would have regreted it if you hadnt called the BiB.Done the same myself. Coming down the A14 where the road splits for the M11 at about 10:00 on a warm summers night, car came zooming up our chuff and shot past us straight into the roadworks sending crap flying everywhere. We pulled up and I got Mrs T to phone the bill as I ran over, he was perfectly ok but sunk of booze. I told him to stay put as he kept dribbling on about it being ok coz he was insured. Bill came and took our details and that's the last we heard
What the hell were you thinking? 
I do wonder about the thickness of some people these days, I can't believe you would stoop so low and belittle yourself in such a way. Why did you do it?
To make yourself feel good or to get a pat on the back from your dad?
You just couldn't stretch yourself a little bit further and get a 406?
I'm ashamed if you.
I do wonder about the thickness of some people these days, I can't believe you would stoop so low and belittle yourself in such a way. Why did you do it?
To make yourself feel good or to get a pat on the back from your dad?
You just couldn't stretch yourself a little bit further and get a 406?
I'm ashamed if you.
GTIR said:
What the hell were you thinking?
I do wonder about the thickness of some people these days, I can't believe you would stoop so low and belittle yourself in such a way. Why did you do it?
To make yourself feel good or to get a pat on the back from your dad?
You just couldn't stretch yourself a little bit further and get a 406?
I'm ashamed if you.
I do wonder about the thickness of some people these days, I can't believe you would stoop so low and belittle yourself in such a way. Why did you do it?
To make yourself feel good or to get a pat on the back from your dad?
You just couldn't stretch yourself a little bit further and get a 406?
I'm ashamed if you.
GTIR said:
Wayne King said:
>snip<
You'll get yourself in the sin bin with your username. Just ask Isaac Hunt. (I went to school with a Wayne King, poor lad)
Isaac Hunt? Don't get it, can you explain it for me?!
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