Good Samaritan

[Jim K...]

Huh?

[Jim K...]

Or they recognised you...

[Terry Casey]

Last night, I was walking home just before midnight - from the pub, of course!

Having two worn out knees and being a bit short of breath these days I stop every few yards or so to get my breath back.

I was approaching my turning and I made a brief stop for breath when a large Sainsbury's artic with a tri-axle trailer came to a halt on the opposite side of the road with its right hand indicator on. (Actually, it had its hazards on but, of course, I couldn't see that.)

Now our estate is used as a rat run at busy periods to avoid the congestion at the traffic lights a few hundred yards ahead but last night there wasn't another vehicle in sight. In any event, the estate roads are narrow, four corners are involved and the chances of ever getting such a large vehicle through it are nil. (My brain was still fixed on the right hand indicator thesis at this point.)

Then the reversing alarm came on and the artic backed up, moving over to the curb.

By now I was intrigued by what was going on as the engine stopped and the cab door opened. If he was lost and going to ask for directions, I thought, he was heading in completely the wrong direction for the local Sainsburys!

The driver crossed the road and asked me if I was all right. I explained that I'd stopped for breath - although normally of course, I would have been well on my way by then - and the stick I was using was evidence of my mobility problems. He asked me how far I had to go - to the side-road and about 100 yards down it - and he insisted on accompanying me and even waited at the gate to ensure I got down the drive to the house safely!

[The Natural Philosopher]

when I sat down gasping for breath in trinity street, cambridge before the heart op, in obvious distress, no one gave a shit.

The all voted remain didnt they?

[Tim Streater]

Why should that matter?

[Tim Streater]

[snip +ve story]

Nice!

[nightjar]

On 02/10/2019 17:55, The Natural Philosopher wrote: ...

A busy street in daylight? A strong temptation for people to say there are plenty of other people around; let one of them deal with it, especially if, as when I was last in Cambridge, the street appeared to be full of tourists.

Of course, another factor would be what you looked like. Somebody looking like a city gent suddenly sitting down in the street is more likely to get offers of help than somebody who is scruffily dressed and looking like a down and out.

[Cursitor Doom]

Bloody hell, mate; you must have been (or at least appeared to be)

*really* pissed! :-D

[invalid]

you have to ask?

he's making it up.

[GB]

I find that very perplexing, as usually people are all too willing to help. If you fall over, they want to get you up, even if you are so shaken you'd rather lie still for a bit.

Perhaps your distress was not as obvious as all that? Did you collapse onto the pavement, or did you sit down on a bench?

[Bill Wright]

There are still some decent people in this country.

Bill

[Tim Streater]

And you have proof of this?

[tabbypurr]

Well, what could they have done about that?

NT

[Nick Odell]

When I slipped on ice and fell on my back in a lane behind the music school, people just looked horrified and walked past as quickly as they could. Mind you, I had been clearing away some of the rubbish that passers-by toss into the music school grounds and I was lying there waving a vodka bottle in one hand and a lager tin in the other.

But good on that truck driver eh?

Nick

[The Natural Philosopher]

I sat down on the pavement

[invalid]

he is a brexiteer what more do you need?

[invalid]

TNP was probably calling them all cnuts and expecting help from them.

[Graeme]

In message <qn30v4$m5b$ [e-mail], GB [e-mail] writes

Agreed. My wife was walking the dog last Sunday afternoon, and slipped on some wet grass. Down she went, and too painful to move. People found her and tried to help, phoned me and by the time I got there, people had the dog and an ambulance organised.

Long story short, wife is now in hospital with a fractured hip. Accident Sunday, operation Monday and physio began Tuesday. Gonne be a long job, I fear, but deeply grateful to those who stopped and helped.

[Andy Burns]

Watch out for overworked physios 'skipping' some days, also check they don't stop giving her anti-coagulants if the hospital stay drags on (especially if she struggles to get mobility back).

[charles]

come over and asked how you were

called for an ambulance