Would you stop and help someone who was hit by a bus?

[Showbags]

My wife was running a bit late for work and was off like a shot to get on the BTS. There were 6 lanes of traffic, its a very busy junction and it was the morning rush, all cars just ignore the red lights, I would have had to walk out in traffic to get to her whilst people were beeping and trying to get passed. I didn't have my phone as I'd only nipped out to drop the wife at the station. I suppose I just felt there were lots of people around more qualified to help from a communication perspective as well as having a phone to call the emergency services. I felt like there was nothing I could have done.

Looking back though, maybe there was.

I understand...but what if you just plucked up the courage to stand out and go and direct traffic around her....I am sure others would then come and assist at some point....the first step is always the hardest.

[ebean001]

I really freak out in these situations however, the first thing I would do is show help. Then others will also. Then I would step back. That works. It is when no one steps forward is the problem. Make a lot of noise - look at people - insist on them helping. They will.

Of course I would call 191. finally, i would not want a bad situation to get worse. I would make sure traffic is stopped. that should be no problem in BKK. I would make sure they get the person off the hot pavement. it would be good to get them in a car, etc under a/c but concern about moving them too much.

[Seastallion]

I would be like a shot out of a gun to help her,I defiantly try to help

I honestly can not believe the number of cowards and low-lifes that inhabit TVF. Regardless of vaguely possible bad consequences, it's your duty as a human to help.

What a pack of scaredy <deleted>!

[slipperylobster]

There are some difficulties with moving people with broken bones. You must definitely stabilize the limb. Much better to leave them in place and ensure traffic is directed. They could have a spinal injury ....and wrong movement may paralyze them for life.

Only can stop serious bleeding ..use pressure, not turniquets. Directing traffic and people out of the way requires a knowledge of the language...which you do not have.

If Traffic was directed around her ...and she was not bleeding profusely, and the ambulance is on it's way...there is not anything else to do. Perhaps reassure her that help is coming....have somebody look at her cellphone and call a friend/relative.

Edited April 26, 2014 by slipperylobster

[arnold40844]

It seems like you have made up your own image of what happened here and its is a long way from how the situation occurred. There was no pool of blood and no open wounds, it may have been a broken leg and a cracked rib, she sort of half crawled to the other side of the road by her self, after lying there for about a minute. She was on the other side of the road there were 6 lanes of traffic separating us, all trying to negotiate their way passed the bus. I would have had to go over the over pass to get to her.

I was sitting on my bike watching, assuming someone would tend to her but they were all just walking passed. I just figured they could sort it out themselves and that me getting involved would have had no posiitive effect on the situation. The thought of trying to reassure someone who is in shock whilst speaking a language they cannot understand. I just thought I could leave them to deal with it, the bus driver was out and walking around... It was a busy street there were people everywhere, all Thai.

To be honest...anyone that just wanders off doing nothing...ESPECIALLY if nobody else is doing anything...is just low, they really need to take a look at themselves quite seriously.

You may not have been able to do anything....but, and its a big but, you may have at least been able to put pressure on a very bad bleed and help stem the flow until help arrives....if nothing, you ould have at least sat with the person and comforted them, reasuring them help is coming.

How would you feel laying on the road....nobody assisting in any way whatsoever....what if that was your son or daughter or wife !!!!

[Ulic]

Other than making sure emergency services are called, stemming blood loss, providing comfort and reassurance,

there is not much you can do. I don't speak Thai but I would make sure the appropriate emergency calls had been

made.

[arnold40844]

I definitely gauged the situation and considered approaching those involved, weighing up how my involvement might help. I was looking at the woman to see if she was okay from the other side of the road and at the bus driver to see what he was doing to get help. He seemed more concerned about the damage to his bus.

Its great to hear from all the people on here who would have turned in to superman like heros dealing with 8 lanes of incoming traffic in the middle of a junction that says no jay walking during rush-hour.

My wife was running a bit late for work and was off like a shot to get on the BTS. There were 6 lanes of traffic, its a very busy junction and it was the morning rush, all cars just ignore the red lights, I would have had to walk out in traffic to get to her whilst people were beeping and trying to get passed. I didn't have my phone as I'd only nipped out to drop the wife at the station. I suppose I just felt there were lots of people around more qualified to help from a communication perspective as well as having a phone to call the emergency services. I felt like there was nothing I could have done.

Looking back though, maybe there was.

I understand...but what if you just plucked up the courage to stand out and go and direct traffic around her....I am sure others would then come and assist at some point....the first step is always the hardest.

[attento]

Sir, pray to God it never happens, but sometime that could be your wife lying there ......................................

[Showbags]

I definitely gauged the situation and considered approaching those involved, weighing up how my involvement might help. I was looking at the woman to see if she was okay from the other side of the road and at the bus driver to see what he was doing to get help. He seemed more concerned about the damage to his bus.

Its great to hear from all the people on here who would have turned in to superman like heros dealing with 8 lanes of incoming traffic in the middle of a junction that says no jay walking during rush-hour.

My wife was running a bit late for work and was off like a shot to get on the BTS. There were 6 lanes of traffic, its a very busy junction and it was the morning rush, all cars just ignore the red lights, I would have had to walk out in traffic to get to her whilst people were beeping and trying to get passed. I didn't have my phone as I'd only nipped out to drop the wife at the station. I suppose I just felt there were lots of people around more qualified to help from a communication perspective as well as having a phone to call the emergency services. I felt like there was nothing I could have done.

Looking back though, maybe there was.

I understand...but what if you just plucked up the courage to stand out and go and direct traffic around her....I am sure others would then come and assist at some point....the first step is always the hardest.

Oh dear god...thats your excuse....best you give up now before you really put your foot in it.

[StatlerandWaldorf]

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My wife was running a bit late for work and was off like a shot to get on the BTS. There were 6 lanes of traffic, its a very busy junction and it was the morning rush, all cars just ignore the red lights, I would have had to walk out in traffic to get to her whilst people were beeping and trying to get passed. I didn't have my phone as I'd only nipped out to drop the wife at the station. I suppose I just felt there were lots of people around more qualified to help from a communication perspective as well as having a phone to call the emergency services. I felt like there was nothing I could have done.

Looking back though, maybe there was.

I understand...but what if you just plucked up the courage to stand out and go and direct traffic around her....I am sure others would then come and assist at some point....the first step is always the hardest.

I agree with this 100% and I believe that this is the reason that many Thais do not get involved, their upbringing and education system (by and large) discourages anyone from standing out and going 'against the herd'. I do not think that Thais are being deliberately callous when they do not stop to help people in need, it is just a huge step for them to be the first to stand up and take the lead.

I also understand from the OP's perspective that there were so many people more able to render help than he, especially as a foreigner who may not speak Thai proficiently. This is a split second decision and as a humans we sometimes make the wrong decision, it is easy to sit here and criticise but we were not in the situation at the time.

I give an example of my own. A couple of years ago my Brother, my Wife and I were driving on a back road (wife driving as I had been drinking) and we passed an old couple pushing their motorcycle which I assume had run out of petrol. I suggested to my Wife that we stop as we just happened to have a can of petrol in the boot which was destined to be used for our small motorcycle at home. My wife instantly said "no no no" and continued driving. I turned to my Brother and said "that's the Christmas spirit", due to it being Christmas time. They probably had another km or so to walk before they could reach somewhere to buy petrol. The point is, it was a split second decision and I could have pushed the issue and I didn't, I feel guilty about that to this day but I am sure my wife has never given it a second thought. We could have given them half a litre of petrol and it would not have affected us one jot, but it would have meant a lot to the old couple.

I will now vindicate myself by saying that there are many occasions when I have helped people and every kind act makes the world a little bit better, but I will also say that the times I have helped people are not as memorable as the times I didn't and should have.

And that's all i've got to say about that.

[arnold40844]

I was there saying "okay isn't someone going to help"? I stayed there trying to think of something i could do. The cars are just manic, I would have had to find somehere to park my bike and then walk 400M to get over the road bridge. It was not like I was standing over an injured person.

People have to try understand the context of this situation before branding me a weak pathetic coward. I did not walk away because of cowardice or lack of compassion. I was on the bike in traffic with cars whizzingpassed everywhere, I could not just get off the bike and leave it in the road, the accident was close to the center of the junction and she went on to the other side of Sukhumvit. There were people everywhere and I made a judgement call.

Sir, pray to God it never happens, but sometime that could be your wife lying there ......................................

[Andre0720]

Compassion is virtuous of course.

Even if it is the result of`:

People driving too fast,

People on the phone driving under a truck or a bus

People driving on the wrong side of the road

And when a helping hand might get someone in more trouble than the victim of an accident is already in..

But compassion will always remain virtuous

And its absence will always be looked down upon...

Buddha have mercy...

[tomyumchai]

How would you feel if it was you under the bus and everybody ignored you. You should feel bad and not lower yourself to the scumbags who turn the other way.

She's a human being in need of help , shame on you !!!

he would have got blamed for the accident if he stepped in as hes a farang. dont believe me? up to you.

feel free to step in and touch any of them sprawled out in the road but make sure you have your ATM card with you as you'll be paying the bill. ive pulled up next to some flattened drunk in front of a bus and a shattered scooter and heard people in the crowd asking if the farang (me) caused the accident.......i dont hang about now.

[arnold40844]

So just to clarify on your opinion. You are basically saying that all the cars that were passing, all the people getting off and on the BTS, all the people in the shops and market stools, the passengers on the bus, the people in the houses on either of the road, everyone who witnessed the incident should have got involved including myself who was probably the only one in a 1000 meter radius that did not speak Thai.

Its not the first accident I have witnessed here, its more like the 10th, and I did not get involved in any of them.

I definitely gauged the situation and considered approaching those involved, weighing up how my involvement might help. I was looking at the woman to see if she was okay from the other side of the road and at the bus driver to see what he was doing to get help. He seemed more concerned about the damage to his bus.

Its great to hear from all the people on here who would have turned in to superman like heros dealing with 8 lanes of incoming traffic in the middle of a junction that says no jay walking during rush-hour.

My wife was running a bit late for work and was off like a shot to get on the BTS. There were 6 lanes of traffic, its a very busy junction and it was the morning rush, all cars just ignore the red lights, I would have had to walk out in traffic to get to her whilst people were beeping and trying to get passed. I didn't have my phone as I'd only nipped out to drop the wife at the station. I suppose I just felt there were lots of people around more qualified to help from a communication perspective as well as having a phone to call the emergency services. I felt like there was nothing I could have done.

Looking back though, maybe there was.

I understand...but what if you just plucked up the courage to stand out and go and direct traffic around her....I am sure others would then come and assist at some point....the first step is always the hardest.

Oh dear god...thats your excuse....best you give up now before you really put your foot in it.

[Thongkorn]

Yes i would have helped , mainly because i would like to think some body would help me, The first ten minutes of accidents are the defining minutes, you can save live's.

Edited April 26, 2014 by Thongkorn

[dotpoom]

How would you feel if it was you under the bus and everybody ignored you. You should feel bad and not lower yourself to the scumbags who turn the other way.

She's a human being in need of help , shame on you.

Absolutely right on.....indeed you should be totally ashamed of yourself along with the others here who support your action. In the name of God...what is wrong with you? How could you possibly get on your bike and ride off into the far blue yonder and leave a living injured person lying alone in the street...........as the saying goes......."You wouldn't do it to a dog"

Did it not occur to you that your presence alone would have been a comfort. If she were to have died from her injuries...at least she would not have died alone...she would have had the company of another caring human being to hold onto by the hand.

I was in Morocco one time and heard a commotion outside our hotel. Myself, wife and daughter opened the window and looked down from the 1st floor. A "lady of the night" had been hit by a car that sped off...there was blood everywhere. We immediately threw down all the pillows from the room and ran down to the street to comfort her. The police came and were very angry with us for interfering.....(something about catching Aids, or something). It wouldn't have made any difference to us..........better we caught Aids and died trying to help another soul than to ignore her and live a very long selfish, self centered existence.

Sorry for being so angry with you, I'm just shocked at the support for your action...is it not a "No brainer". It's pathetic how low the human race has sunk to.

Again, I apoligise for sounding off....it is not my usual form....but this one just really got under my skin.

[larsjohnsson]

If a foreigner stops to help there is always a strong chance that they can end up paying for any medical treatment. Perhaps that is why thais dont get involved?

Ridiculous!

How is this different from the boat drivers not helping those kids????

Everyone and their dog castigated them........maybe all onlookers should have been rounded up and fined.

This is certainly NOT ridiculous. It is absolutely correct.

This year I turned right at traffic lights from Sukhumvit into Threppessit Road near Jomtiein, driving no more that 5mph surrounded by motorbikes, since the lights had just changed, one woman fell over. The woman had a small child on the bike and whilst turning was trying to use her telephone. She did not touch my car but I stopped to make sure she and the child were OK. Local taxi-bike drivers started telling her to say I hit her (we established that later when my Thai wife arrived and she freely admitted I had not touched her). They called the Police whilst i tended to her.

A policeman arrived - took my driving licence and I was told I had to go to the Police station in Jomptein. At the Police station I was told to take the little girl and her mother to the local hospital where I was presented with the bill (only about 200baht so I was not going to complain since I was more concerned about the little girl). Back at the Police station I was then fined 200 baht before they would return my driving licence!!! I had to sign a load of paperwork confirming my "accident" which I was not happy about but my wife insisted to not "cause a problem".

Is this uncommon - you bet your life its not. If it was a serious accident - next time I think I might just drive on since I really cannot afford to end up paying other peoples hospital bills.

So if I see your wife badly injured in a traffic accident, you recommend me to just walk away instead of helping her?

[ggt]

You get involved as a farang...you own it...!

[Andre0720]

How would you feel if it was you under the bus and everybody ignored you. You should feel bad and not lower yourself to the scumbags who turn the other way.

She's a human being in need of help , shame on you !!!

Chnge da lays n yo cuntr's n u mite jus c pepl ofr assistance, bufalo!

Persnalee I hav rendrd asistans numer x's, & sav lives of 4 pepl, but no here!

Here, I leave, so some scam artist doesn't put me together!

cuntree's onlee bcum devolop f peps hav eduksion. Thai id 71 on da list. remind 2 hold breth 4 u 2 kao jai consept...

Might not be too late to learn how to write....

I'm a published author. I spent my youth in the library, and, at times, reading five books simultaneously. My mother submitted to the New Yorker Magazine. I've known, and fought with, the owner of The New Republic for 25 years. Yet, at the same time, I live a humble life, and I'm very thankful for my education. Telling you detailed information about my life, isn't going to happen. Don't bother to ask!

I simply don't give free English lessons, or any other lesson for that matter, to people people who take, take, take, and treat me with disdain.

As the saying goes; don't cast pearls.....

Cue the poindexters, apologists and breatharians....

As far as the OP is concerned, if this country were to enact an enforceable good Samaritan law, you will see people of all persuasions come running in a time need!

Instead, we live in an environment where even the Thai's know to walk away. Hell, they don't even move to the side of the road when an ambulance is behind them, so spare me the rhetoric!

Ok,

Be spared then...

[kovaltech]

How would you feel if it was you under the bus and everybody ignored you. You should feel bad and not lower yourself to the scumbags who turn the other way.

She's a human being in need of help , shame on you !!!

I agree more then 100% with Nanapong

Shame on those who don't act in any way but leaving...

Don't come crying for sympathy now...

Aren't you trained from the western world to act ?

shame shame shame

[arnold40844]

I agree with you 100% but please understand that it was not like they were lying there in a pool of blood.. Had that been the case I would have acted differently. As i said she was stumbling about trying to get to her feet she reached the other side of the road from me and removed her own helmet. Crossing 6 lanes of traffic to ask how she was doing would have been a suicide mission, with the bus blocking the traffic everyone was just beeping and driving aggressively. When you see an accident on the other side of a freeway, do you stop the car on the hard shoulder and cross 6 lanes of traffic to attend to wounded? i have never seen this happen and to be fair I think it would just cause more accidents.

How would you feel if it was you under the bus and everybody ignored you. You should feel bad and not lower yourself to the scumbags who turn the other way.

She's a human being in need of help , shame on you.

Absolutely right on.....indeed you should be totally ashamed of yourself along with the others here who support your action. In the name of God...what is wrong with you? How could you possibly get on your bike and ride off into the far blue yonder and leave a living injured person lying alone in the street...........as the saying goes......."You wouldn't do it to a dog"

Did it not occur to you that your presence alone would have been a comfort. If she were to have died from her injuries...at least she would not have died alone...she would have had the company of another caring human being to hold onto by the hand.

I was in Morocco one time and heard a commotion outside our hotel. Myself, wife and daughter opened the window and looked down from the 1st floor. A "lady of the night" had been hit by a car that sped off...there was blood everywhere. We immediately threw down all the pillows from the room and ran down to the street to comfort her. The police came and were very angry with us for interfering.....(something about catching Aids, or something). It wouldn't have made any difference to us..........better ttwe caught Aids and died trying to help another soul than to ignore her and live a very long selfish, self centered existence.

Sorry for being so angry with you, I'm just shocked at the support for your action...is it not a "No brainer". It's pathetic how low the human race has sunk to.

Again, I apoligise for sounding off....it is not my usual form....but this one just really got under my skin.

[kovaltech]

Oh and yes, i always stop and help... any time, drives my wife crazy...

[ChoakMyDee]

My wife and I had a motorcycle accident on the steep hill heading into Patong. We were thrown from the bike and were cut up on the sharp rocks at the side of the road. Not one car stopped to help us. It was very busy and our accident was witnessed by at least 20 cars. Nobody even slowed down! It was a very lonely feeling laying there with all the cars whizzing by us.

[Sheryl]

Can I ask Sheryl though....and I know you offer excellent advice many times Sheryl......you mention if the op had a car then you could ferry them to hospital, but is it not against medical practice to move an injured person? just inquiring, not criticising,

Regards

Normal advice is not to move a person (though obviously does not apply if the person is already up and moving about ... the concern is in case fractured vertebra etc)

However this presupposes that trained medical people are available to come to the scene and do it properly. Not usually the case in Thailand. If you ever have the opportunity, watch what goes on when the various "rescue" servcies arrive at the scene of an accident. You'll be appalled. Simply by having the sense to be concerned about how you are moving someone probably makes you a safer bet.

One also has to use some general common sense applicable to the situation. If someone is hemorrhaging enough that they might bleed out before other help could get there then even in the West, taking them to the hospital would be better than waiting for an ambulance.

[Sheryl]

You get involved as a farang...you own it...!

I have not found that to be the case. Not once.

[khunPer]

I will always (stop and) help as much as I can – getting the victim to a safe place/position if possible, check condition, make sure assistance (ambulance/police) has been called for – only not if I can see the necessary assistance is already provided, then I’ll just be in the way and shall pass on…

(The place I live in LoS traffic accidents unfortunately are common, so I have been in that situation quite a number of times. However, amazed many times to see people just watching and doing nothing.)

[malm1943]

The victim was a Thai, your wife is presumably a Thai. If she isn't going to help, why should you?

In Saudi, we were told to run away if we saw someone injured, as if they died it would be our fault ( it's complicated ).

What you could have done would have been to insist your wife called the police, in case no one else did.

Totally agree with you on that one, If you offer any assistance in Saudi then you are liable under Sharia law, walk the other way....fast

Can I ask Sheryl though....and I know you offer excellent advice many times Sheryl......you mention if the op had a car then you could ferry them to hospital, but is it not against medical practice to move an injured person? just inquiring, not criticising,

Regards

[roguewo]

Can I ask Sheryl though....and I know you offer excellent advice many times Sheryl......you mention if the op had a car then you could ferry them to hospital, but is it not against medical practice to move an injured person? just inquiring, not criticising,

Regards

Normal advice is not to move a person (though obviously does not apply if the person is already up and moving about ... the concern is in case fractured vertebra etc)

However this presupposes that trained medical people are available to come to the scene and do it properly. Not usually the case in Thailand. If you ever have the opportunity, watch what goes on when the various "rescue" servcies arrive at the scene of an accident. You'll be appalled. Simply by having the sense to be concerned about how you are moving someone probably makes you a safer bet.

One also has to use some general common sense applicable to the situation. If someone is hemorrhaging enough that they might bleed out before other help could get there then even in the West, taking them to the hospital would be better than waiting for an ambulance.

Yes, good advice Sheryl! But let me add a true story.

I personally know a c4 quad who was hit by a car, while high on LSD, during his gap year from Brown. He got up and made it to the police station, then the injuries set in.

I know you know a lot about health care, because I have watched the forum for a long time. I'm certain you will agree the best course of action is to take all the precautions, and to better educate the public, so they do also.

[HerbalEd]

OP .. While I do understand your dilemma, you should have tried helping her in someway ... and obviously you know that now. Even without speaking Thai or being medically qualified, you could have tried comforting the woman, or maybe given your phono to someone and shouted "call police, call police" ... or something. Besides not helping the person in some way, you/we damage our self, our self-respect ... and maybe even our soul ... when we turn and run in such situations.

[Thongkorn]

We all know moving people who have serious injuries is not a normal option, But some times doing nothing is worse. some times just by moving some one who is not breathing and unconscious could start them breathing again. a simple act may stop some one bleeding to death. and for all the precautions if you are in the middle of nowhere you improvises. I hope some one does this for me if every i am in a position where i need assistance.

Edited April 26, 2014 by Thongkorn