Aces High Bulletin Board
General Forums => The O' Club => Topic started by: Udie at Work on March 07, 2002, 09:27:42 AM
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Oh my God I'm shaking as I type this. About an hour ago I left to go get breakfast taco's for the office. OTW I stopped to get gas. I got back in my car to go get the taco's looked down to put my car in gear and hear SMASH! I then look up to see a car about 100 ft in front of me 20 ft. in the air, spinning and goign about 50 mph to my left. The car hit and spin/skidded on it's roof for about 100-150 ft. While a green jeep cherokee was stopped just past the intersection all smashed up in the front. I ran back into the store to tell them to call an ambulance, which they were on the phone doing. The girl at the store and I then took off to the car that I had just seen flying.
I don't think I will forget the run over to that car. I was terrified at what I was about to see inside the car. I got there and looked in the passenger window. The lady was face down on the roof of her car moving around, she looked lost. I tried to open the passenger door but it was locked and the button wouldn't push in. The whole time I was scared that the smoke I was seeing was a fire that was about to explode (thank God it didn't) I went over to the driver side to try and open the door. The door frame was twisted from the impact, but when I hit the button the door popped open about 3/4". I don't know how these skinny arms did it, but I managed to pull the door open. It scraped a nice gouge out of the pavement too, I hurt my squealing hand doing this too.
The lady was facing towards the passenger door where I had initially tried to open the car. By now there were about 4 or 5 bystanders helping and asking if she was ok. She backed out of the car yelling "I'm ok! I'm ok!" her faced was smashed and she was bleeding from her leg. We told her to be still and stay calm the cops and fire department were on the way. At this point people start asking about the other car, which I hadn't even thought of. So I ran over to the jeep and the door was still closed. I look in and there's a pretty lady about 30ish and she was out cold. I opened the door and she started moving around. We told her to keep still that help was on the way. She was totaly uncohierant. This all took about 5-10 min before the cops/ambulances started showing up. They took my statement and sent me on my way.
I don't know what to say. I grew up in houston and learned to drive there, but I've never seen anything like this and hope I never do again. I was happy to be of some sort of help, but I'm left with a sick fealing afterwards. Still shaking over an hour later.
EVERYBODY BE FREAKING CAREFUL OUT THERE!!! It's too easy to mess up and hurt/kill somebody!
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Be extremely judgemental in removing or touching anyone in a case like that, I've heard of cases where they've sued rescuers that were not paramedics because of spinal injuries, etc.
I was first hand witness to many auto accidents (Mother and sister were in a volunteer rescue squad in NJ in the 70's, we tag along as 'support' , ambulance chaser have you but with back up rescue squad support) and after awhile you get used to seeing blood and gore.
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Originally posted by Ripsnort
Be extremely judgemental in removing or touching anyone in a case like that, I've heard of cases where they've sued rescuers that were not paramedics because of spinal injuries, etc.
"They" never win those though.
It got to a point where even trained medical personnell off work tended to avoid getting involved, instead they just stood by waiting for their working collegues.
Some american lawyer prolly knows this better than me, but at least thats what we learned in lawschool here anyway (about the US law that is).
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Your first reaction was the good one
Calling emergency services is a must in those cases.
WTG !
But as Ripnort said Try to NOT move a wounded person that can have a broken neck or something internal.
As far as I recall the order is :
Call Emergency.
Cut contact (switch off) of all the vehicules.
Except in case of fire or any other immediate emergency (sur-accident risk) don't move anyone.
Search for any person not screaming who is likely to be seriously wounded (those who are screaming are almost safe in general)
Try to know how many person were involved in the accident and search for all person.
Search for missing body part I know it's easy to said when you are under shock
Don't give any alcohol cofee etc ...
I'm sure some other person in this BBS are more aware than me of what to do or not do in such a case ...
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Sounds like you did fine under the circumstances Udie. WTG and
.
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WTG UDIE!
If theres smoke coming out of the car they're in, SCREW them and their lawyers.. ill pull em out.
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Thanks tahgun, but it was instinct I didn't really think about what I was doing. Except for not touching anybody. I wasn't thinking about lawsuits but worried about injuring somebody.
By back and my right hand are killing me now though :( I think I pulled some muscles in my back opening that door. Either pulled them or used them in their atrophied state ;) either way it squealing hurts.
2 hours later and my adrinaline is still pumping......
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wtg Udie
shite happens in a New York Minute - thing is we all take it for granted until its too late ...
In Florida we have a Good Samaritan law which states if you are witness to an accident or come up on one with injuries and do not stop to help, you can be arrested...
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Some auto manufacturers (BMW comes to mind :) ) place the battery in the trunk, and any collision 5 mph or faster activates a mechanizm that automatically cuts the positive cable from the positive batter post, preventing any electrical current from entering the engine compartment that may set off fuel. A small bit of engineering can prevent potential fire hazards.
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All Fuel injected cars are required to have crash shut off switches to kill the in tank fuel pumps.
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Originally posted by indian
All Fuel injected cars are required to have crash shut off switches to kill the in tank fuel pumps.
Rgr that, that technology has been around for awhile, although theres still plenty of fuel in the line enroute to the engine bay, the battery cut off helps reduce the potential of this fuel being ignited, and if the fuel tank itself is ruptured, the cut off switch from the fuel pump does little...
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Eagler,
I think we have that same law here in Texas though I'm not sure.
Rip,
Yeah I wish she would have had one. The car was still running and tires still spinning when we got to the car. I was really scared for the first minute or 2 but it stopped smoking after that and I forgot about the danger.
Man I'll never forget the confused look on her broken face, she's somebodies mom, ya know? Probobly somebodies grandma. Ahhh crap I'm becoming a bleeding heart.
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You did the right thing, Udie. A lot of people wouldn't have had the guts or the inclination to go help like you did.
8 years ago, I lost control of my car(1985 Honda CRX) in a blizzard, and got broadsided by a semi on the driver's door. This was during rush hour in Minneapolis. After being catapulted and spinning, my crushed car came to rest on the left shoulder of I94. As I did an inventory on myself to see what injuried I had, I waited for someone to stop and help me out. Out of the thousands of gawkers that slowed down to look at me, nobody stopped to help, not even the truck driver who hit me. So, unbuckling my seatbelt with right arm(left arm was severely broken), I grabbed by left arm with my right, and crawled out the passenger side. As got out, I finally saw one guy who stopped. He came over and asked me how I was, and after exclaming "I just got hit by a semi and LIVED!" I asked him to find my dog, who had been sitting in the passenger seat with me, and who had jumped out the window after the accident. He took off and I didn't see him again for about 10 minutes. In the meantime, as I stood there in shock, nobody else stopped, but they did gawk. After 10 mins, I see the guy come walking back to me, with my dog in tow on her leash. She was uninjured, and had managed to cross 4 lanes of traffic unscathed.
Anyway, 8 years later, the dog and I are still alive and well, thanks to that one guy who stopped to help. To this day I wish I had written down his name, because he was there for me to talk to as I waited an hour for the ambulance to get to me(lots of snow and ice on the roads). Good samaritans are hard to come by these days, but they are unbelievably important to people who get into accidents.
Udie, you're going to heaven for that act. :)
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WTG Udie!
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WTG Udie!
The FDB's do have a heart ;)
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Did you get the beer out of the backseat?
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Originally posted by Fatty
Did you get the beer out of the backseat?
hell yeah I had to drink it to calm my nerves down!!!!!!!! :D
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Originally posted by Eagler
wtg Udie
shite happens in a New York Minute - thing is we all take it for granted until its too late ...
In Florida we have a Good Samaritan law which states if you are witness to an accident or come up on one with injuries and do not stop to help, you can be arrested...
does it mean that there is some country were is it otherwise ???
Shocking :(
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Originally posted by Ripsnort
Be extremely judgemental in removing or touching anyone in a case like that, I've heard of cases where they've sued rescuers that were not paramedics because of spinal injuries, etc.
I was first hand witness to many auto accidents (Mother and sister were in a volunteer rescue squad in NJ in the 70's, we tag along as 'support' , ambulance chaser have you but with back up rescue squad support) and after awhile you get used to seeing blood and gore.
That is roadkill. Dont touch someone after an accident in fear of being sued?! Yes I know there are precautions to take, IE dont move the head or spine in case of a back injury or anything else unseen. Milwaukee County first responders (lifeguards) all the way up to level 4 (paramedics) and beyond are taught in any emergency to get the victim breathing and engage in CPR if necessary regardless of any other injuries. Thats most likely taught universally as well. A victim could be in a flipped car, unconscious, and NOT breathing... meanwhile a bystander refuses to touch them in fear of a lawsuit... thats bs... they cant sue ya if they've ceased to exist. and it sure wont matter if they end up with a permanent back injury or something of the sort if they're dead.
aside from my rant, WELL DONE UDIE !!
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Most states have some sort of Good Samaritan law; it protects you from being sued as long as you don't do any procedures beyond your training or knowledge.
So basically if you are CPR trained you can't be sued for broken ribs etc. Or if you think the scene of the accident may become more dangerous (like a burning car about to explode) you can move the victim without risk of being sued for spinal damage.
But if someone isn't breathing you can't do an emergency tracheotomy with your boy scout knife because you saw it once on M*A*S*H*
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i almost forgot WTG udie
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Originally posted by Tac
WTG UDIE!
If theres smoke coming out of the car they're in, SCREW them and their lawyers.. ill pull em out.
WTG Udie...that adrenaline rush is wild isn't it!
Tac,
Also one might be able to carry a release in the glovebox. In case you stumble on a burning wreck you could always have the occupant sign a release before rescuing them. But on the other hand would that not be forcing someone to sign under duress thereby making the contract invalid? :D
Seriously though it is amazing how in a split second one's whole world can change. Better enjoy each moment....
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WTG Udie,
When you see someone in an accident out there on the streets you SHOULD help...the lawyers be...! Well better off left unsaid!
Many of us have found ourselves rendering assistance to accident victims, and I dare say very few of us had the time to think about possible lawsuits.
Good work!
Shuckins
"Lawyers should never marry other lawyers. This leads to INBREEDING...and more lawyers!";)
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WTG Udie!!!
Humanity is somewhat disappointing when you place your hope in it, but cases such as yours and of many more volunteers make me think there's hope after all :)
I hope that, if I'm a witness to an accident, I'm able to perform as dilligently as you did.
Daniel
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To learn more about the Good Samaratin Law....watch the last episode of Seinfeld.
:D
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Thanks for all the WTG's guys, but I don't know if they are necesary. I didn't do anything that most other people wouldn't have done. The only thing I was concerned about was that nobody freakin died while I was standing there. There was no thought involved, had there been I probobly wouldn't have gotten near a smoking car. I'm the biggest wimp I know and have never had to do anything like this at all. I didn't save anybody I just happened to be the first guy at the scene.
1 wierd side effect has been that I've been VERY tired all day since the wreck and my back is squealing hurting bad. I am however still amazed that I was able to open that door, I guess what they say about that super human strength thing while under the influence of adrenaline is true. I went back there at lunch and you can see the gouge I made in the pavement :) a nice 1 or 2 inch deep arc in the middle of the lane hehe.
I will never forget the look on both their faces, the lady in the first car didn' realise she was hurt I think. Poor souls are probobly still in the hospitol now hurting bad :(
I got yet another reminder today just how fragile this thing we call life is. It can be snatched away in a second without you even knowing it. I guess it's had me thinking all day too (stand back :D)
SO....
I'd like to take this time to apologise to everybody here who I've ever pissed of or been rude to. Weazle, FD-ski, mrfish and anybody else who I can't remember getting into an argument with. This toejam we fight about in here (well alot of it anyway) is stupid and not worth getting ourselves all riled up over. Ya never know when the ride's going to be over, and I don't want to go out pissed at somebody or with somebody pissed at me so from here on out I'll try to be the nice udie of my youth :D
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wd udie, i'll always remember the people who stopped to help me or talk to me after I had a big car accident. my guess is they'll be very grateful.
i've been first on the scene of one or two accidents, but sadly they were fatalities so it was just a matter of sitting around and waiting for the authorities to come along.
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Udie,
From a retired Cop. You did good. Don't knock yourself for acting in the interests of others. For the others who want to sit idle in a time of crisis. There is a law known as the Good Samaritan Law that protects those who act with GOOD intent to help others in need (medically) even though they are not trained. Standing by and watching another suffer or die in a fire when you could have saved them without undue risk to yourself is just cowardice. Kind of reminds me of "news people" who shoot pictures and step over the bodies of injured people instead of helping.
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Maverick hit the nail on the head. The good samaritan law protects anyone with good intentions in a situation like that.
Looks to me like you handled it very well... in the more dangerous situation... you helped them out of the car. In the less dangerous one... you had them stay still.
Well done. The decisions made at a time like that are not always the best. You seem to have avoided that trap quite nicely.
AKDejaVu
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hehe it's called "luck" :D I was shaking like a leaf on a tree :)
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I'd rather be lucky than good. Though, when I'm not lucky I'd like to think I merely settle for good.