# Sobering Moment..



## Toshiba (Jul 8, 2004)

I don't normally do serious as life is too short, but i'm going to make an exception today.

I was fortunate or unfortunate depending on your point of view to be at the side of an accident tonight as it happened. White van decides he's too important to wait 60 seconds for the lights so runs a red. The car on my right (2 lanes) sets off on green and they hit head on. The cars front end was completely destroyed and I'm mean completely. The van was doing maybe 30-35, the car 10-15mph. The girl hit the wheel, and bent it back with the force of the two cars coming together. I went and helped the girl who was in total agony screaming and crying. The inside of the car was a complete mess due to impact injurys as you can imagine and i wont go into the graphic details of what i had to do. I managed to keep her talking while i called the police and ambulance but despite being 500m from an ambulance station and 800m from a police, the rapid response car took about 9mins to get a paramedic and 36mins from the end of the 999 call for the police to arrive. I also ended up calling her parents who didn't answer and then her sister. I can't imagine what it's like for the police to have to give the bad news to the next of kin it was hard enough just giving someone news an accident had taken place.

Point of the post? well we all do it, try and save 5 seconds on an amber or light that's just gone red, well trust me if and when it goes wrong (and it will) the outcome is not one you want to have to see. So just think about that the next time you plan to jump a light...

Oh and to the nob heads that beeb'd because my car was in the way as i helped this young girl, i hope you die a painful death...


----------



## leopard (May 1, 2015)

I know we all have a laugh and a joke but like you say this is a sobering moment not just for you but anybody that reads this post.

A truly gallant act from you and no doubt it seemed like time stood still waiting for the emergency services,just hope the young lady doesn't come out too badly from this and that her parents are able to deal with the shock.

No doubt this will stay with you for a long time,try not to dwell too much on the situation although I know that's probably easier said than done.


----------



## TortToise (Aug 22, 2009)

Well done .. despite the traumatic circumstances and their immediate shock effect, I'm sure you'll eventually look back at events with a sense of having done the right thing when it was needed.

I hope you passed on your description of the van running the red to the police - hopefully they will throw the book at the $*£&^$.


----------



## sherry13 (Oct 8, 2013)

Amazing post, well done on what you achieved and shocking to hear that people were beeping. People don't realise what "real" accidents look like or how they can be so serious even at lower speeds. I see so much stupid behaviour on the roads, it's a miracle there are not more accidents.

Sent from AutoGuide.com Free App


----------



## can_quattro (Jun 11, 2009)

Well done Toshiba, both with your actions at the scene and in posting the story.
The wife is an RN so we have stopped at two car accident scenes so she could help out before EMS arrived.
Hope your post helps someone think before making a mistake at a traffic light.


----------



## Bouncedout (Jun 2, 2013)

Brings home the fragility of life something like that doesn't it.

People who can't wait, even for a few seconds have no idea of the consequences until it happens to them . They then have to live with what they have done for the rest of their lives.

Jumping lights, motorbikes filtering past at 40mph, people thinking it's fun to race in built up areas. All completely ignorant of the absolute horror that a serious RTA causes.

You only have to be unlucky once..

Well done Tosh, you did all you could.


----------



## jamman (May 6, 2002)

Good on you tosh, light jumping is becoming more and more of a problem and needs to be tackled although I think we are all guilty of it at one time or another.

A sobering thought, thanks for posting Tosh


----------



## mr gee (Apr 20, 2007)

I know how you feel. Being at the receiving end of a drink driver who ran the lights long long time ago. I have a healthy respect for moving off after the lights go green just in case.


----------



## aquazi (Dec 24, 2014)

Really was a good post to add some food for thought.

We've all at some point gone through a questionable amber just makes you wonder how different that 60 seconds you try to save can cost you.

Sent from my iPhone 5s using Tapatalk


----------



## Shug750S (Feb 6, 2012)

Must have been traumatic for you as well mate. Well done.

Hope that Plod got the van driver and the girl will recover in time.


----------



## minsTTerman (Aug 5, 2003)

A sobering thought indeed and I know at times I'm guilty of feeling safely cocooned in my little metal box thinking nothing's going to go wrong - it can.

Also shows the importance of still looking all round you even when your lights are at green. The number of times people blindly set off just because their lights are at green, doesnt mean nothings coming. Pedestrains glued to their mobile phones whilst blindly crossing pelican crossings, just because the green man's showing are as bad.


----------



## j8keith (Jun 26, 2009)

Very sobering indeed, well done for helping the young girl hope that she recovers OK.


----------



## Danny1 (Sep 2, 2010)

Good job! Hope the girl is ok and a great post to make people think!


----------



## Jenny H (Aug 25, 2013)

Well done for being able to help her, I hope she makes a good recovery and that you don't have too many nightmares about it. 
Jenny
x


----------



## John-H (Jul 13, 2005)

Too many people jumping red lights these days. Well done for helping with the aftermath of it.


----------



## gogs (Dec 22, 2010)

Hat off to you Toshiba, sadly light jumping is becoming more and more common, i drive the same road each day and the same section (a cross roads) has people still coming through after the lights had gone red and the oncoming lights gone green, p***es me off as they know they are doing this, its not a mistake, its a conscious decision, I'm not a rule breaker on the road and am the driver who will get beeped at for not screaming away as the lights turn amber prior to green, its a sad world we occupy :-(

Sent from my Apple product via the interweb


----------



## mwad (Oct 11, 2013)

Shug750S said:


> Must have been traumatic for you as well mate. Well done.


Well said. I couldn't agree more


----------



## brittan (May 18, 2007)

.


----------



## A3DFU (May 7, 2002)

Well done Tosh for helping in a case of emergency. I know it's not easy and I bet your stomach was churning as is mine now, bringing back memories of an incident some years ago where I gave 1st aid to a biker who'd crashed on the notorious Cat & Fiddle road.

I hope the girl will make a full recovery.


----------



## Samoa (Apr 4, 2014)

Well done fella, think we all need reminding to hold back every so often


----------



## Otley (May 15, 2013)

Great post, goes to show that when there is this kind of situation, someone is willing to step up and do the right thing, all credit to you Toshiba.
Being on the road most of my working days, I've been first on the scene at several incidents like this and I'm still amazed at the amount of people that have a good old look...... then drive on! I've been left to deal with situations that I'd rather have not on my own but, I'm sure you'll agree, you kind of go onto 'auto pilot' and just get on with it.
Good things come to good people Tosh, you did the right thing.


----------



## Jace (Jun 6, 2007)

Any news on the girl???

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------

