To all Gawkers, Rubber Neckers and people who do not follow instructions

Hyacinth Bucket · 08-01-2008, 03:11 AM

I have just returned from an intense meeting and guess I need not only to unwind but let my feelings be known.

When there is an accident in the other lane or the other side of the road, please do not slow down to stare - just keep driving at whatever speed you were driving at. Hopefully you were not speeding.

When you slow down to gawk you are creating another potential hazardous situation not only to the car behind you, but to the cars all around you.

If you come to a scene of an accident PLEASE do not drive through the scene if emergency, fire, paramedics and/or police are not on the scene yet.

PLEASE follow and obey what you are being told at a scene of an accident. DO NOT ignore the person and go around them to avoid waiting for when it is safe for you to pass.

And the final PLEASE is to let an emergency vehicle have the right away. Do not block there path.

As for gawkers at a scene of an accident - that is person who is in distress. The people caring for the person need space to do there job. How would you like to be stared at? Please if you are not part of the team leave the scene.

So for everyones sake please follow the above.

Thank you

Also thanks for letting me get this off my chest.

HB

graciegirl · 08-01-2008, 03:20 AM

Oh HB. Hugs. It must have been bad. I am hoping the injured will recover.

Hyacinth Bucket · 08-01-2008, 03:35 AM

GG - Thank you.

The person did not recover. Their injuries were extensive.

HB

chelsea24 · 08-01-2008, 03:54 AM

awwww HB, I'm so sorry you had to experience that. I saw a man killed once, right next to me and I still think of him and his family waiting for him at home. It was a horrible thing. (((((((HB))))))) hugs to you, chels

Hyacinth Bucket · 08-01-2008, 04:02 AM

Thank you Chels,

I was not at the scene of the accident. I was with some of the people who responded to this horrific accident.

I listened, along with two colleagues, to what happened and their frustrations with the public who were at the scene of the accident or who blocked the emergency vehicles from getting to the scene.

I know what you mean, about still thinking about the man who you were standing next to when he was killed. You saw experienced that was so abnormal in life, but your memories are very normal.

HB

redwitch · 08-01-2008, 06:17 AM

Oh, HB, I'm so sorry. Even if we're not directly involved in something like this, just hearing others who were involved makes it a little more real and painful. I'm sorry that a man died and that strangers made it more difficult for him to get the help he needed.

Gawkers really frustrate me. I can think of several times when I used to commute to SF that additional accidents were caused by the lookie-loos. I understand human nature makes it hard to not look, but there's really no excuse for staring. People should slow down even if going the opposite direction -- you don't know what debris might be in the road -- but slow down doesn't mean stop or even almost stop.

F16 1UB · 08-01-2008, 07:16 PM

HB how bout this. The other day I noticed a fire truck and ambulance out front and saw EMT personnel go inside the neighbors home. 2 seconds later came 2 neighbors from across the street that also ran inside the home. Whoa I thought. Professionals on scene and even though you may be a friend stay outa their way. But no they waltzed right in.

KayakerNC · 08-01-2008, 07:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hyacinth Bucket

When there is an accident in the other lane or the other side of the road, please do not slow down to stare - just keep driving at whatever speed you were driving at. Hopefully you were not speeding.
HB

I really have to disagree with this.
Aside from debris, any rescue and emergency workers should have the same consideration given to workers in construction areas. Slow down, and let them live.

Halle · 08-01-2008, 07:50 PM

HB

You are absolutely correct. There was a traffic expert on the Today show yesterday and he stated the same thing. You should continue at normal speed, "rubber-necking" and slowing down causes more accidents.

redwitch · 08-01-2008, 08:18 PM

Sorry, but I'll stand with you should slow down. Not dramatically and certainly not by slamming on your brakes, but by taking your foot of the gas and proceeding at a moderate speed. This was something I learned in defensive driving classes and I've found it to have saved me some major vehicular damage a time or two. I do lightly tap my brakes so that people know there is a reason to slow down. Unless you're the first one to go by the accident, the odds are that you're going to be near stopping anyway as people look and that's where the danger comes in.

Hyacinth Bucket · 08-02-2008, 12:37 AM

KayackerNC, I guess I did not make myself clear.

What you said is 100% true. In this incident the cars would not allow the emergency vehicles through. Some of the vehicles if I understood correctly wanted to go through the accident scene even though they were told not to.

The sad part about this is it is amazing how many people do not follow simple instructions.

The incident that I was referring to were primarily volunteers in appropriate uniforms

Sorry for not making myself clearer.

HB

Quote:

Originally Posted by KayakerNC

I really have to disagree with this.
Aside from debris, any rescue and emergency workers should have the same consideration given to workers in construction areas. Slow down, and let them live.

Hyacinth Bucket · 08-02-2008, 12:39 AM

F16, it would be better if they asked who ever was outside if there was anything they could do for the personnel who were on the scene - simple things like ask them if they would like coffee and similar things.

People are amazing.

HB

downeaster · 08-02-2008, 02:51 AM

I served as an EMT with a volunteer ambulance association. Frankly, while at the scene of an accident, I never noticed "gawkers'. I was too busy doing my job.
However, while driving an ambulance, I found most other drivers considerate until I got close to the hospital. Those people seem to be immune to emergency vehicles.
I never "rubberneck" at the scene of an accident. It is a dangerous place as about everyone else is rubbernecking.

DC

Hyacinth Bucket · 08-02-2008, 03:14 AM

downeaster, when we met with the Paramedic who was at the scene she was focused on doing her job and was not aware of any body watching and staring - or for that matter anything else that was going on.

From what I heard, everyone was focused on doing the job they were trained to do. It seems if people could do anything to prevent the necessary personnel going through they were all there.

Ironically the person who witnessed this horrific accident opened her home to all the volunteers and gave them towels.

I am sure you have witnessed and worked on victims from horrific accident scenes. Not many people can do what you do.

HB

Laura · 08-03-2008, 01:24 AM

We were riding in our golf cart on Bailey Trail, and came upon a woman in a CAR in the golf cart path gawking at the house that got hit by lightning over in Sunset. We beeped the horn at her, she was actually moving, and looking right! She then took a sharp left across both lanes of Bailey! I was amazed, but then maybe I shouldn't have been.

To all Gawkers, Rubber Neckers and people who do not follow instructions

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