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AIBU?

To be naffed off with this response from the police today?

28 replies

Stopmithering · 31/07/2014 18:54

Driving with my two children this afternoon to do some shopping over a notoriously busy, fast and thus quite dangerous main road in an East Midlands city.
Speed limit is 60 dropping to 50 over a bridge.
Two cars ahead, a car has obviously had some sort of bump as it half lifts into the air and bumps around before coming to a stop.
Another car slows, I stop as I can see a lady on her own, around 60, looking very shaken. Other car sees I've stopped and goes.
I'm nervous to stop here as cars and lorries go hurtling past, it's narrow and two kids in car.
However, I can't leave the lady on her own, so I wait until I get a clear spot and dash over to see if she's ok.
She's shaken, got no-one she can call on, not sure if she has breakdown cover and is dithering, in shock.
I run back to my car and decide to call police. I dial 101, explain situation very clearly, saying exactly where we are on this notoriously dangerous road, lady listens then says 'we don't usually come out for this sort of thing' so I accept this as I'm a bit in shock too.
I dash back to lady, get all her details and drive 2 mins down the road where I call green flag for her.
Later, I call her to see if she's ok, I was worried.
She was fine.
She tells me though, that a van driver pulled up behind her, called 999 and the police came immediately, cordoned off the road and waited until green flag had fixed her car.
So why ignore my request for help?
Is there any point to 101?
Did I do the wrong thing or was the police response initially poor?
Gosh that's long, just think I needed to get it all out, sorry!

OP posts:
Sirzy · 31/07/2014 18:56

I would have called 999 for an RTC tbh. That said unless there was crossed wires it wasn't a very good response from the 101 service

LeBearPolar · 31/07/2014 18:57

When my sister was a passenger in a car that broke down on a v busy A road, she had to call 999 so the police could come and cordon off the lane and direct the traffic round the car. But surely the 101 woman should have explained this to you!

ThatBloodyWoman · 31/07/2014 18:58

I think the police response was poor given that you explained it all clearly.

picnicbasketcase · 31/07/2014 19:01

If someone is in danger you should use 999. I get that it was more potential danger than immediate danger, but I don't think 101 is really intended for that type of situation.

Stopmithering · 31/07/2014 19:02

I wasn't sure it warranted 999 and thought 101 would be able to sort out a police presence.
Won't bother with 101 again.

OP posts:
minibmw2010 · 31/07/2014 19:02

Why did you dial 101 and not 999??

picnicbasketcase · 31/07/2014 19:03

However, they should have advised you to call 999 if that's what you're supposed to do.

minibmw2010 · 31/07/2014 19:03

Crossed messages there. All RTCs are a matter for 999, it's up to them to decide if it then becomes less so.

BeanyIsPregnant · 31/07/2014 19:08

I would have probably called 111 too, but I would have expected them to advise me to either call 999 or that it was a 999 situation and they would transfer me..

deakymom · 31/07/2014 19:18

i would assume 999 is for imminent danger not a rta where no one needs an ambulance the police dont really want to know these days and 999 is constantly monitored i dont think 101 is as much

Stopmithering · 31/07/2014 19:23

No-one was injured and I have never called police before.
Didn't want to accused of wasting police time.
Thought police is police and they would be able to assess the situation.
If she'd said 'call 999' I would have done just that!

OP posts:
WorraLiberty · 31/07/2014 19:24

That was a piss poor response from 101

They should have made an emergency call for you, or told you to hang up and dial 999.

Nicknacky · 31/07/2014 19:24

999 for an accident on a stretch go road where there is potential for further accidents or injury is perfectly fine. Controller has possibly not understood the op's concern and thought it was a minor bump where there was no requirement for police.

WooWooOwl · 31/07/2014 19:30

They should have told you to call 999 or they should have done it for you. Their response was piss poor.

You did a good thing, well done.

NatashaBee · 31/07/2014 19:39

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

SouthernComforts · 31/07/2014 19:58

I was in a crash last month and the police didn't even attend! Me and other driver swapped details and our insurance has sorted everything but the police weren't interested.

Nicknacky · 31/07/2014 20:01

Sc, in that circumstance there is no requirement for police attendance. Otherwise they would be at thousands of accidents a day!

theendoftheendoftheend · 31/07/2014 20:02

101 and 999 will go through to the same control and be monitored by the same dispatchers, the lady you spoke to just got the wrong end of the stick and didn't respond appropriately. did you tell them the road was blocked?

SouthernComforts · 31/07/2014 20:06

I was told by the person on the phone to wait by the cars so the police could take a statement and breathalise (sp?) us. So we waited for 40 minutes before they rang back to say they weren't coming.

That was irritating to say the least but added to the last two experiences I've had with GMP as the victim of a mugging and assault my confidence in our police is at zero.

Nicknacky · 31/07/2014 20:09

None injury road accident doesn't require a police attendance and possibly the operator may have been new/inexperienced and shouldn't have told you that. Unless there was mention of offences when it was reported? If it was a minor damage only accident the police wouldn't normally attend.

Certainly when I attended road accidents that were minor the drivers would exchange details and we would have no input.

Nicknacky · 31/07/2014 20:09

Non injury, not none!

MrsWolowitz · 31/07/2014 20:12

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

MrsWolowitz · 31/07/2014 20:12

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Lally112 · 31/07/2014 20:13

Did you actually explain that it was an RTC though? because from what you have explained in your post you seem to be explaining it more like a breakdown with all the greenflag and breakdown cover talk. It took me long enough to realise from what you wrote you were talking collision and not just breakdown.

SouthernComforts · 31/07/2014 20:27

Yeah sorry I should have put that they told me they would attend and that we couldn't leave in the first post!

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