FA+
Shop
I don't know if anyone reads these things...
12 years ago
Hmm, I am having a weird feeling at the moment. I just got home after a interesting experience.
Around 8:00 I went to IHOP and finished my meal around around 9:30-ish. On my way home, I saw a old man in a manual wheel chair in the bike lane area in the parking lot entrance to a Marie Calender. Cars were driving around him, just barely. I was bewildered at the sight of him, so I pulled over into the fire lane, put on my emergency lights and got out to talk to him. He was a Chinese old man, past his seventies at least, with a bad left arm, and bad legs. He didn't speak much English, and my Mandarin is passable at best.
I spoke to him, and tried to ask why he was in the road, where cars where just within a foot of him. The speed limit was 35MPH, so it was a bit dangerous and it was dark.
He had missed the 6:30PM disabled bus and he had trouble with his TAP Access debit card and stuff. Long story short, I wound up talking to the Marie Calender staff, and their manager, and calling 911. It was pretty stressful when the manager was talking to me at the same time as the 911 operator, and I juggled it. I think I annoyed the 911 operator a bit.
In any case, I got the old man's info as best as I could and they dispatched a Officer to us. I wound up pulling some translator duty. I spent a good twenty minutes trying to get the old man to accept a free ride with the officer to his senior apartment complex which was four miles away.
He seemed hesitant, and it was a bit hard to convince him to get onto the side walk, which was too sloped for him to effectively navigate. Which was why he preferred the bike lane area. But after a while of confirming it would be no trouble, and it would be free, he agreed to it. I wound up helping the officer figure out how to fold the old man's wheel chair and then putting it in the back of his patrol car. I then followed the officer to the old man's residence to provide translation services when asked.
I learned some things about the old man throughout this episode, and it makes me sad.
In any case, I ramble too much...
To the point, I am wondering what others think on how to intervene in situations like this? As I stopped to help this old man, two cars had inched past him and several others had leaned away from him. A dozen more left the parking lot, and only one stopped to ask if I needed help as I talked to 911.
I made a conscious decision to stop and help and seek help and well, get involved. Was I over reacting by calling 911? What would you do? When you see a old person alone and struggling?
I had no idea how far he had traveled alone, and I get the feeling it was pretty far. He seemed tired.
Well, it's making me think and all that. So many other people probably passed him, but I am the only one to stop and help...did I force my help on him? He didn't want to cause others trouble, and was worried about bothering the officer.
Around 8:00 I went to IHOP and finished my meal around around 9:30-ish. On my way home, I saw a old man in a manual wheel chair in the bike lane area in the parking lot entrance to a Marie Calender. Cars were driving around him, just barely. I was bewildered at the sight of him, so I pulled over into the fire lane, put on my emergency lights and got out to talk to him. He was a Chinese old man, past his seventies at least, with a bad left arm, and bad legs. He didn't speak much English, and my Mandarin is passable at best.
I spoke to him, and tried to ask why he was in the road, where cars where just within a foot of him. The speed limit was 35MPH, so it was a bit dangerous and it was dark.
He had missed the 6:30PM disabled bus and he had trouble with his TAP Access debit card and stuff. Long story short, I wound up talking to the Marie Calender staff, and their manager, and calling 911. It was pretty stressful when the manager was talking to me at the same time as the 911 operator, and I juggled it. I think I annoyed the 911 operator a bit.
In any case, I got the old man's info as best as I could and they dispatched a Officer to us. I wound up pulling some translator duty. I spent a good twenty minutes trying to get the old man to accept a free ride with the officer to his senior apartment complex which was four miles away.
He seemed hesitant, and it was a bit hard to convince him to get onto the side walk, which was too sloped for him to effectively navigate. Which was why he preferred the bike lane area. But after a while of confirming it would be no trouble, and it would be free, he agreed to it. I wound up helping the officer figure out how to fold the old man's wheel chair and then putting it in the back of his patrol car. I then followed the officer to the old man's residence to provide translation services when asked.
I learned some things about the old man throughout this episode, and it makes me sad.
In any case, I ramble too much...
To the point, I am wondering what others think on how to intervene in situations like this? As I stopped to help this old man, two cars had inched past him and several others had leaned away from him. A dozen more left the parking lot, and only one stopped to ask if I needed help as I talked to 911.
I made a conscious decision to stop and help and seek help and well, get involved. Was I over reacting by calling 911? What would you do? When you see a old person alone and struggling?
I had no idea how far he had traveled alone, and I get the feeling it was pretty far. He seemed tired.
Well, it's making me think and all that. So many other people probably passed him, but I am the only one to stop and help...did I force my help on him? He didn't want to cause others trouble, and was worried about bothering the officer.
*takes his hat off*
To get him home, he would have had to go up hill, then down a steep hill, then up hill again, turn a corner. Repeat the up and down a few times...and go straight for 4 miles.
I don't even know where he started from...
Honestly, I think you were MEANT to help him. After all, who else would have stopped to offer aid that knew enough mandarin to be understood?