Kids left in cars

[littleoldman2]

Originally Posted by embee

Are you kidding? In France you are actually obliged to try and help.

No, here in the good old UK you'll get done if you touch anything or anyone. Best to leave everything alone and watch them die.

(No, I don't really mean that last bit.......... )

A few years ago I was window cleaning and we saw an elderly lady on the floor of her sitting room. She was obviously unconscious as she was in a state of partial undress and this was very out of character. I called 999 explained the situation and as a trained first aider offered to break in and see if I could help. I was told no and to wait for the police & ambulance. It took over 10 minutes for them to arrive and gain entry. As it happens she had been dead a long time. But 10 minutes of CPR may have been a life saver.

Originally Posted by littleoldman2

A few years ago I was window cleaning and we saw an elderly lady on the floor of her sitting room. She was obviously unconscious as she was in a state of partial undress and this was very out of character. I called 999 explained the situation and as a trained first aider offered to break in and see if I could help. I was told no and to wait for the police & ambulance. It took over 10 minutes for them to arrive and gain entry. As it happens she had been dead a long time. But 10 minutes of CPR may have been a life saver.

Sadly If you broke in and hurt yourself you could claim against the police for your injuries for allowing you to do it.

Originally Posted by W4tto

Sadly If you broke in and hurt yourself you could claim against the police for your injuries for allowing you to do it.

That unfortunately is a complete crock. We should have legislation in place that prevents this from happening.

Originally Posted by Lozzo

That unfortunately is a complete crock. We should have legislation in place that prevents this from happening.

Thankfully common sense would prevail in a criminal case (I'd like to think) however with ambulance chasing civil solicitors on every corner it's easier to settle than dispute. :-/ most people JP would injure themselves helping others are thankfully not the sort to then pursue a claim but there's always a few...

I spent many an unhappy hour in the car waiting for my father as a child, but the big difference is that in the old days you could wind down the windows. The back windows in our Fiesta are manual, but in the Volvo you are stuck with electric windows. What would I do, I don't know, I suppose it would depend on the outside temperature and how long I had seen the kids in the car for.

[yorkie_chris]

Originally Posted by Lozzo

That unfortunately is a complete crock. We should have legislation in place that ...

...Allows anyone trying to claim off this sort of sh*te to be taken out the back of the courthouse and have the living sh*t kicked out of them.

[littleoldman2]

Originally Posted by Mrs DJ Fridge

I spent many an unhappy hour in the car waiting for my father as a child, but the big difference is that in the old days you could wind down the windows. The back windows in our Fiesta are manual, but in the Volvo you are stuck with electric windows. What would I do, I don't know, I suppose it would depend on the outside temperature and how long I had seen the kids in the car for.

Times have changed. Mothers used to leave babies in prams outside shops, unthinkable now.

I live next to a school and a couple of months ago noticed that a mother (and childminder) was leaving 3 babies in the car whilst she went to collect her older child from school. On the first couple of occasions I thought it odd, but then I started to regularly see her do it and decided to time how long the kids were left. When I noticed that they were left for 15 minutes, I took down her number plate and called the police. Would you be happy if you found out the child minder was leaving your child unattended for that length of time? What if one of them had been choking or god forbid some idiot crashed into the parked car.....

The police paid her a visit and she doesn't do it anymore (well, not at school anyway).

Yes you did the right thing Ralph. I won't even leave my daughter in the car while I go to pay for petrol, and she is four years old.

[Nobbylad]

Originally Posted by MattCollins

Bricking a window and getting the police on the scene is the responsible thing to do. Here we also have good Samaritan laws (in some states) which in most situations absolve liability when aiding others. I'd be surprised if you don't have something similar.

Can you imagine the distress that would cause to the child who, as Ralph said, was quite content sat there waiting patiently. Some random dude comes over and bricks the window whilst you're waiting for your parent to come back from the shop with your sweets.

as someone who spends a large amount of time in the back of a black can i can tell you i gets uncomfortably got very quickly. lost count the number of times i've been stripped down to my pants having to pour water over me to keep cool in the summer!

i am sure there's a law or rule somewhere saying if you see a dog in distress inside a car you are legally allowed to break in amd free it, perhaps there is he same for kids. but as others have said, could be a bit of a minefield.