Are adults who won't learn to drive a nuisance?

[truthseeker]

Hmm, in that case I would think that obliging everyone to learn basic first aid would be FAR more useful. If they are driving you somewhere, they can't take any care of you and a car is hardly equipped to deal with emergencies.
I would prefer they know the basics of CPR and have the sense to ring for an ambulance!! Also moving a person who has been in a road incident should always be the last option, only if you or they are in danger should it be attempted. They could have serious non-visible injuries that you could exacerbate.

The ability to drive is not a life-saver, CPR is.

My goodness, I certainly was not thinking of someone being in a road accident. I was more thinking of someone who has just had a heart attack or stroke, where getting them to the hospital in a hurry is of paramount importance, not treating them at the scene. In that case Id rather someone knew how to drive, itd be quicker than phoning for an ambulance.

In fact, for most 'get me to the hospital in a hurry' scenarios Id rather a driver than a wait.

 

[Complainer]

My goodness, I certainly was not thinking of someone being in a road accident. I was more thinking of someone who has just had a heart attack or stroke, where getting them to the hospital in a hurry is of paramount importance, not treating them at the scene. In that case Id rather someone knew how to drive, itd be quicker than phoning for an ambulance.

In fact, for most 'get me to the hospital in a hurry' scenarios Id rather a driver than a wait.

Bad advice. A driver won't have a defibrillator. A driver won't be able to treat a person while driving. A driver won't be trained in advanced driving skills. A driver under emotional stress will be a danger to others on the road.

Call an ambulance and wait. Better still, go do a first aid course in the meantime.

 

[truthseeker]

Bad advice. A driver won't have a defibrillator. A driver won't be able to treat a person while driving. A driver won't be trained in advanced driving skills. A driver under emotional stress will be a danger to others on the road.

Call an ambulance and wait. Better still, go do a first aid course in the meantime.

Are you mad! My original post on this specifically says remote areas. You cant even get a phone signal in the australian outback! Or on a lot of safari locations. I would take a driver over 'call an ambulance' in a remote area any day of the week.

 

[terrysgirl33]

I grew up in the country, and unless things have changed, it takes as long for an ambulance to get to you (if they can find you, but I think GPS helps with that) as it does to get someone to hospital.

 

[xeresod]

Or we could just go all the way back to riding horses around the place, you only need to buy one or two, and then let nature take its course...

You'll definitely need two


(unless you're hoping for the next messiah to be of the equine variety!!!)

 

[mandelbrot]

You'll definitely need two


(unless you're hoping for the next messiah to be of the equine variety!!!)

Ah but they don't both have to be mine! I only need a second one, of the correct gender, for however long that sort of procedure takes..!

 

[Complainer]

Are you mad! My original post on this specifically says remote areas. You cant even get a phone signal in the australian outback! Or on a lot of safari locations. I would take a driver over 'call an ambulance' in a remote area any day of the week.

To be honest, I wasn't particularly thinking about the Australian outback or safari locations. I was thinking about Ireland. You don't seem to get the role and function of the ambulance service. Driving the casualty is the easy part of their job. Your driver won't be able to defibrillate, or intubate, or give drugs, or carry out CPR, or stop severe bleeding, or secure a fracture to avoid any further damage, or keep an unconscious person in the recovery position to avoid a blocked airway.

A good paramedic will keep you alive, while getting you to hospital.

 

[delgirl]

Worse than adults who won't learn to drive are adults who do drive, own their own car, are by no means poor and are still constantly asking for lifts here and there!

I've had to distance myself from a former friend - I work full time, have children and have a house to run - she's retired, has a cleaner and a gardener and is constantly cadging lifts from anyone who has a car to go to play golf, to go to a friend's house for dinner so she can have a drink, to get to the airport for her frequent trips away, etc. etc!

 

[truthseeker]

To be honest, I wasn't particularly thinking about the Australian outback or safari locations. I was thinking about Ireland. You don't seem to get the role and function of the ambulance service. Driving the casualty is the easy part of their job. Your driver won't be able to defibrillate, or intubate, or give drugs, or carry out CPR, or stop severe bleeding, or secure a fracture to avoid any further damage, or keep an unconscious person in the recovery position to avoid a blocked airway.

A good paramedic will keep you alive, while getting you to hospital.

And you clearly missed the point I was making, nothing new there.

 

[Purple]

To be honest, I wasn't particularly thinking about the Australian outback or safari locations. I was thinking about Ireland. You don't seem to get the role and function of the ambulance service. Driving the casualty is the easy part of their job. Your driver won't be able to defibrillate, or intubate, or give drugs, or carry out CPR, or stop severe bleeding, or secure a fracture to avoid any further damage, or keep an unconscious person in the recovery position to avoid a blocked airway.

A good paramedic will keep you alive, while getting you to hospital.

Given that few people are trained paramedics but most people drive and given that learning to drive takes weeks and training as a paramedic takes months/years you aren't really comparing like with like there, are you?

If I was in an accident and needed a brain surgeon I would not expect a passer-by to happen to be a brain surgeon but it would be reasonable to expect that they could drive a car. Don’t you think?

 

[Purple]

And you clearly missed the point I was making, nothing new there.

Welcome to the club

 

[truthseeker]

Welcome to the club

Im weary trying to over-explain a simple point of view. Ive given up.

 

[Complainer]

And you clearly missed the point I was making, nothing new there.

Not really. The solution is to phone for the ambulance and wait. Well-meaning and ignorant do-gooders will do more harm than good by attempting to move an injured person. Give me a good paramedic over a doctor or nurse or a driver any day.

 

[gipimann]

Hmm, interesting topic!

Reminds me of a non-driving friend who is reliant on public transport and thinks nothing of it. However her siblings had a different take on it.

I was usually invited to their family gatherings, and, as I lived close to non-driving friend, I was able to bring her home every time.

When I moved elsewhere, and driving friend home was no longer practical, the invitations to the family gatherings stopped.

I hadn't moved so far away to make attendance at gatherings impossible, so the only conclusion I could draw was that I'd only been invited to act as chauffeur.

 

[becky]

Worse than adults who won't learn to drive are adults who do drive, own their own car, are by no means poor and are still constantly asking for lifts here and there!

I've had to distance myself from a former friend - I work full time, have children and have a house to run - she's retired, has a cleaner and a gardener and is constantly cadging lifts from anyone who has a car to go to play golf, to go to a friend's house for dinner so she can have a drink, to get to the airport for her frequent trips away, etc. etc!

That is annoying. Wonder why she doesn't hire a driver as well. But if people keep bringing her, why would she.

You reminded me of a former friend. I once offered to bring her into town so as to save on 2 cabs. She was delighted and asked another time and I was happy to oblige.

I was going out one night and she rang earlier in the evening. The topic of me going out later came up and I then asked for a lift.

Her reply was, I only asked because she happened to ring me so I obviously had arrangements made. I hadn't as I intended to ring for a taxi.

She got no more lifts from me. Selfish and self obsessed doesn't describe her adequately.

I think at the time she was annoyed I was going out which meant her phone call had to be cut short and she could no longer moan about whatever her moan of that day was.

We did fall out a few years later over another matter - can't actually remember what it was now, but will be happy enough to never to see her again.

 

[Purple]

Not really. The solution is to phone for the ambulance and wait. Well-meaning and ignorant do-gooders will do more harm than good by attempting to move an injured person. Give me a good paramedic over a doctor or nurse or a driver any day.

When people are trapped in a car after a crash it is common for the emergency services to call out the local GP (or GP on call). Suggesting that a paramedic is a better option than an experienced doctor is just silly.

Well-meaning and ignorant do-gooders will do more harm than good

I agree with this but it applies to socialists in general and is not specific to this discussion