Well I was kind of responsible for saving a life tonight. My wife and I were driving to get something to eat when we were rear ended as I was slowing down for a traffic light. Quite a jolt.

The other car pulled over into a parking lot and we followed. The driver got out of his car and started pounding his hood angrily. Then apologized and said he would get me whatever I needed. But gradually stopped making sense and started wandering around the parking lot.

Naturally, I called 911.

By the time the police arrived, he had passed out in some bushes. He was non-responsive to the officers and was apparently having difficulty breathing. Paramedics revived him with Narcan, and he was able to walk unassisted.

Fortunately our car appeared to be undamaged thanks to Super Bumper. We're a bit sore, but hopefully will be ok.

So I guess that I sorta saved a drug addict's life.

FYI, I was awake and not in the shower so...

I certainly hope he got a ticket at least. Did the police take your info?

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Fenris:
So I guess that I sorta saved a drug addict's life.

QUOTE]

That's unfortunate.

You probably did save his life, this time. Good on you.

I'm to guess that he was followed to the hospital and placed in custody.

If it was the jolt you stated, you should go get checked. I'll tell you know you're going to be VERY sore tomorrow.

quote:

Originally posted by jimmy123x:
[QUOTE]Originally posted by Fenris:
So I guess that I sorta saved a drug addict's life.

QUOTE]

That's unfortunate.

Maybe I misunderstand your response.

Sometimes, one's life is changed in an instant, in a given "second chance" encounter.

Maybe this is such a case.

When we give up hope, we have given up on redemption.

I hope I have misunderstood your reply.

quote:

Originally posted by Rightwire:
If it was the jolt you stated, you should go get checked. I'll tell you know you're going to be VERY sore tomorrow.

Tomorrow or Monday. Tonight is for sleep.

quote:

Originally posted by sigmonkey:

quote:

Originally posted by jimmy123x:
[QUOTE]Originally posted by Fenris:
So I guess that I sorta saved a drug addict's life.

QUOTE]

That's unfortunate.

Maybe I misunderstand your response.

Sometimes, one's life is changed in an instant, in a given "second chance" encounter.

Maybe this is such a case.

When we give up hope, we have given up on redemption.

I hope I have misunderstood your reply.

You can call me cold hearted, but drug addicts have completely destroyed entire neighborhoods here in South Florida. There is a rehab center every 2 miles and 3 out of 4 drug addicts are shipped in from out of the state. People gaming the system are buying houses in normal neighborhoods and turning them into halfway houses, 4 drug addicts to a bedroom that they're getting $700 per month per person. So a 3 bedroom house has 12 addicts in it. 90% of them get back on drugs within 2 weeks and are then stuck down here and never make it to whatever state they came from. These said addicts them roam what was once a nice neighborhood stealing, breaking into houses, passing out in peoples hedges, needles in people's hedges, and drug addicts on every corner pan handling for money. South Florida has had 1500 overdose deaths in 3 counties already this year. Not to mention all of the innocent bystanders they're killing. Paramedics are completely taxed dealing with all of the OD's and reviving them to the effect that normal people that really need the paramedics are waiting longer for medical help and quite frankly I'm quite sick of what it has done to this area and have completely lost all patience for drug addicts. Call me cold hearted perhaps, but drug addicts choose to try drugs.....choose to stay on drugs.....and quite frankly don't give a damn about anything or anyone....but staying high.

quote:

Originally posted by sigmonkey:

quote:

Originally posted by jimmy123x:
[QUOTE]Originally posted by Fenris:
So I guess that I sorta saved a drug addict's life.

QUOTE]

That's unfortunate.

Maybe I misunderstand your response.

Sometimes, one's life is changed in an instant, in a given "second chance" encounter.

Maybe this is such a case.

When we give up hope, we have given up on redemption.

I hope I have misunderstood your reply.

Thank you, sigmonkey. You stated my thoughts much more gracefully than I would have....

quote:

Originally posted by jimmy123x:....

All that stuff you said...


Your 100% correct, except when you're not.

I see both sides, and while my primary motivation in calling 911 was not to summon medical assistance, neither would I have deliberately let him die if for no other reason than his family.

I did want to get the insurance info and to be sure that he didn't get back on the road.

My consideration is observing someone in such a situation, do I or anyone have the time and facts to make an assessment that the person is a "drug addict" or someone with diabetic or other "natural" psychosis?

Better to defer to the people with the training and wherewithal to assess and treat.

And then let the legal system take its turn.

Don't like the "turnstile" justice system? Get involved. Vote, and such as.

I think you did the right thing, and it reflects on you, not the other guy. At the end of the day, what you do matters for your "score".

quote:

Originally posted by craglawnmanor:

quote:

Originally posted by sigmonkey:

quote:

Originally posted by jimmy123x:

quote:

Originally posted by Fenris:
So I guess that I sorta saved a drug addict's life.

That's unfortunate.

Maybe I misunderstand your response.

Sometimes, one's life is changed in an instant, in a given "second chance" encounter.

Maybe this is such a case.

When we give up hope, we have given up on redemption.

I hope I have misunderstood your reply.

Thank you, sigmonkey. You stated my thoughts much more gracefully than I would have....

Exactly. Well said. I held back from responding because I could not think of a way to do it with any sort of grace.

I am privileged to know The Monkey personally. His insight and his generosity are inspirational.

quote:

Originally posted by sigmonkey:
My consideration is observing someone in such a situation, do I or anyone have the time and facts to make an assessment that the person is a "drug addict" or someone with diabetic or other "natural" psychosis?

Better to defer to the people with the training and wherewithal to assess and treat.

And then let the legal system take its turn.

Don't like the "turnstile" justice system? Get involved. Vote, and such as.

I think you did the right thing, and it reflects on you, not the other guy. At the end of the day, what you do matters for your "score".

The ONLY thing a LEO or Paramedic would administer Narcan for, would be Opiate overdose. Would I call paramedics if someone was having a health issue, drugs or otherwise, yes. Would I feel good about it, after finding out they almost killed someone in their car because they were OD'ing on heroin, NO.

quote:

Originally posted by jimmy123x:

quote:

Originally posted by sigmonkey:
My consideration is observing someone in such a situation, do I or anyone have the time and facts to make an assessment that the person is a "drug addict" or someone with diabetic or other "natural" psychosis?

Better to defer to the people with the training and wherewithal to assess and treat.

And then let the legal system take its turn.

Don't like the "turnstile" justice system? Get involved. Vote, and such as.

I think you did the right thing, and it reflects on you, not the other guy. At the end of the day, what you do matters for your "score".

The ONLY thing a LEO or Paramedic would administer Narcan for, would be Opiate overdose. Would I call paramedics if someone was having a health issue, drugs or otherwise, yes. Would I feel good about it, after finding out they almost killed someone in their car because they were OD'ing on heroin, NO.

"Almost killed someone"? He said his bumper wasn't even scratched.. and if anything, the government, pharma, and doctors are as much to blame as anyone for the opioid crisis. I personally know some people that were addicted to opioids that were (are) very fine people that got injured and put on unnecessary amounts of what's more or less synthetic heroin to deal with their pain.

quote:

Originally posted by jimmy123x:

quote:

Originally posted by sigmonkey:
My consideration is observing someone in such a situation, do I or anyone have the time and facts to make an assessment that the person is a "drug addict" or someone with diabetic or other "natural" psychosis?

Better to defer to the people with the training and wherewithal to assess and treat.

And then let the legal system take its turn.

Don't like the "turnstile" justice system? Get involved. Vote, and such as.

I think you did the right thing, and it reflects on you, not the other guy. At the end of the day, what you do matters for your "score".

The ONLY thing a LEO or Paramedic would administer Narcan for, would be Opiate overdose. Would I call paramedics if someone was having a health issue, drugs or otherwise, yes. Would I feel good about it, after finding out they almost killed someone in their car because they were OD'ing on heroin, NO.

I don't believe that I'm the only one that is quite tired of your ignorant posts. Perhaps the right thing to do is to step away from the keyboard for a while.

quote:

Originally posted by Shifferbrains:

quote:

Originally posted by jimmy123x:

quote:

Originally posted by sigmonkey:
My consideration is observing someone in such a situation, do I or anyone have the time and facts to make an assessment that the person is a "drug addict" or someone with diabetic or other "natural" psychosis?

Better to defer to the people with the training and wherewithal to assess and treat.

And then let the legal system take its turn.

Don't like the "turnstile" justice system? Get involved. Vote, and such as.

I think you did the right thing, and it reflects on you, not the other guy. At the end of the day, what you do matters for your "score".

The ONLY thing a LEO or Paramedic would administer Narcan for, would be Opiate overdose. Would I call paramedics if someone was having a health issue, drugs or otherwise, yes. Would I feel good about it, after finding out they almost killed someone in their car because they were OD'ing on heroin, NO.

I don't believe that I'm the only one that is quite tired of your ignorant posts. Perhaps the right thing to do is to step away from the keyboard for a while.

In what way, shape, or form are my posts in this thread ignorant? Do you have junkies invading your otherwise very nice neighborhood? Do you have a half way house less than 2 blocks from your house in a 100% RESIDENTIAL neighborhood??? Normal people are sick of it..... now yes, doctors and such are partially to blame, but heck, they clamped down on the pill mills well over 5 years ago now. If someone truly wants help there are a ton of free avenues to get help. But really with the internet one could easily lookup drugs like oxycodone and see the side effects of them before even taking them.

If the guy blew through the intersection and t-boned a mother with young kids versus rear ending the OP would the story be any different. If the guy was drunk would your story be different?

A very good, very good natured, very productive, 21 year old kid that worked for a friend of mine was fishing on the sidewalk on a bridge less than 2 months ago on US-1 and some driver drove over the curb and killed him. So yes, there are a lot of innocent bystanders that get killed by these junkies.

if anyone needed medical treatment for any reason I would call 911 for them. But I have zero tolerance for junkies, all of the resources they consume that we pay for, and all of the innocent bystanders that get killed or injured by them. If someone wants to play Russian roulette with a very dangerous drug, the outcome is on them. I also have zero tolerance for drunk drivers.

However, if you go to "DUI driver crashed in front of me" in the what's your deal section, there is not one person sticking up for the drunk driver......yet driving under the influence of Heroin can somehow be justified?????

sigmonkey said:

quote:

My consideration is observing someone in such a situation, do I or anyone have the time and facts to make an assessment that the person is a "drug addict" or someone with diabetic or other "natural" psychosis?

Better to defer to the people with the training and wherewithal to assess and treat.

And then let the legal system take its turn.

Somebody in this thread needs to reread that.

quote:

Originally posted by Shifferbrains:
I don't believe that I'm the only one that is quite tired of your ignorant posts. Perhaps the right thing to do is to step away from the keyboard for a while.

Thank you. You speak for many of us.

As Raylan Givens said, in Justified, "If you run into an asshole in the morning, you ran into an asshole. If you run into assholes all day, you're the asshole."

The current population of opioid addicts seems to be a mix of traditional drug addicts along with previously solid individuals that got hooked after a legitimate medical need. It really doesn't take that long. Weeks, not months, in some cases. A fair number of the OD patients are very much worth saving. It's not for me to decide which ones.

quote:

Originally posted by cmr076:
"Almost killed someone"? He said his bumper wasn't even scratched..

Technically true. But this was due to my having a Super Bumper which absorbed much of the impact. His bumper certainly sustained damage. I have super bumpers on all my cars. Well not the Vette. But if it had come with a trailer hitch I would have.

Super Bumper is like a step bumper but with dense rubber shock absorbers to help mitigate the forces of an impact.

From www.superbumper.com