Was I right??

[Big_Spark]

Driving home tonight from a hard, but productive day in a freezing cold plant room (My materials FINALLY arrived from Eddies!!) I took a back road as a short cut to avoid traffic on a couple opf traffic lights, as I rounded one bend in the road I spotted three hedgehogs in the road...

Did I run them over..Nope, instinctively I braked, I stopped just short of the terrified little blighters and put my hazard lights on, got out, rounded the Van and started to remove the hoggies from the road to the safety of a garden...

This fella behind me comes to see what is going on and then stats blathering on about me being a "Tree hugging Multiplying moron and I should have run the stupid pests over"

I replied with a few profanities of my own and simply asked if he'd been drinking...at which he said... "A couple, what are you a multiplying copper now?"

So was I right to remove the Hoggies to the safety of the garden, as stopping was not a hazard to other road users, just an inconvenience for two mins to this chap...and was I right to report him to the Old Bill for drink driving? (Which I did after getting back into my Van and clocking his index number.

Opinions welcome.

 

[oilman]

As far as what you did goes, I would agree. Just a pity the moron is still able to walk. If you had a towbar, you could have backed into him, it would have been his fault for running into the back of you (and it would set off his airbag

Or perhaps you vehicle might have had a problem starting again

 

[Big_Spark]

As far as what you did goes, I would agree. Just a pity the moron is still able to walk. If you had a towbar, you could have backed into him, it would have been his fault for running into the back of you (and it would set off his airbag

Or perhaps you vehicle might have had a problem starting again

Thanks for the agreement Oil...and that suggestion is pure evil..but I love it..unfortunately I haven't had a tow bar fitted to the new Van yet as not had the need, but it is coming in December!!

 

[Freddie]

For once i agree with you Brightspark, you may be a lying bulls hitter but this time you were right.----think i'm gonna puke

 

[andy]

As far as what you did goes, I would agree. Just a pity the moron is still able to walk. If you had a towbar, you could have backed into him, it would have been his fault for running into the back of you (and it would set off his airbag

Or perhaps you vehicle might have had a problem starting again

im definatly gonna get that towbar fitted to my car!

 

[supersparks]

from a law pov what you did was wrong.
if you stoping had caused an accedent then you would be in the ****, and even if he did hit you from the back, he would have a case against you.

the law says you shouldent emergency stop unless a human life is in danger, basicly meaning anything smaller than a dear you keep the pedal to the metal.

if it had been a policeman who came up from behind you you could have been nicked for obstructing the trafic without any real reason.

now, had it been a horse/dear ect ect then the case is yours, reason being, that if you hit one at high, or any speed then a life is in danger - yours and so you have cause to suddenly stop....

on a personal note, yeh, right thing to do

 

[Big_Spark]

SS, your assuming I emergency stopped. I pulled up quicker than normal, but as I was only doing 20mph it was hardly an Emergency Stop.

Anyway, when I phoned the Police they said I was correct to stop as children could run out into the road to save the hedgehogs...

 

[Freddie]

from a law pov what you did was wrong.
if you stoping had caused an accedent then you would be in the s**t, and even if he did hit you from the back, he would have a case against you.

the law says you shouldent emergency stop unless a human life is in danger, basicly meaning anything smaller than a dear you keep the pedal to the metal.

if it had been a policeman who came up from behind you you could have been nicked for obstructing the trafic without any real reason.

now, had it been a horse/dear ect ect then the case is yours, reason being, that if you hit one at high, or any speed then a life is in danger - yours and so you have cause to suddenly stop....

on a personal note, yeh, right thing to do

Well i have never heard that one before--an emergency stop could occur for any reason

 

[Thermo]

morally correct, hedgehogly correct and legally correct, no reason not to stop, not an emergency stop, guy behind had plenty of time to stop and even if he had run into the back of you he should have left enough reaction time.

 

[masona]

It makes me feel good to know that you and some others do cares about the little creatures. They need every help they can get.

 

[supersparks]

not legaly correct and freddie, not true.....

the only reason you should perform an emergency stop is if somones life depends on it or could be put in a position of danger, be that somone elses or your own....
look it up

big spark, ok mate, not an emergency stop then, i was only pointing out the legal situation had it been an emergency stop
and if it had been then yeh, the child story could have worked but only if the police and court was on your side, which it likly would have been under such a situation, more so as the guy behind had been drinking.....

but, if you had stoped(talking emergency here) for the hegehogs and somone went into you it would have been their fault because they managed to hit you...indicating lack of attention/one of many other unsafe driving practices, however, the police could have got you for performing an emergency stop and by doing so put the driver(s) lives behind you in danger, if anyone had died(unlikly at 20mph) then you could have been done for dangerous driving...... gets very complicated.....


however....in this situation at 20mph, and not a sudden stop with hazards on then....cant see much you could get done with....although possibly obstruction of the highway....but 2 minutes? naaah no chance

 

[Thermo]

not an emergency stop from how he described, not a problem, not in the wrong.......ex coppers point of view if its worth anything

 

[notb665]

You were darn right to stop, apart from because you didn't kill them, but also you could've got a puncture from one of them.

I was in Quebec on my honeymoon, and went to a beach. A Quebecois family had captured a load of butterflies and put them in a clear plastic bag. Then left it in the baking sun while they went for a swim. I was incredulous and so released them and wrote, in my bestest French, "Vive la Pappalion" on the sand near where they were sat.

They were most displeased when they came back. "Mon Dieu" and all that.

 

[oilman]

if it had been a policeman who came up from behind you you could have been nicked for obstructing the trafic without any real reason.
...................although possibly obstruction of the highway....but 2 minutes? naaah no chance

AAA...BOUUUUT.........Wait for it, wait for it................TURN!

 

[kendor]

If you hadn't stopped you could have found yourself in a prickle.
sorry it was bad ( sidesteps off stage)