You didn't freeze
you were just untrained.

It takes time to process an emergency, and the less familiar you are, the longer it takes.

As an HGV driver, I salute you.
(all my scars face forward possesses 2.5% of a hyperalloy combat chassis, Tue 27 Apr 2010, 20:33, 2 replies)

I've been crawling along in a pea-souper about 10 years ago when the artic in front of me has rammed the artic in front of *him*.
The trailer makes a horrible side-to-side shudder, as well as stopping absolutely dead. I only just stopped in time myself, but I got straight out and ran up to the front, 4 or 5 other drivers did the same but the crashed cab's windscreen, dash, steering wheel, driver, seat and bunk together occupied a length of no more than a foot.

Another guy there was some kind of off-duty medic/cop and took charge of things, although there wasn't a lot any of us could do besides wait for the emergency services.
(WillI'mNot logs in twice a year, every year, Tue 27 Apr 2010, 22:30, closed)

Yes.
And no. I'm actually a trained safety boat driver. I'm trained to deal with emergencies on the water, from concussions and head wounds to hypothermia and so on. I have to deal with entrapments where there's someone stuck under the boat and you know that if you don't do exactly the right thing in the next few seconds they'll die. But that's fine, I can cope with that. The point is that I'm trained to deal with life and death situations, but it still wasn't enough.

I suppose that's on my terf though. I'm used to that situation. I just was used to dealing with squashed truckers covered in blood!

I have a friend who is a fireman, and one who's a paramedic. They both have my eternal respect, as do all members of the emergency services.
(robbersdog, Tue 27 Apr 2010, 23:14, closed)