First time I have ever rung 999!

Well the day started off fine... Jamie was picked up by her new friend and her mum and off they went to the cinema... Jamie was dropped back at about 3pm and all was good in the world... 

Then "BANG"

I thought what on earth was that..? 

thinking the kids had broken something big time to make that much noise... I poked my head out the front door and saw smoke... so I dashed out to see what was up... neighbours parked car was on the pavement blue car had hit it... hard!

dashed indoors grabbed the phone and dialed 999....

requested police... and an ambulance as the driver looked a little shook up...gave all the details and registrations of the vehicles involved...

2 SSDC council workers had stopped as well as the lady from the car behind who had witnessed the whole thing... 

after the police were called I dashed indoors told the children to behave and stay indoors... made the lady that had crashed a cup of tea, grabbed my coat and with cup of tea in hand headed back outside... the lady was quite shook up and held my hand in a vice like grip as she sipped her tea...

 

The ambulance arrived first and took the lady into the ambulance to give her a once over...

The police arrived one directed traffic the other seemed to spend his time in his speed catching camera van... I assume checking registrations etc... I heard the one directing traffic say to the other.. " what do we do with these vehicles? we don't get them cleared any more?" 

My Neighbours car had been shunted approx. 6 meters up the road... she was apparently doing 30mph...

eventually they took the witness's statement and she went on and the 2 SSDC staff had left 10 minutes earlier... 

I stood and watched with my elderly neighbour from 2 doors down and then the lady involved was out of the ambulance and stood by her wreck of a car... the ambulance left... the policeman spoke to the lady telling her that she would have to call her insurance company once she gets home... and that her insurance company would send out a recovery vehicle and take her car away in a couple of hours time... he then left!

I stood there and wondered what she would do now... I asked her if she had contacted anyone to come and get her... she said no... she would have to call a taxi... I asked if she had a number for a taxi that she would prefer and she seemed very confused and managed to get me a taxi rank business card from her handbag... I phoned the taxi rank in Sherborne and they came to pick her up eventually but she was confused and I was worried... the taxi driver knew her... apparently she uses them a lot... the last time this particular taxi driver had picked her up he had to rescue her from her bathroom floor... she couldn't get up!

we both had to help her to his car, he seemed very nice and I expressed my concerns for her and he told me he would make sure she got home after she had been to the chiropodist in Yeovil... 

I took the above photos for my neighbours and went indoors...

an hour later there was a knock at the door and a bloke from the recovery service was enquiring which vehicle was to be recovered... So off out I go again and explain whats happened and what he has to do... whereupon he says " I can't load that vehicle without blocking up the road and where are the police... they usually hang around to stop the traffic while I load on a busy road like this..." So I ask if he'd like me to call the police again...? he says yes please...so I wonder who would have a direct dial number for the police station...? 

 My mum is bound to have one... its turns out that she hasn't the direct dial number but she does have a non emergency number so I phone that ... explain the recovery drivers predicament and within 15 minutes the police officer is back..... 

The car is eventually loaded and I had a chat with the police man about the driver of the blue car... I think she was partially sighted as when I handed back the business card with the number for the taxi she could not see it and it was about 10 inches from her face on the left hand side... I also mentioned that she had commented to me that she always used this taxi rank as she hadn't driven in 4 months... the Police officer looked a little concerned and said the ambulancemen had said she was fine.... however he would contact the DVLA....

He also asked that I tell my neighbours when they got home that he would be around between 6:30 and 6:45 to pass on the ladies insurance details ... its now 5 o'clock...

Well with brush and spade in hand I went back out around 5:45 to sweep up the pavement and road and await the return of my neighbours who work in Exeter... needless to say they were gutted... I popped around with the pictures at about 6:30 and the policeman had not arrived yet....

Last night I lay in bed wondering if I had done enough... cursing myself for not getting the lady a blanket... wondering if the numbness in her right hand that she was commenting about as she got in the taxi was a stroke or a delayed reaction to the accident or just the cold.... wondering if I should have somehow gotten her into the house... then realising with all the steps leading to my house that she wouldn't have made it that far...

This morning I got up and rang the Chiropodist in Yeovil where the taxi had taken her and asked the receptionist if she had arrived safely and was alright... they had thought her a little confused and also said that her vision was impaired as she emptied he bag looking for her purse and could not see it on the side to the left of her... they phoned for a taxi with the same firm in Sherborne and she was collected and I assume returned home... the receptionist said that she would ring the lady and ring me to let me know if she was okay... no phone call as of yet though and that was 4 hours ago... 

I think I might ring the taxi firm as they had last contact with her... just to see if they know of any family she might have or a neighbour that could check on her... 

I know I am being daft but I do worry, its just the way I was created... ;-)

I will let you all know if I hear any more!

fingers crossed she is well and hopefully will not be purchasing another car...

Update:

I have just phoned the taxi company that took the lady home after her appointment in Yeovil and they picked her up today and took her to the doctors and took her home again and she's okay...

phew.... thank goodness for that! 

I shall sleep easier tonight! lol

x Alex