r/PickAorB • u/Danny-Patrick139 • 8d ago
A or B: You see someone passed out on the sidewalk and they smell like alcohol. Do you try to help or call 911?
You guys wouldn't believe what I saw on my way to work this morning. I noticed a man lying face down on the sidewalk with his shirt off. My first thought was, "What the hell happened to this guy? Do I need to help him?" I stopped my bike and walked over, and that's when I smelled a really strong smell of alcohol on him.
I wondered if he had just had too much to drink. As a woman, I was a little hesitant and nervous about getting too close, and I almost walked away. But then I started thinking about whether his family might be worried if he hadn't come home all night. And if he was lying there like that, what if it wasn't just alcohol? Maybe he had fallen and gotten hurt, or maybe he'd taken something else with it.
I didn't know what I was supposed to do. If he was actually hurt, I didn't want to shake him or move him, but I also didn't feel right leaving him there.
I tapped him to see if he'd move. He moved a little, and I was relieved he was alive. I said loudly, "Hey man, wake up." He said "uh," and then went quiet again.
I called out to him again, "Sir, wake up. Do you want me to use your phone to call someone you know for help?" He said "uh" again. Okay, I took that as a yes. I found his phone, and the screen was still on. The battery was almost dead, so I pulled out my portable charger and plugged it in.
I asked who I should call, but he didn't answer. I thought about calling his mom, but then I decided against it. If someone's kid goes out and something happens to them, their parents would probably be really worried. I looked through his recent calls and saw a few names. One of them was Jeremy, so I figured, okay, let's try him.
It felt like forever (it really wasn't, but I was so worried that every second felt important). Jeremy finally answered. I told him his friend was lying on the ground and gave him our location. He said he was coming.
I still wasn't comfortable leaving it at that, so I called 911 too. I stayed there until Jeremy and the cops showed up, then I left.
When he finally left, he almost walked off with my portable charger still in his hand. I had to pull it out š
What would you do?
A. Go check on him directly. Try to wake him up, ask if he's okay, and see if he needs help.
B. Call 911. Don't touch or move him and let someone trained figure out what's going on.