Helping a drunk guy in the street?

Question

Youre walking along just outside of a town centre with a few mates and you see a really drunk guy on the floor. Your completely sober. The guy looks about 18 and looks a bit dodgy but he is sprawled face down on the floor so he aint gonna do much harm. You ask your mates to help you get him up and they say no. The drunk guy says he wants to go to the train station but you know theres no way he's gonna even get onto a train. He also says to definately not ring an ambulance. Your mates say to leave him because its not your problem but this is a dodgy area at night and he is at least gonna get robbed.

Would you:

- Try to help him as much as you can to get home safely by using his phone to ring his family and friends.
or
- Leave him because his condition is his own fault and its not your problem and walk away
or
- Ring an ambulance for him and walk away

This happened to me and my mates a few months back and i spent 2 hours helping the guy get home. His brother came and picked him up then my mates said i shouldn't have bothered. I was just wondering if i did the right thing and what other people would do.

Hopefully i wouldnt be in that situation as i dont drink, except one on a special occasion. My mates couldn't see my side of the argument and one of them, after persuasion, did help me. I thought i may be in danger but this guy was so drunk he couldnt stand up let alone throw a punch. His brother thanked me alot.

Answer 1

I think you did the right thing to help - I would try and help as much as poss. I hope someone would help me if I needed them (not that I would be in such a state) but there are all sorts of other reasons you might need help from strangers - maybe you feel ill or something. I don't think people help too much because they are scared of getting involved or implicated in something they are not part of.

Answer 2

I think I would have rung for either an ambulance or the police if he was so out of it that he could not give you his home telephone number. As you must be aware, a drunk always knows best - probably another drink! - and is totally logical!

However I would have stayed with him until he was being properly looked after. How would you have felt if he was not drunk but ill, or had been attacked and was suffering a head injury - or he was later hurt by some idiots!

However I think you did the right thing - I hope his brother said thank you!

Answer 3

I've never really known the answer to this one despite having plenty of chances to figure it out. Normally I watch and worry about it for a while, maybe help him into a sitting position, then if someone else seems more interested, leave.

Not, I'll admit, a clever approach. Sometimes I've done better than that. But the problem is that the truly drunk can be quite self-destructive - any effort you take can be wasted by the person's next actions the minute you leave.

Your #1 - dig out the guy's phone and call someone - has to be the right answer. Another reason for ICE numbers! http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/07/17/AR2005071700879.html

Answer 4

Ring an ambulance or the police for his own good. You should not put yourself in danger by trying to help him it may have been a trap. It did happen to me once I found a drunk in a phone box on the floor and teenagers were taking the mickey out of him. I called the police for his own safety

Answer 5

Defiantly help. You say the guys only got himself to blame for his state but you don't know, was his drink spiked? does he just look drunk and is actually a diabetic going hypoglycemic? Do you want to read about the young man found dead after choking on his own vomit?

I've helped a few guys like this, and been helped too! We fear getting involved with other so much that people will walk away from those in need, this is a shame.

Answer 6

ok, im a young lady so i would not stay and help and hang around a dodgy area, i would walk away but at the same time call an ambulance from my mobile phone.
as for a bloke, well done to you, but next time dont bother as it is dangerous, u were a hero for a minute but shame you did not receive a trophy.

think and be careful

Answer 7

- Try to help him as much as you can to get home safely by using his phone to ring his family and friends.

You did the right thing man, and I'm sure that the guy and his brother really appreciate it. You reap what you sow man, and it's definitely good karma. If more people did the right thing, and not what was easier then the world would be a much better place.

Answer 8

You are a caring soul.The truth is that 99% of the time most people would step over you and not think a thing about it. I think a lot of people don't want to get involved.
I got assaulted once in front of 30 people and not a one lifted a finger to help or call the cops.

Answer 9

Yeah I think you did the right thing...it is true not many people care about other people, as long as it dosn't bother them. I personally would have called the police, he would be much safer in the drunk tank, but then again he might have been charged with public intoxication...so really its no telling what would have been the best thing to do...

Answer 10

I would have helped him, but staying with him and calling the ambulance, because you have no idea how much he has drunk, if he has taken drugs, and you don't know his history regarding both - or his medical history at all! Diabetic etc... Once the ambulance arrived, then I would have left.

But that is me, if you feel you did the right thing, then go with that.

Answer 11

You did the right thing.I've also helped out strangers in tough situations. But I wouldn't hang out with "friends" who would just leave him there. How could you ever be sure that you're "friends" wouldn't just walk off and leave you if you were in a similar bad situation? Would they get help for you or just walk away?