A house catches on fire in your neighborhood and you're a doctor...what do you do?

[sandorski]

Originally posted by: AmigaMan
So a house catches on fire in our neighborhood tonight, pretty much destroying the entire house. Smoke is billowing from it and covering our small community. Just about all our neighbors including myself go to check on the occupants, in this case a young lady (no pics). Yet one of our resident doctors (doing his residency here at Duke) continues to mow his grass as if nothing is going on. Fire engines, ambulances, and police have converged on the house a mere block away from him.

Am I right in thinking this guy is an ass? I had a great letter I was going to tape to his door, but my wife won't let me. Should I do it?

The letter:

There's a Douche in the Hood. He posts on ATOT. Seriously, that's a stupid idea and you have no Right to say anything. While you and the gawkers were creating crowd issues for the Fire Dept, he was staying out of the way.

 

[RaistlinZ]

How do you know he wasn't the first person to call 911 about the fire?


Besides, injured people = patients = more $$$ for him.

 

[Cuda1447]

So an ambulance is already there, as is the fire department. He wouldn't be able to do anything the ambulance already there was doing, not to mention he wasn't on the clock. He is under no obligation to help anyone. You expect his help now, but if he were to make a mistake diagnosing you then you'd be the same person criticizing doctors for making so much money and being stupid.

Get over it man. He doesn't have to do shit. Not to mention it doesn't sound like there was shit for him to do.

 

[AmigaMan]

Originally posted by: CKent
Could be his malpractice insurance doesn't cover anything outside of his office. He also might simply not like people, which given the OP's stated feelings about people, should make them fast friends. I like how the OP is being a huge dick and then doesn't like the guy 'because he's a dick' (paraphrasing). Get a hobby.

How am I a dick? Cuz I went to help a damsel in distress? Cuz I showed a pair when it mattered and offered my help? Or is it because you pussies here on ATOT resonate so closely with the asshole neighbors that ya'll are offended by what I'm writing? Or is it because the Sam Adams has clouded my mind and turned me into a hate spewing machine?

 

[KevinCU]

Originally posted by: AmigaMan

Originally posted by: randomlinh
why are you trying to control his life? he's got his reasons. whether they be out of fear or being a douchebag, you seem even more so by wanting to post that letter. knock on the door and ask him if you're oh-so-concerned about his doctorness.

Not trying to control his life. I'm wondering why he wouldn't help. He's a doctor, trained to respond in situations like these. I guess where I grew up and the people I knew, if someone was in trouble, you went and helped as best you could.
For instance, if you were on a plane and the pilot had a heart attack and died and the stewardess asked for help (assume she's hot) and you're a pilot too and can fly the plane to safety, would you just sit back? No, and not because the hot stewardess would bang you cuz you saved her life. You'd do it because it WAS THE RIGHT THING TO DO! I'm saddened by the amount of sheer pussiness that ATOT has become. You all are a bunch of wimps. You BOYS need to grow a pair and man up.
I went to help her because it was the right thing to do. Sure, I may be a redneck computer geek with no way in hell to actually help her, but I offered our place and helped as best I could. We let her friends know of help she could get from the red cross and that if she needed anything we would be there. I'm sorry you pussies don't understand that.

Um, no. I would do it because if I didn't, the plane would crash and I would die.

 

[rgwalt]

Originally posted by: AmigaMan

Originally posted by: MrPickins
Just let it go. He obviously had his reasons for not assisting. At best your letter will change nothing, at worst it will cause a ton of unnecessary drama.

yeah but the guy really is an ass. I've lived in this neighborhood for 10 years and he's been here for about 3 or 4. Never said hello even after I say it to him when I see him. Never bothers to come to the HOA meetings, never participates in community events like the picnic we had last year. The guy has made it his goal to not know anyone here. I know all of my neighbors and none of them have been here as long as he has. We regularly talk and chat when we see each other. He goes out of his way to ignore us. I'm not afraid to say I hate him, and because of what went down tonight, I hate him even more. He's trying to sell his house though, probably to move into nicer digs and get away from us middle-america type people he seems to despise. I guess we arent good enough for him, which is ok by me. The faster he gets his ass out of here, the better it will be for the rest of us.

What is wrong with wanting nothing to do with your neighbors? I'm not big on the neighborhood love-fests. I like to keep to myself. I don't see the need to be friends with people for the simple fact that I live next to them. The guy is a doctor, he is a busy person. He probably works a lot of odd hours. He bought the house, he didn't buy the baggage of needy neighbors along with it.

 

[AmigaMan]

Originally posted by: Cuda1447
So an ambulance is already there, as is the fire department. He wouldn't be able to do anything the ambulance already there was doing, not to mention he wasn't on the clock. He is under no obligation to help anyone. You expect his help now, but if he were to make a mistake diagnosing you then you'd be the same person criticizing doctors for making so much money and being stupid.

Get over it man. He doesn't have to do shit. Not to mention it doesn't sound like there was shit for him to do.

Maybe I wasn't clear in my post. He was outside, everyone in the neighborhood was inside. He should have smelled smoke well before the fire engines and ambulances got there. When my wife and I heard the sirens it was another FIVE minutes before they even showed up. He was outside the whole time. If I was outside and smelled smoke, I would have found out where it was coming from since we're in city limits here in durham and can't have fires burning outside. Then I would have seen what I could do to help.

Why don't you people understand that? Why are you so content on letting a situation like this just happen and not help? What if she was trapped inside? What if she had a small child or baby inside and needed help? You'd just let this all happen? What kind of pussies are you? Geez you guys all suck!

 

[CKent]

Originally posted by: AmigaMan

Originally posted by: Cuda1447
So an ambulance is already there, as is the fire department. He wouldn't be able to do anything the ambulance already there was doing, not to mention he wasn't on the clock. He is under no obligation to help anyone. You expect his help now, but if he were to make a mistake diagnosing you then you'd be the same person criticizing doctors for making so much money and being stupid.

Get over it man. He doesn't have to do shit. Not to mention it doesn't sound like there was shit for him to do.

Maybe I wasn't clear in my post. He was outside, everyone in the neighborhood was inside. He should have smelled smoke well before the fire engines and ambulances got there. When my wife and I heard the sirens it was another FIVE minutes before they even showed up. He was outside the whole time. If I was outside and smelled smoke, I would have found out where it was coming from since we're in city limits here in durham and can't have fires burning outside. Then I would have seen what I could do to help.

Why don't you people understand that? Why are you so content on letting a situation like this just happen and not help? What if she was trapped inside? What if she had a small child or baby inside and needed help? You'd just let this all happen? What kind of pussies are you? Geez you guys all suck!

You don't know any of that. He could have a shitty sense of smell (or a cold). He could have been daydreaming. He could have been dead tired after dealing constantly with nosy neighbors and a shitty HOA (as if there are good ones). Sounds like you're trying to pin anything you can find on his tail because you just don't like him.

 

[dbk]

Give him a break - he just had to put down a poor old lady's dog FFS.

JEEZ

 

[AmigaMan]

Originally posted by: CKent

Originally posted by: AmigaMan

Originally posted by: Cuda1447
So an ambulance is already there, as is the fire department. He wouldn't be able to do anything the ambulance already there was doing, not to mention he wasn't on the clock. He is under no obligation to help anyone. You expect his help now, but if he were to make a mistake diagnosing you then you'd be the same person criticizing doctors for making so much money and being stupid.

Get over it man. He doesn't have to do shit. Not to mention it doesn't sound like there was shit for him to do.

Maybe I wasn't clear in my post. He was outside, everyone in the neighborhood was inside. He should have smelled smoke well before the fire engines and ambulances got there. When my wife and I heard the sirens it was another FIVE minutes before they even showed up. He was outside the whole time. If I was outside and smelled smoke, I would have found out where it was coming from since we're in city limits here in durham and can't have fires burning outside. Then I would have seen what I could do to help.

Why don't you people understand that? Why are you so content on letting a situation like this just happen and not help? What if she was trapped inside? What if she had a small child or baby inside and needed help? You'd just let this all happen? What kind of pussies are you? Geez you guys all suck!

You don't know any of that. Sounds like you're trying to pin anything you can find on his tail because you just don't like him.

How do I not know any of that? The whole neighborhood was covered in smoke. He was outside. Ok, maybe if he's blind and his nose doesn't work, then yeah, maybe he doens't notice it. Please, give me a break. Sure I don't like that guy, but that really has no bearing on it. His inaction is what's pissed me off. I just don't understand that MYOB mindset. How can you not help? It just bewilders me.

 

[Riceninja]

Originally posted by: AmigaMan

Originally posted by: Riceninja
So, exactly what value are you adding to your community, dear distinguished sir?

I and my wife went over to help the young lady. By the time we got there the first responders and her friends had arrived. We didn't notice anything until we heard sirens and went outside and smelled smoke. My wife pointed out to the EMT's the person who needed help. So to answer your question, quite a lot.
And if you're wondering what else we do, we serve on the HOA board and know pretty much all of our neighbors by name. So anythng else you want to know?

So, you're pretty much the nosey neighbours that everyone hates. Your desire to nail this letter to his door only furthers that impression.

 

[badkarma1399]

Originally posted by: AmigaMan

Originally posted by: Cuda1447
So an ambulance is already there, as is the fire department. He wouldn't be able to do anything the ambulance already there was doing, not to mention he wasn't on the clock. He is under no obligation to help anyone. You expect his help now, but if he were to make a mistake diagnosing you then you'd be the same person criticizing doctors for making so much money and being stupid.

Get over it man. He doesn't have to do shit. Not to mention it doesn't sound like there was shit for him to do.

Maybe I wasn't clear in my post. He was outside, everyone in the neighborhood was inside. He should have smelled smoke well before the fire engines and ambulances got there. When my wife and I heard the sirens it was another FIVE minutes before they even showed up. He was outside the whole time. If I was outside and smelled smoke, I would have found out where it was coming from since we're in city limits here in durham and can't have fires burning outside. Then I would have seen what I could do to help.

Why don't you people understand that? Why are you so content on letting a situation like this just happen and not help? What if she was trapped inside? What if she had a small child or baby inside and needed help? You'd just let this all happen? What kind of pussies are you? Geez you guys all suck!

Trapped inside? Do you realize how dangerous a burning building is? Nobody should ever enter a burning building unless you're a trained firefighter wearing the appropriate gear. Even then, its extremely dangerous. Anyone else going inside would just be another person the firefighters would have to rescue, endangering both their lives and your own.

 

[LordMorpheus]

Originally posted by: AmigaMan

Originally posted by: LordMorpheus
You don't know the guy's reasoning. Could be he didn't want to add to the crowd of gawkers at the house fire. Could be he saw the other neighbor doctor go over there already. Could be the last time he tried to do some good samiritan shit he got sued for a ton of money.

Don't be so quick to jump on this guys ass, and the letter is going to accomplish nothing but making sure that this guy won't even slow down if he sees you choking.

You bring up good points. As I mentioned in an earlier post, he was outside at the time. The other doctor didn't go out until he heard the sirens too. He lives right next to the asshole neighbor. As a professionally trained doctor, he should be carrying malpractice insurance so he shouldn't worry about helping and in fact I believe he has a lawful obligation to help. My wife is a wilderness first aid instructor and was telling me that she's also under some obligation in situations like these.

Having malpractice insurance doesn't mean a malpractice suit isn't a big deal. Sure, you won't have to foot the bill for the suit but your premium goes up and it's attached to your head for the rest of your career.

My main point is simple: You don't know his situation or what's in his head, don't be so quick to judge the guy. I only threw a couple possibilities out as examples of the endless legitimate reasons he could have for not acting like you think he should have.

 

[rgwalt]

Originally posted by: AmigaMan

Originally posted by: Cuda1447
So an ambulance is already there, as is the fire department. He wouldn't be able to do anything the ambulance already there was doing, not to mention he wasn't on the clock. He is under no obligation to help anyone. You expect his help now, but if he were to make a mistake diagnosing you then you'd be the same person criticizing doctors for making so much money and being stupid.

Get over it man. He doesn't have to do shit. Not to mention it doesn't sound like there was shit for him to do.

Maybe I wasn't clear in my post. He was outside, everyone in the neighborhood was inside. He should have smelled smoke well before the fire engines and ambulances got there. When my wife and I heard the sirens it was another FIVE minutes before they even showed up. He was outside the whole time. If I was outside and smelled smoke, I would have found out where it was coming from since we're in city limits here in durham and can't have fires burning outside. Then I would have seen what I could do to help.

Why don't you people understand that? Why are you so content on letting a situation like this just happen and not help? What if she was trapped inside? What if she had a small child or baby inside and needed help? You'd just let this all happen? What kind of pussies are you? Geez you guys all suck!

If he was mowing his lawn, he probably couldn't hear much of anything over the mower, and was overwhelmed with the exauhst and smell of cut grass. Besides, if someone's house is on fire, I'm not running in after them. That doesn't make me a pussy, that makes me intelligent. There are people that are trained to run into burning building, they are fire fighters, and I'm not one of them.

I think you are just pissed because this guy doesn't want to participate in your neighborhood circle jerk and you are looking for any reason to be more pissed. He is selling his house and moving... let it go.

 

[AmigaMan]

Originally posted by: Riceninja

Originally posted by: AmigaMan

Originally posted by: Riceninja
So, exactly what value are you adding to your community, dear distinguished sir?

I and my wife went over to help the young lady. By the time we got there the first responders and her friends had arrived. We didn't notice anything until we heard sirens and went outside and smelled smoke. My wife pointed out to the EMT's the person who needed help. So to answer your question, quite a lot.
And if you're wondering what else we do, we serve on the HOA board and know pretty much all of our neighbors by name. So anythng else you want to know?

So, you're pretty much the nosey neighbours that everyone hates. Your desire to nail this letter to his door only furthers that impression.

How am I a nosy neighbor? It's a frakin Sunday afternoon. Of course everyone is home. I happened to be inside with my wife. He happens to be outside. This all happens after the fact, not before. I didn't wait in my dining room with my binoculars waiting to see if he'd smell the smoke and go help. No, I was there near the burning house and getting out of the way of the FF and EMTs. When I went back to my house, here he was still just mowing his grass like nothing happened. That's what pisses me off. That he didn't take the time to help when he could have helped. Why don't you people understand that?

 

[imported_Lothar]

Originally posted by: NSFW

Originally posted by: RoloMather
I would do nothing.

Why? Because I would get sued if anything goes wrong.

Sorry pal but you got to fix the system first before doctors will be willing to help.

Are you a doctor?

I was thinking liability, maybe he just lost a patient, maybe he finally had enough of their stupid birds and set that bitch on fire.....

The point is that its not the OP's place to judge his neighbor's actions.

You don't need to be a "doctor" to come to that conclusion.
If I was the one in this situation, I wouldn't have done anything either.

Of the 8 or so neighbors living near me, it's only 2 that I'd bother to help anyway.

 

[AmigaMan]

Originally posted by: badkarma1399

Originally posted by: AmigaMan

Originally posted by: Cuda1447
So an ambulance is already there, as is the fire department. He wouldn't be able to do anything the ambulance already there was doing, not to mention he wasn't on the clock. He is under no obligation to help anyone. You expect his help now, but if he were to make a mistake diagnosing you then you'd be the same person criticizing doctors for making so much money and being stupid.

Get over it man. He doesn't have to do shit. Not to mention it doesn't sound like there was shit for him to do.

Maybe I wasn't clear in my post. He was outside, everyone in the neighborhood was inside. He should have smelled smoke well before the fire engines and ambulances got there. When my wife and I heard the sirens it was another FIVE minutes before they even showed up. He was outside the whole time. If I was outside and smelled smoke, I would have found out where it was coming from since we're in city limits here in durham and can't have fires burning outside. Then I would have seen what I could do to help.

Why don't you people understand that? Why are you so content on letting a situation like this just happen and not help? What if she was trapped inside? What if she had a small child or baby inside and needed help? You'd just let this all happen? What kind of pussies are you? Geez you guys all suck!

Trapped inside? Do you realize how dangerous a burning building is? Nobody should ever enter a burning building unless you're a trained firefighter wearing the appropriate gear. Even then, its extremely dangerous. Anyone else going inside would just be another person the firefighters would have to rescue, endangering both their lives and your own.

True, you're right, no one should enter a burning house. My bad.

 

[TehMac]

My response: The guy is a doctor, he probably knows that interfering with the paramedics and the firefighters is counter productive. Also, a doctor is a vague title--what sort of title? he's not a paramedic, he's not a 9/11 responder, anyone could have helped this female with the basic stuff, which is all he'd probably be do. Unless you know for sure he works the Burn Sector in the Hospital, I don't think you have much room to talk.


Also, it's not cool to be a redneck. There's nothing wrong with being more of a rustic type or liking Nascar, but a redneck suggests deliberate and forced mental retardation. Your note does nothing to help ease that stereotype.

What would that achieve? Would it make you feel better you harassed someone who may not really give a shit about your HOA bull shit? I think you should examine all the things you value so much and realize not everyone gives two flying craps about a HOA meeting, he's a DOCTOR. They work, get money, like anyone else.

 

[Riceninja]

Also OP, you sound increasingly butthurt with each reply. It seems like you started the thread because you thought everyone would be on your side and things just aren't working out for you.

Go watch Lakeview Terrace. You are pretty much Samuel L Jackson's role personified.

 

[randomlinh]

Originally posted by: AmigaMan

Originally posted by: randomlinh
why are you trying to control his life? he's got his reasons. whether they be out of fear or being a douchebag, you seem even more so by wanting to post that letter. knock on the door and ask him if you're oh-so-concerned about his doctorness.

Not trying to control his life. I'm wondering why he wouldn't help. He's a doctor, trained to respond in situations like these. I guess where I grew up and the people I knew, if someone was in trouble, you went and helped as best you could.
For instance, if you were on a plane and the pilot had a heart attack and died and the stewardess asked for help (assume she's hot) and you're a pilot too and can fly the plane to safety, would you just sit back? No, and not because the hot stewardess would bang you cuz you saved her life. You'd do it because it WAS THE RIGHT THING TO DO! I'm saddened by the amount of sheer pussiness that ATOT has become. You all are a bunch of wimps. You BOYS need to grow a pair and man up.
I went to help her because it was the right thing to do. Sure, I may be a redneck computer geek with no way in hell to actually help her, but I offered our place and helped as best I could. We let her friends know of help she could get from the red cross and that if she needed anything we would be there. I'm sorry you pussies don't understand that.

Why do you assume we all wouldn't help? You started this off by judging him purely on what you saw and past experience. Not seemingly talking to the guy. It sure sounds like you want to control his life... he's a doctor, therefore he should be trained to help, and thus, he should be helping. Your letter just further pushes your ideals of what he should be.

And to be honest, I agree, as a human, he should have made an attempt. But talk to the man before throwing judgment. Maybe his sense of smell is gone. And depending on what the smoke looked like initially, he may not have thought house fire. And by the time he realized it, maybe he already heard the sirens.

At that point, I too wouldn't get involved. Why? Because most paramedics/firemen I've talked to say "just, get out of the way, let us do our job w/o having to worry about you all." Actually, I would probably grab my camera, but that's beside the point.

 

[KevinCU]

AmigaMan

 

[LordMorpheus]

I'm sorry your neighbor is more successful than you.*

* in response to what this thread is more and more obviously really about.

 

[AmigaMan]

Originally posted by: KevinCU
AmigaMan

aw come on, at least put a pancake on my head.

 

[Jeff7]

Originally posted by: rgwalt
What is wrong with wanting nothing to do with your neighbors? I'm not big on the neighborhood love-fests. I like to keep to myself. I don't see the need to be friends with people for the simple fact that I live next to them. The guy is a doctor, he is a busy person. He probably works a lot of odd hours. He bought the house, he didn't buy the baggage of needy neighbors along with it.

Same here. I'm not a people person to begin with, and I don't go out of my way to get to know someone.

All I know of my next-door neighbors here is that the mom is constantly screaming at her kids whenever they're all outside.


Maybe he didn't run to help because he figured that the last thing emergency crews (which would almost certainly include paramedics) would want is more people standing around, getting in the way.

 

[RKS]

The doctor has much legal obligation as the OP does if his neighbor's wireless interweb goes out.