About 8 weeks ago I was going out to a club. As I was joining the motoroway I saw ahead what I thought was a deer crossing the carriageways as a shadow broke up headlights on the opposite lane. I was taking my foot off the accelerator just as it became apparent it was a person, with outstretched arms, facing oncoming traffic in lane two. I swerved and so did the lorry behind me (How he never sideswiped her was a miracle and his reactions were just remarkable). I dove over to the hard shoulder and stopped, ringing 999 on my mobile as I began to run back to the (what was now apparent) young woman who was still stood in the middle lane facing into on-coming traffic. A Royal Mail truck was trying to block lane one and I told the operator I intended to go out and grap this young women to drag her back to the hard shoulder and safety. This I did. I looked bak later and realsised how stupid I had been just walking out into traffic but at the time I needed to get her off the road.

By the time I had got her to the hard shoulder the driver of the lorry who had swerved to avoid her was there and another young man. It turned out the young man was an off duty police officer who had stopped to help and give assistance if need. I was so glad as I was really concerned that I could have been done for assault in dragging this woman off thye road. He and the lorry driver were just great. We were with her about 15 minutes before the Police patrols got to us. The off duty Bobby and the lorry driver were kind and caring. Another truck had stopped and lit the carraigeway with emergency lighting. All we could do was hold the young woman secure, having but her on the hard shoulder, as she was struggling to get back into the road. She was only 18 and so very distressed. She kept asking me to get the men away from her and all I could do was reassure her that they were there to help. We had no idea what had happened to her.

The first patrol to arrive had in it a burley policeman and he came straight up, no questions asked, and grabbed the young woman's arms, handcuffing them behind her back! I thought he was doing this so we could get her up and into his car for safety... but no. He then left her with us and went back to his car! We asked could we get her in his car and he told us to leave her where she was until other officers arrived. I'll be honest: I was quite shocked at this. He had handcuffed her and had she got free from us she could have gone back into the road with him responsible for her safety!

The next patrol car arrived and the Policeman in that was really good. He immediately wanted us to help him get her away from the road and into a vehicle. He was very different from the first man on scene.

My point is there are good and bad in all. The young bobby who stopped, who could have drove on, was wonderful (just as all the other men were who eventually assisted). None of them were getting paid to do what they were doing and all risked something to do what they did. The first paid person on scene whose job was to secure the woman's safety... well, frankly I found very disappointing in attitude. He may have had operational reasons so I cannot judge. But his colleague, the second on scene, was wonderful and did what you would expect. Some people risk a lot when they are not being paid to do such a job. The off duty bobby would take no praise for his help. The second Officer on scene was kind, courteous and efficient. He also gave thanks to all involved.

Long story, I know, but it's not the first time I have been grateful for off duty people to render assistance (I was coming home from Yorkshire one day when a guy jumped off a bridge about mile in front of me. It was an off duty pair of ambulancemen and a bobby who also stopped that day)

The moral to this story? Don't be about half to a mile in front of me on a motorawy! lol

The Police generally do a great job but they have more powers than any of the other emergency services so it would be nice to also include the Firemen/women and the Ambulance personel who also risk their lives daily for us.

mp