# Safe?



## Sonrisa (Sep 2, 2010)

Two weeks ago, on Monday 29th of December, the nursery were my son goes had organised a Christmas carol and Santa visit for the parents to attend and listen to our children sing. 
After the ‘show”, as my husband, my children and I were leaving the Nursery, a car came at a very high speed on to the pavement towards my husband and son, effectively running them both over and luckily my husband and other men pushed the car away so my son didn’t get hurt. 

The policed was called in and the man who was driving the car said that the engine didn’t work properly and he had lost control of his car, unfortunately driving inside the pavement towards my son and husband. We were asked to go to the police station, but refused because we were very very traumatised and extremely shaken by such a terrifying experience( still are) and my husband had been slightly injured in his his leg and had to go to hospital. 

Some witnesses that had seen the accident and wanted to help where asked to leave by the nursery director when the police arrived. 
The driver of the car turned out to be the grandfather of a girl who attends my son’s class. Egyptian and Muslim. Perhaps he didn’t enjoy the Christmas celebration. Who knows. 

All I know is that I looked at him in the eye, and didn’t like at all what I saw. 

My gut tells me that that was a random attack made on purpose by an insane man, and whilst I feel incredibly lucky that none of us got hurt, I am not sure how to go on about it or make any sense of it. We are all still very traumatised, especially my son. 
I have never been a big fan of Egypt , but at least I felt safe here. Now I don’t even feel safe any more.


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## aykalam (Apr 12, 2010)

Dizzie Izzie said:


> Two weeks ago, on Monday 29th of December, the nursery were my son goes had organised a Christmas carol and Santa visit for the parents to attend and listen to our children sing.
> After the ‘show”, as my husband, my children and I were leaving the Nursery, a car came at a very high speed on to the pavement towards my husband and son, effectively running them both over and luckily my husband and other men pushed the car away so my son didn’t get hurt.
> 
> The policed was called in and the man who was driving the car said that the engine didn’t work properly and he had lost control of his car, unfortunately driving inside the pavement towards my son and husband. We were asked to go to the police station, but refused because we were very very traumatised and extremely shaken by such a terrifying experience( still are) and my husband had been slightly injured in his his leg and had to go to hospital.
> ...


Hi Dizzie,

First, I am so sorry to hear about what happened to you and your family  I am glad to hear none of you got seriously hurt, at least physically. 

I have never thought of Egypt as a safe country, mainly because crime either goes unreported or is brushed under the carpet by the authorities. That does not mean it doesn't exist. We usually don't get to hear about it like you would back in Europe. I feel very vulnerable here because I know if anything ever happens to me or my family I will not have the support of a) emergency services b) police/law enforcement (that would be the day!) c) members of the public(?)

On the other hand, I don't know if someone who sends their kids to that type of nursery (I think I know the one you are talking about) would be mad enough to do something like that on purpose. I hope not...

I'm surprised the nursery director sent witnesses away. How did you leave it with the police then? are they even bothered to investigate?

Warm regards


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## Sonrisa (Sep 2, 2010)

Thank you, Aykalam 

I was surprised too when the witnesses where asked to leave, I know that one of the mothers has formally written to the nursery complaining about that and told how helpless she felt when it happened as she really wanted to talk to the police. 

I presume that the nursery has chosen to keep the incident quiet as to not scare anybody since this could be damaging to their reputation. 

As far as I know there is no investigation whatsoever, or I just haven’t been informed if there is one. The parent of the child offered me money to pay for my husbands hospital bill, but obviously I don’t need or want any money from this people. The parent was in another car, the car that crashed against my husband and son was the grandfather’s. My feeling was that that man was just acting in a moment of insanity, and didn’t show any remorse whatsoever. But then again, I may be wrong, and it could as well have been a fault in his car, or he could have blacked out or whatever… I really don’t know.

Admittedly I have had a pretty bad two weeks, with some post traumatic symptoms such as flash backs ,and bad sleep…I am just so grateful that my son was not hurt.


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## Horus (Sep 17, 2010)

First time I have been at a loss for words 

You have my sympathy and I hope things get better


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## MaidenScotland (Jun 6, 2009)

Dear Lizzie

I am so sorry that you and your family have had this traumatic experience but thank god your children and husband escaped unscathed.
Have you contacted your embassy and reported what you seem to think may be an attack based on religion?
Contact the police again and ask what has been done about the said car.. is it still on the road?
I cannot understand why an engine would make you mount the pavement... yes if your steering had gone wonky.


Maiden


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## Sonrisa (Sep 2, 2010)

MaidenScotland said:


> Dear Lizzie
> 
> I am so sorry that you and your family have had this traumatic experience but thank god your children and husband escaped unscathed.
> Have you contacted your embassy and reported what you seem to think may be an attack based on religion?
> ...


Hi Horus, Thank you. 

Hi Maiden, 

No I haven't contacted my Embassy,that's a good idea though, I shall write them tomorrow... but then again, I'm not sure if it really is a religious motivated attack or just an accident. My gut feeling is neither, just a old man's insanity. 
I will definitely try to find out if the car is still on the road. I would be just so happy to hear that this man will never drive again. 


I


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## Charlie's Angel (Nov 28, 2010)

Dizzie Izzie said:


> Two weeks ago, on Monday 29th of December, the nursery were my son goes had organised a Christmas carol and Santa visit for the parents to attend and listen to our children sing.
> After the ‘show”, as my husband, my children and I were leaving the Nursery, a car came at a very high speed on to the pavement towards my husband and son, effectively running them both over and luckily my husband and other men pushed the car away so my son didn’t get hurt.
> 
> The policed was called in and the man who was driving the car said that the engine didn’t work properly and he had lost control of his car, unfortunately driving inside the pavement towards my son and husband. We were asked to go to the police station, but refused because we were very very traumatised and extremely shaken by such a terrifying experience( still are) and my husband had been slightly injured in his his leg and had to go to hospital.
> ...


Hi Dizzie

I'm so sorry for you and your family, you must have been terrified, and least physically you're all OK. I was in car accident a few years ago, and although not seriously hurt it was the trauma afterwards that was hard to deal with, I was so scared to get back into a car again for a long time, when I was driving I was so jumpy, and when someone else was driving I just shut my eyes the whole time caus I thought every car on the road was just gonna hit us.

But it does pass and it will get better, I hope with it being Christmas your son will have his mind occupied with what Santa's gonna bring and I'm sure this will help him alot and you and your husband


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## MaidenScotland (Jun 6, 2009)

You should always let your embassy know if you have been in an accident and you are not happy about the police etc... 
I take it everyone is registered with their embassy?

maiden


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## Sonrisa (Sep 2, 2010)

MaidenScotland said:


> You should always let your embassy know if you have been in an accident and you are not happy about the police etc...
> I take it everyone is registered with their embassy?
> 
> maiden


Hi Maiden, 

Yes of course we are.

TO be honest I wasn't really very cooperative with the police as they requested that we go with them to the police station and I totally refused. But I was just too relieved that my precious child was safe ,and both my kids were scared and crying, my husband was in pain, the witnesses had been asked to leave and I couldn't understand what the police were saying speaking in arabic. 

At that moment I just wanted to go home. So I simply took my family and left. 

I know that was wrong from my part and I am ashamed I reacted that way, but what would have the police or anyone done anyways. I just wanted to spare ourselves unnecessary further trauma.


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## MaidenScotland (Jun 6, 2009)

Dizzie Izzie said:


> Hi Maiden,
> 
> Yes of course we are.
> 
> ...




Hi Lizzie

Yes I can understand that your need to get your family home was far greater than the need to talk to the police.

You are right the police would have done nothing however if you had said I want to call my embassy then the police would have acted correctly on your behalf.

Maiden.


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## NZCowboy (May 11, 2009)

MaidenScotland said:


> Hi Lizzie
> 
> Yes I can understand that your need to get your family home was far greater than the need to talk to the police.
> 
> ...


Its always handy to have embassy's business card in your wallet and/or the embassy's number programed in your phone. You certainly get action and things done correctly here if you play the embassy card. In Egypt it's about the people you know/connections, even if its part bluff and you just leave a message asking the embassy to contact you. 

Hi Izzie
Sorry to here about the incident, our thoughts are with you and your family, for a speedy recovery.
I know its difficult to think at the time and all you want to get your family away, treated and home safely, but if you can't file the report at the police station there and then as they like to do here, its important if possible to get the officer to write his name, number and station on a piece of paper (even in Arabic) at least you can follow it up at a later date, because more than likely they won't.


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## DeadGuy (Jan 22, 2010)

Sorry about the unfortunate situation that both your family and you had to go through.................

However, and as far as I’ve seen (And I never did experience that so I’m not sure about this, I’ve only seen it happening in accidents bigger than the ones my friends and/or I had) but the reports for traffic accidents are usually made in the scene by the police’s traffic department's people, who would usually be accompanied by the "security" department's guys, but not the “security” ones, and only the person who caused the accident would need to “go” to the nearest police station, they aren’t supposed to take you there to write the report just like that if you’re a victim or a witness!

Considering the driver.............Well, you simply never know?! It’s hard enough to deal with someone that you don’t know, mind you their “intentions"...........

The point that aykalam made about the kinda “people” who would send their kids/grandkids to a place that celebrates Christmas publicly/officially is kinda true, but again you never know what’s in someone’s mind.........

I second MaidenScotland on her suggestion to contact your embassy though.........

And NZCowboy’s post, well said, just taking your cell out of your pocket will get them working.........Even if you didn’t mention an embassy or a VIP’s name, mind you if you did call for real..............


And as Charlie's Angel said, hope that won't ruin your Christmas' celebrations, and definitely hope that any injuries and traumas will be totally gone ASAP


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## Sonrisa (Sep 2, 2010)

Thank you all for your support and advice.

I wish I would have been more prepared to deal with that kind of situation and now I just hope we will soon forget this scare and try to enjoy our christmas holidays together. I shall spend this christmas the best way I can think of, celebrating life and thanking God for keeping my family safe and unhurt. Watching my son emerge from under the car unscratched was like a miracle itself.

best regards.


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