Fatal road crash story scenario questions

[Badger Kitten]

I am sorry if asking technical questions about a short story (which is for a small writing group homework project, not a £100k comission from Pan Macmillan for a series of novels) has caused anybody any offence.

The reason for choosing the subject of sudden death is because we were asked to write this fortnight a short story about a difficult emotional area that we had some experience of, without using an exact model of our own experiences and writing something semi-autobiographical, or autobiographical, or confessional.

The reason I chose the impact on siblings following the sudden death of both parents, was because the emotional area I wanted to explore was bereavement following the sudden death of a parent, my own mother having died suddenly six months ago, and also because I am in contact with various people who lost loved ones in July 2005 so the subject is on my mind and close to my heart. I picked a road crash because it is one of the most common causes of sudden death and I didn't want to write about murder or terrorism. I asked the questions, because despite searching ( and despite my own experiences of arranging to collect a body, helping to organise a funeral etc) I was unable to find the specific answers I needed to write the story as accurately as possible.

Once again, I am sorry if anyone has been offended, however, the PMs I have had from people who have experience in this area do not seem to be offended at all. Similarly, when I have been asked by students to answer questions relating to bad experiences in my life in relation to research for their studies, I have not been offended at all, but have tried to answer their questions truthfully and accurately.


I hope that makes things a little clearer, and thank you very much to everyone who has helped me.

Thanks

 

[Mrs Magpie]

You are tobyjug / amanita virosa / chymera and I claim my five pounds.

Why are you being such a dick?

ditto. Boskysquelch has largely passed under my radar but after reading this thread I looked back at past ranty posts and I get misogynist writ large.....wtf is your problem bosky?

 

[Badger Kitten]

Surely the point of the homework is for you to be creative and not to ask on public forums for ideas?

Asking people for info on specific questions on a BB where people ask for info on specific questions is different to asking people for info on specific questions outside a hospital or in a pub how, exactly?

 

[madamv]

Hi BK. I think the coroners officer would be able to help, just call or pop into your local hospital and nip to the mortuary. The mortician will be able to give you the coroners officers numbers, or maybe even help himself. Go around 2 then they will have got all their urgent work done.

2. Yes, and fire & ambulance if the police thought there would be a need. The coroners officer and funeral director who was on call for the coroners office as they transport the deceased, would also be in attendance, called by the police who attend the accident.

3. The FD takes deceased to mortuary of local hospital awaiting requirements of the coroner. Usually a post mortem and further tests to be determined by the pathologist carrying out the PM with the mortician.

4. Toxicology results can take some time, and would be requested if the pathologist thinks it would be pertinant. Certainly in the senario you are suggesting, I would expect tox screening for alcohol and drugs. Also appeals for witnesses at road side etc.

5. The coroner/pathologist would request these from the dentist once they had obtained the relevant information from the NOK.


9. The jewellery etc will be released to the FD with the deceased and they will give to family. Often the mortuary or FD/Embalmer will clean it up (or at least I would hope they would). The deceased would be allow cremation if the coroner is in agreement and that would be only if he was satisfied that there were no suspicious circumstances. The deceased would be allowed burial more quickly as the body could be exhumed if the coroner requested.

Otherwise the coroner has the power to insist no burial/cremation until he is satisfied of the cause of death. This is quite unusual though.

Please pm me if you need anything else that you think I can help with.

 

[madzone]

Quite an insensitive thread.

Why is it?

 

[Mrs Magpie]

BK is asking for background facts on a BB where people may well have the answers. She isn't asking for passages of prose, but for background info where people may be able to help. I don't see this as any different from people posting on suburban for info about rose-planting or the correct proportion of rose-water in home-made turkish delight (apart from the fact that suburban is more helpful and civilised generally, obviously).

 

[mauvais]

I'd just make some shit up if I were you. When you crash your car in the middle of nowhere all the animals get together and they summon up the Prophet Rolf from the Animal Hospital and he diagnoses the problem with all the animals as the audience asking if he can tell what it is yet which he said to me he secretly hates but he's too kind and beardy to say. Usually he fixes you up good and proper and you wake up a week later at home with some pleasantly vague memories of a nice little B&B in Llandudno which if you look in Yellow Pages doesn't fucking exist at all how mysterious. Sometimes it's just no use like though cos your neck's gone all wonky or your hand's come off and then there's nowt Rolf can do even if he did have the right kind of crayons. Then he just sets the whole thing on fire and leaves it there to burn cos he says its the only appropriate thing to do but I think he just quite likes the arty aspect of it. Well it's best to check they're actually bloody dead first isn't it Rolf because you know what happened that one time. Then later the police turn up and they figure it must have just exploded for no reason which is a bit of a concern especially for PC Evans who sees this sort of thing a lot but let's be honest it's seventeen sheets of A4 that he has to write on in tiny print and some joker from the Bugle will phone him up at home trying to link it to al Qaeda so he gets Thick Greg from up on the farm to give him a hand and they push it down the hill into the river where the trees will hide it. Eventually DEFRA or some such will want to know why the local water supply contains unusually high levels of chargrilled Rover Metro 1.4 but if they ask him he certainly won't remember anything about it and cos he's a clever lad he'll mention something about foot and mouth and they'll fuck off sharpish. You might say it's a complex conspiracy but I think it's for the best to be honest. Noone's going to mend those walls though are they.

 

[madzone]

BK is asking for background facts on a BB where people may well have the answers. She isn't asking for passages of prose, but for background info where people may be able to help. I don't see this as any different from people posting on suburban for info about rose-planting or the correct proportion of rose-water in home-made turkish delight (apart from the fact that suburban is more helpful and civilised generally, obviously).

Exactly - or help with knitting patterns. If toggle helps someone who's struggling with a knitting instruction does it mean she's knitted it for them?

When my dads ex is writing her plays and screenplays she'll quite often phone me and ask for advice if I have experience of something she doesn't. Most recent example being direct payments. Doesn't mean she hasn't written the screenplay.

 

[moomoo]

BK is asking for background facts on a BB where people may well have the answers. She isn't asking for passages of prose, but for background info where people may be able to help. I don't see this as any different from people posting on suburban for info about rose-planting or the correct proportion of rose-water in home-made turkish delight (apart from the fact that suburban is more helpful and civilised generally, obviously).

Quite.

It's not insensitive at all imo.

Actually, I've found it all rather interesting.

 

[Louloubelle]

I have a copy of Granta somewhere with an incredibly powerful chapter from this book http://www.amazon.com/Ever-After-Fathers-True-Story/dp/1557042233

You're welcome to borrow it if you like, it gives a raw and real insight into how a parent feels when their child (is this case daughter, son in law and grandchildren) are killed in a RTA in which the car bursts into flames and the father has to go and ID the bodies

well you did ask. I didn't know what to expect when I started to read it and it is not at all what you might expect. Highly recommended

 

[boskysquelch]

and I get misogynist writ large.....

Perma Ban me then...Don't throw that term around and not expect it to be thrown back at you. Wanker.

 

[agricola]

Dunno which forum to put this in, because although it is writing-related, it's more of a general question. I'm writing a short story exploring grief and shock as homework for a writing group I'm in ( it's a practice thing) - and in my short story, two girls live in their parent's house for the summer after both parents are killed in a car crash. One girl is 18, just left school, and the other 15, still at school and both live in London.

What I am trying to find out is some very specific practical stuff and I don't know where to look for the information. If anyone could point me in the right direction, I would be very grateful.

1. After the car crash, in which the car skids off the road at high speed in the Welsh countryside and goes into a ditch and then hits a drystone wall, could the car burst into flames, or is that very unlikely? ( it would help the story if the car did burn out)

Concievably, yes.

2. After such an incident, ( crashed car found on remote road containing dead people), who would inform the next of kin - the police called to the scene? Would police be called to the scene?

The Police would normally speak to the next of kin.

3. Would the bodies then go to a local hospital morgue if they were dead at the scene? Or somewhere else? Where?

It would depend on where the nearest morgue was, sometimes its at the hospital, sometimes they are separate buildings.

4. Would there be an autopsy to determine whether the driver had been drinking/using drugs? Would there be a Coroner's inquest? If so, how long after death would the inquest/autopsy take place?

There would almost certainly be an autopsy on the driver, to establish drink/drugs etc and any other relevant factors (heart attack, stroke etc). There would almost certainly be an inquest, but these things can take time to complete - usually once all the evidence was available for the Coroner to examine it would take place (it can however be opened quite quickly).

5. If the bodies were burned and unrecognisable, would it be realistic for the police to ask the older girl for the family dentist details to check dental records to ID the bodies?

Yes, but DNA is a better solution, though often both would be taken.

6. Would the police at the scene who informed the girls of the death ( if indeed that is who informed the girls of the death) stay in touch and act as Family Liaison officers, or is that only in the case of a suspicious death or murder?

In the Met at least, usually FLOs are separate from those investigating the case.

7. If not the police informing the girls of the death, then who?

Other members of the public often do this, not always intentionally / officially.

8. Would an 18 year old be allowed to be executor of the estate and legal guardian of her 15 year old sister, assuming no other next of kin, and would social services/other people have a tendency, or a right to get involved?

I think so yes / yes, though Social Services would probably have to ensure that the 18 year old was a fit and proper person.

9. Would the hospital/morgue ( wherever the bodies are held) release the effects - the wedding rings - of the dead, burned, unrecognisable parents to the older daughter as soon as bodies had been ID-d?

Assuming no investigation was taking place where they (the bits of property) were of relevance, yes.

 

[Stobart Stopper]

Cunt.

 

[cesare]

ditto. Boskysquelch has largely passed under my radar but after reading this thread I looked back at past ranty posts and I get misogynist writ large.....wtf is your problem bosky?

Bosky isn't a misogynist.

 

[Agent Sparrow]

BK is asking for background facts on a BB where people may well have the answers. She isn't asking for passages of prose, but for background info where people may be able to help. I don't see this as any different from people posting on suburban for info about rose-planting or the correct proportion of rose-water in home-made turkish delight (apart from the fact that suburban is more helpful and civilised generally, obviously).

Quite, I don't really get people's problem. The thread is titled appropriately so people don't have to read it if they think it might upset them, the OP and subsequent posts from Badger Kitten are sensitive (even despite the flack she's getting), and surely it's a good thing that she would like to research the area properly rather than make up any old shit!

BK, I'm afraid the only thing I might be able to help you with is the executer thing - my mum works in this area so I can ask at the weekend. I also might be able to ask some of the child social workers I work with about whether an 18 year old can be legal guardian without SS being involved. Do you still need these things clearing up?

 

[mauvais]

Rolf says none of what I wrote is true so bloody well don't use it you little cretin, and that you should watch out for unexpected oil slicks in the middle of country lanes from now on you cunt. He's referring to me but I don't think he actually means it.

 

[boskysquelch]

Cunt.

bubble

 

[Roadkill]

Quite, I don't really get people's problem.

Nor me. It's only a request for assistance with a piece of fiction. Why are people getting so arsey about it?

 

[Mrs Magpie]

Bosky isn't a misogynist.

Well I looked back at his posts and he's fond of slagging off women in regard to their body shape and sex.....that doesn't exactly shout card-carrying feminist in my book....but as I say, bosky has largely not featured on my memorable posters radar and maybe bosky does sterling work on International Women's Day that has escaped my attention up to now......

edited to add....my bad...have made the assumption bosky is a bloke....could be a self-hating woman for all I know

 

[boskysquelch]

Why are people getting so arsey about it?

wot people? It's only ME...The Misogynist.

 

[boskysquelch]

Well I looked back at his posts and he's fond of slagging off women in regard to their body shape and sex.....that doesn't exactly shout card-carrying feminist in my book....but as I say, bosky has largely not featured on my memorable posters radar and maybe bosky does sterling work on International Women's Day that has escaped my attention up to now......

maybe...but do carry on whydon'tcha.

 

[the button]

wot people? It's only ME...The Misogynist.

I'm fairly arsey about it too, but I'm probably a bit mysogynistic as well, tbh. It's the only explanation.

 

[cesare]

Nor me. It's only a request for assistance with a piece of fiction. Why are people getting so arsey about it?

Perhaps it should just be moved to the 'Books, Films, TV, Radio and Writing' forum?

It will affect different people in different ways. I'm sure that wasn't BK's intention but maybe moving the thread to where the story writers are would be helpful.

 

[Mrs Magpie]

Nor me. It's only a request for assistance with a piece of fiction. Why are people getting so arsey about it?

Issues< taps side of nose >

 

[cesare]

Well I looked back at his posts and he's fond of slagging off women in regard to their body shape and sex.....that doesn't exactly shout card-carrying feminist in my book....but as I say, bosky has largely not featured on my memorable posters radar and maybe bosky does sterling work on International Women's Day that has escaped my attention up to now......

edited to add....my bad...have made the assumption bosky is a bloke....could be a self-hating woman for all I know

I don't want to derail BK's thread by entering into a discussion about this - but perhaps the best way of diffusing this would be to move the thread as I just mentioned to Roady?

 

[longdog]

Bosky isn't a misogynist.

Let's be charitable and say 'idiot' then shall we?

 

[Mrs Magpie]

Perhaps it should just be moved to the 'Books, Films, TV, Radio and Writing' forum?

It will affect different people in different ways. I'm sure that wasn't BK's intention but maybe moving the thread to where the story writers are would be helpful.

Good idea, but I suspect BK put it here in the hope that someone who knows the answers might see it whereas they might not hang out in the books forum.....but I'm moving it as it's attracting the axe-grinders.

 

[boskysquelch]

Issues< taps side of nose >

Would you like me to post some road kill pictures to make it easier for you to understand?

I could use words too...but then you'll prolly slander me again. Tosser.

 

[mauvais]

Oh shit, now I've ruined the books forum too.

 

[boskysquelch]

Let's be charitable and say 'idiot' then shall we?

THAT is acceptable.