[Closed] Should I call the cops?

my first reaction would be to get away from the attacker and assess the situation.

this is what the OP did, established the bloke was clearly not the full quid, and got out the way of further harm.

Who's to say he doesn't have a foot long knife in his coat?

Can I just point out that I wasn't expecting help from the staff. I was more assuming that they wouldn't want a violent and aggressive person in their store attacking their regular customers... It appears I was wrong...

No don't call the cops technically he assaulted you but the staff seem to know him and think he is harmless . If you report him he faces arrest and detention for a lengthy period before a mental health team turn out to assess and say no grounds for admission to hospital , the shop face someone trying to remove the alcohol license. All this because some one with mental health problems acts a bit odd in a store where the staff show him some respect and tolerance. It seems safe to assume that if he went ape the staff would act. thanks to Thatcher we have a large number of people being neglected in the community we owe it to them to try to accommodate their difficulties and in the absence of a better care system only intervene when absolutely necessary.

Even if the guy has mental health issues then something it should be reported because, unlike the original poster, most people will respond in kind if someone throws a punch at them. For his own safety the chap needs to be sorted out and/or kept out of harms way.

I'll buy 60 Lamberts and a black clipper lighter if you've still got any.

thanks to Thatcher

You do realise that it's now about 20 years since Thatcher was PM? Was there something stopping NuLab making any changes in the last 13 years?

Who's to say he doesn't have a foot long knife in his coat?

...........or, a machete, or a.44 magnum, or (more likely) a ltr of cider?

The reaction of the staff in the shop was a bit of a giveaway that he was/is relatively harmless.

I'm not defending what he did ie. a mild punch, but I do think the staff should have done something, after all the OP was a customer and as such should have been able to shop unmolested.

Oh and well done to Crankboy for getting in a dig at Thatcher. It is traditional now that every thread has to have at least one political comment and this thread almost missed out. 🙄

Ah. Beaten to it by Epicsteve 😉

thanks to Thatcher

🙄

That's getting as boring as people bleating on about us winning the World Cup in 1966.

Report it. It doesn't matter how 'harmless' someone appears, its very intimidating to be followed and threatened by someone, especially if they have behaviour issues. How were you to know he wouldn't flip and attack you with something?!

Report to police.

Complain in writing to shop.

Demand that the incident is recorded in their accident book in case it happens in future with more serious consequences...i.e. the customer turns round a floors the guy! The book is there for anyone in the shop, not just staff.

what??? we won the world cup in 66
that very important fact must have passed me by.

My first thoughts were that he was pissed, he seemed to be staggering and slurring, but as you say it could well be mental health issues.

If he is a loon he should be sectioned .Another example of neglect in the neighbourhood ,sorry care in the community not working maybe?

I'm finding this thread amusing.

So people are saying that if someone is mentally ill etc it is ok for them to go round attacking people? As they are not entirly aware of what they are doing...

I must remember that one.

If someone attacks me, depending on the circumstances I would either restrain them or retaliate.

The fact that the store did v little about it is appauling. Even if he is known to them, they should of atleast explained the situation to the OP.

Report it, otherwise other people may be attacked.

Well, the local community support officers site directed me back to the police website. On there I found a 'Notify us of information that maybe of interest to us' type form and have filled it out.

I figure that that's the best way of making sure it's recorded but no major fuss is made about it. Plus it means they get to have a laugh at my formal writing style 😉

Thanks for all your comments.

****, no Lamberts then?

I'll take the Richmond if they're still available.

I suspect that the staff could see that you weren't in any real danger and didn't need help. Presumably if you were a little old lady or a child they'd have done something different.
If I see someone babbling incoherently walking into a convenience store I tend to assume they are pissed or mentally ill or both, and in search of booze, so I give them a wide berth. Folks like that tend to behave erratically.

Sadly thatcher brought in care in the comunity,because the large mental hospitals i worked t cost to much, the patients whee thrown out to live in the comunity who basicly didnt and still dont want them, thestaff of these hostels also throw the residents out in the morning and tell them to come back at night,so theyre on the street, the shop workers obviously accept the chap as being ok,but a bit playful,they said he was ok, based on his past experinces towards them.

As per usual everything is being inflated and the poor chap may now be admitted as a sectioned patient,depriveing somebody who does need help the bed and the care in a hospital.

There is a difference between a playful punch and an agressive one, awaits responce from TJ,

because the large mental hospitals i worked t cost to much, the patients whee thrown out to live in the comunity who basicly didnt and still dont want them

Another reason to be carrying a set of Bombers with you at all times.

You missed out on a fantastic opportunity there mate. If some mentally handicapped guy started on me like that, I'd really fancy my chances.
And once I'd started getting the better of him, I'd throw in a bit of Mohammed Ali footwork and maybe finish the monger off with a crane kick like on Karate Kid!!
Then those Pguys behind the counter would know who's boss.

#edit# or stop being a fanny 😆

*disclaimer* the language used above is for comic effect only, before the lentil brigade start complaining

The actions, or more accurately complete lack of action, of the staff is condoning a physical assault. Personally I would be horrified. Genuinely. It sounds to me, and I appreciate you (the OP) may feel very differently about this, like a very public and humiliating experience and I would, and should, be absolutely livid about it. Did this really go on for a couple of minutes or more?!? Unbelievable. Not necessarily angry at the person who assaulted you who may have mental health issues but certainly at the staff and at Llondis as a company. It is clearly a civil matter, I wouldn't personally get the police involved, but I would feel the need to be compensated in some way- at the very, very least by an apology.

Haven't read all the above posts, but typing as someone with experience of mental health issues (not myself I hope!) the police should be involved so at the very least the persons doctor/psychiatrist can know.

The solution isn't necessarily sectioning, injected rather than easily skipped oral medication might be the answer.

Got told a story last night which (if true) makes any mental health issues in this thread pale into insignificence...

Family friend works as a carer in some mental health place, one of the patients comes in covered in blood, ripped clothes etc and won't say why. Much questioning later the patient says he'll tell but it has to stay a secret. Carer agrees just needing to know what the hell went on.

Patient says "i caught a troll" - cue more questions, trolls don't exist etc. Patient says they do and its locked in the gardening shed...

Carer goes for a look, in the shed is a beaten, bloody, tied up and pissed off dwarf/person of diminished stature...

story is rubbish. read it on b3ta before.

Who else is a b3tan then?

Or is that a b3[i]tard[/i]?

Before I start, I haven't read all the replies.
My opinion is yes the police should be informed. Even if the staff were ignoring it because they new the person in question has mental health problems (if thats the case) then they should have told you that's why they weren't doing anything.

People shouldn't be allowed to punch random strangers (even if it doesn't do damage). What if you'd not long been out of hospital after having an operation or something? a punch in the stomach (all beit not a strong one) could have done some serious damage).