[lily.]

9. The Accident

You are an emergency worker that has just been called to the scene of an accident. When you arrive you see that the car belongs to your wife. Fearing the worst you rush over to see she is trapped in her car with another man.

She sees you and although barely conscious, she manages to mouth the words “I’m sorry”…

You don’t understand, but her look answers you question. The man next to her is her lover with whom she’s been having an affair.

You reel back in shock, devastated by what her eyes have just told you. As you step back, the wreck in front of you comes into focus. You see your wife is seriously hurt and she needs attention straight away. Even if she gets attention there’s a very high chance she’ll die.

You look at the seat next to her and see her lover. He’s bleeding heavily from a wound to the neck and you need to stem the flow of blood immediately. It will only take about 5 minutes to stop, but it will mean your wife will definitely die.

If you tend to your wife however, the man will bleed to death despite the fact it could have been avoided.

Who would you choose to work on?


Source: Top 10 Moral Dilemmas

[Benjamin]

I'd save my wife. Then she would have to live with her betrayal and responsibility for causing her lovers death for the rest of her life.

[Ammi]

I think this is more difficult...as a member of the public I'd probably save my wife...instinct, but as a trained medical worker, I'd be considering the extent of the injuries and the survival liklihood...so possibly would attend the most likely to survive

[MTVN]

I think I'd help the other guy, better to be sure of saving one life then tend to your wife and mean that the two of them will probably both now die. That's what I'd do if I was being rational about it anyway, which I know wouldn't really be possible in that situation.

[lostalex]

This is hard because there is an emotional element to it, but i certainly wouldn't let wife die just because she cheated, but as a medical professional i would treat the other man just because you know you can save him. The dilema says she will probably die no matter what, and she'd need treatment at a hospital, but you can save the mans life right away, so that's what i'd do, treat the man first, then do everything i could for my wife.

There's no way i'd let someone die just because he was cheating with my wife.

[Kate!]

I would save the wife, emotion would take over.

[Niamh.]

if it were my husband and another woman, I would save my husband, as even if he's been cheating, he's my sons dad

[Ammi]

I'm giving up on this, it's like jeapordy

[Z]

Where are the rest of the emergency workers?!

I'd have to try and save my wife. I made a commitment to her (even if she hasn't been upholding it...) and I'd have to at least try. It would seem callous to let the man die but she is my wife; and regardless of who he is (I might have misinterpreted what her look meant) I don't want to lose my wife.

[Tom4784]

I'd save the wife, I couldn't deprive my kids of their mother.

[Jack_]

Your wife comes before everyone (well, not before children and parents) regardless of the situation so it'd be her I'd be saving first. Not that I wouldn't want to save the guy out of spite, part of me would want to because of the fact it'd be easier to save him, but my wife is my wife, the love would come before anything else.

[MTVN]

It says in the question that "there is a very high chance she will die anyway" though, it's not like it's a straight choice between saving your wife's life or her lovers

[lostalex]

It's my understanding from the actual question that yur wife is probably gonna die no matter what you do, so the real question is, would you try to save the life of her lover.

My answer is yes.

[MTVN]

Originally Posted by lostalex

It's my understanding from the actual question that yur wife is probably gonna die no matter what you do, so the real question is, would you try to save the life of her lover.

My answer is yes.

Yeah I thought that too

[Niamh.]

Originally Posted by lostalex

It's my understanding from the actual question that yur wife is probably gonna die no matter what you do, so the real question is, would you try to save the life of her lover.

My answer is yes.

It still says there is a chance you could save her, I know I'd take that chance. A

[Locke.]

Would just shout my mate that's sitting in the other seat of the ambulance

[Niall]

I'd help my wife, no question. She's the one I chose to marry in sickness and in health so I'd feel that it would be my job to help her out any way I can.

That doesn't mean I wouldn't help the man if it were possible. It's just a matter of prioritisation.

[Ammi]

Would it please be possible for a mod to add which dilemma each number is in the title

[MTVN]

Originally Posted by Ammi

Would it please be possible for a mod to add which dilemma each number is in the title

Yeah that's a good idea, I'll do that now

[Ammi]

Originally Posted by MTVN

Yeah that's a good idea, I'll do that now

Thank you...I love mods I do

[Vicky.]

My wife. If theres a chance she can be saved, obviously.

[Doogle]

Taking into account the emotional feelings I'd go to the man. I'd have to accept the fact my wife cheated and died at the same time but that's slightly better than knowing I let a man die when I could have saved him, regardless of the fact he was my wife's other lover (that and the fact I don't know the full situation. There's a chance he didn't know she had a husband... unlikely but still)

[Me. I Am Salman]

Wouldn't the emergency services send out more than one person?

[Jords]

If we had kids, Id try to save my wife, otherwise itd probably be the man, reluctantly at the time... but I know Id feel better about it later in life.

[Bollo]

Save the lover, if the wife was going to die anyway