Numpty nearly got squished

well, it wouldn't so much have been watching him come to terms with having no legs as simply watching a bloke with bloodied stumps screaming' AAARGHH! MY LEGS MY FUCKING LEGS! ARRRRGGGHH"

I would consider that the first stage of the coping strategy of a freshly christened amputee ;-)

7 stages of greaving and all that.

isn't the first stage of grieving denial?

In which case he would have been saying "no, s'alright mate, I'm absolutely fine, honestly. I'll just walk home, I don't live far..."