How would you handle this roadside emergency - as a father

[ZOA NOM]

I don't think anyone can predict how they would react to seeing two of their children killed in front of them, and having the responsible drunk in front of you, and you have a gun. Not the best set of circumstances for the drunk. I don't think it'll take much of a lawyer to get this father off. If there was ever a crime of passion defense, this is it.

[rusnak]

I carry about a dozen flares, which is enough for me to get the vehicle to safety. I've used flares each time I was on the side of the road for more than 2 mins. I even stop, and set flares for other stranded motorists. I am very well aware of the danger of being hit by another car.

The father was really stupid. Having said that, I would probably have a hard time not killing the drunk driver, had I used every precaution first.

[Baz]

Bottom line is some people very safety-conscience and some are not.

This father was not.

It takes a higher level of common sense for this.

Not everyone uses common sense.

Safety is priority one on the highway.

Keeping your kids safe is priority one for a parent.

[Aragorn]

Originally Posted by Baz

Bottom line is some people very safety-conscience and some are not.

This father was not.

It takes a higher level of common sense for this.

Not everyone uses common sense.

Safety is priority one on the highway.

Keeping your kids safe is priority one for a parent.

To most people, common sense is change from a dollar.

[Evans, Marv]

I hate to say it, but maybe the father metted out justice as it should have been. This would have been another example of a drunk killing multiple people and receiving a sentence amounting to a slap on the wrist while the family of the kids he killed would be affected for life.

[Baz]

Originally Posted by Aragorn

To most people, common sense is change from a dollar.

Sadly you are correct, sir.

I'm am ANAL about safety precautions - to the point of being ridiculous!

Got that from my Dad.

[Baz]

Originally Posted by Evans, Marv

I hate to say it, but maybe the father metted out justice as it should have been. This would have been another example of a drunk killing multiple people and receiving a sentence amounting to a slap on the wrist while the family of the kids he killed would be affected for life.

Probably so, Marv.

Hey while I have your attention..................

How would you have handled this emergency, were it you and your family?

[jyl]

That's not a residential street, it is a county road, average speed probably 50+, narrow, no shoulder, no lights. No way would I push a truck on that road at night, or in the day. Get truck off the road. Set flashers. Walk family home. Call AAA or a buddy w/ a truck.

Okay, you were stupid and your sons are dead. Now what? Coin flip. The guy is probably not doing jail time for it, so if he is okay with his actions, then there's probably not a huge consequence.

[Evans, Marv]

If they were 50 yards from home, I would have gotten them out & away from the truck, lit a flare & put it behind the truck, walked them home & returned to deal with the truck. There have been studies though indicating people are safer staying in the vehicle until help arrives. The last time I had a car stall (on an off ramp from a freeway), I pulled off as far as I could, told everybody to wait in the car while I called AAA. This was before cell phones were common. There were four others in the car & they wll wanted to walk along the side of the road to the end of the onramp, and I nixed that.

[rnln]

It's too easy for someone to sit here and say such things when he's not in the situation. I am not saying that he did the right thing, but I guess you never get mad, never feel frustrated then.

Originally Posted by manbridge 74

If this man were truly distraught he'd have committed suicide for the truly bad decision of doing this on a crowded road.

Killing the other guy isn't going to bring his kids back.

And perhaps he was drunk himself.

[scottmandue]

Originally Posted by vash

this story is awful. hard to critique a man when he just lost so much..

no car has been created that is worth risking a human life for.

get the family off the road..if this isnt possible, stay seated and belted.

50 yards from the house? damn it, i would have sent the kids home. left the flashers on..or dumped out some flares.

Not just yeah but he11 yeah,

I would have walked back to the house with the whole family and left the truck there with the flashers on...

[ZOA NOM]

Originally Posted by Evans, Marv

There have been studies though indicating people are safer staying in the vehicle until help arrives. The last time I had a car stall (on an off ramp from a freeway), I pulled off as far as I could, told everybody to wait in the car while I called AAA. This was before cell phones were common. There were four others in the car & they wll wanted to walk along the side of the road to the end of the onramp, and I nixed that.

I really think this is the wrong thing to do. Think about sitting in your vehicle, and taking the impact of another vehicle. I think you are far safer, away from the car, and upstream from where it sits, well off the shoulder, facing oncoming traffic. A coworker just had this scenario happen on a freeway. As he approached a recent solo crash, he slowed to a stop in the fast lane, set his flashers and got out to check the driver of the crashed car. She was still belted in, and dazed. He said he was going to call 911, and he ran back to his car to get his phone. As he dialed, he stepped back against the guardrail, just as another vehicle swerved, just missing him, and his car, only to plow directly into the original car. The girl who was belted in was thrown across the lanes, and cut in half by a semi that came along next. All while he watched from the shoulder. I'll never sit in a disabled vehicle again.

[ckelly78z]

I would have sent the entire family home (50 yds away), thrown some road flares out and called a towtruck, or roadside assistance, or in my case, gone home to get it and dragged the truck home with a tractor. This is still not safe, but removes the hazard from the roadway.

[rusnak]

Originally Posted by ZOA NOM

I really think this is the wrong thing to do. Think about sitting in your vehicle, and taking the impact of another vehicle. I think you are far safer, away from the car, and upstream from where it sits, well off the shoulder, facing oncoming traffic. A coworker just had this scenario happen on a freeway. As he approached a recent solo crash, he slowed to a stop in the fast lane, set his flashers and got out to check the driver of the crashed car. She was still belted in, and dazed. He said he was going to call 911, and he ran back to his car to get his phone. As he dialed, he stepped back against the guardrail, just as another vehicle swerved, just missing him, and his car, only to plow directly into the original car. The girl who was belted in was thrown across the lanes, and cut in half by a semi that came along next. All while he watched from the shoulder. I'll never sit in a disabled vehicle again.

^ I agree with this. I view it as 50/50 that another vehicle will hit yours as you sit belted in. Get the hell out of the car, behind the guardrail, and put some distance between yourself and the roadway. Flares are so that other motorists don't get hurt. You take care of yourself after that.

[Evans, Marv]

I'm not saying the study about staying in the car is the conrete right thing to do. I'm just saying I read one of those safety studies & that's what it said. In the case I described where the car I was driving stalled, I managed to get a decent distance away from traffic. Basically it just comes down to using good judgement relative to the situation.

[ZOA NOM]

Originally Posted by Evans, Marv

I'm not saying the study about staying in the car is the conrete right thing to do. I'm just saying I read one of those safety studies & that's what it said. In the case I described where the car I was driving stalled, I managed to get a decent distance away from traffic. Basically it just comes down to using good judgement relative to the situation.

Absolutely agree. Just providing another perspective, no criticism intended.

[Superman]

Fifty yards? My family would have been in the house.

And if a drunk driver had just killed my kids, I'd probably have shot him in the head too.

Just being honest.

[Superman]

Get passengers OUT of a disabled vehicle, and have them move further off the roadway.

[Heel n Toe]

Originally Posted by vash

i would drive a flat tire to safety. i'll buy a new wheel later.

in some places..i would crush that wheel to get to safety.

^^^^This.

But if the vehicle isn't running, that may not be an option. In that case, get out the right side and walk to the off ramp or whatever and get away from danger.

Question; if the vehicle is a manual, is it still possible to put it in gear and do the old "limp home on the starter" thing? I don't know if that works with today's vehicles with their multi-level bozo safeguards.

[drcoastline]

Aside from the fact that pushing the truck off the road with the boys on a dark road was not a wise choice, in fact dumb. I don't know that any of the arm chair quarter back answers are right or wrong. There are what iff's in each of the answers that could create a positive out come or negative.

My initial reaction was the house is 50 yards away? F*** the truck flashers on were walking home. What "IF" thr car swerves and to mis the truck and comes down the shoulder now the whole family is there.

Stay in the truck call for help? On a highway where I can get well off the road this is what I would normally do. Better in the vehicle with some substance around you than out on the should in just my jeans and shirt. However, in this case from what I read the vehicle was in the road on a dark strech. How long do I sit there and wait for help? Do I have a phone? Now this guy comes along and hits my vehicle from the rear? Do people die? I don't know. Is everyone hurt? I don't know. What "IF" the vehicle is a fully loaded semi that hits us at 70MPH?

I'm not so sure I would have just sat there in the road waiting to see if a vehicle came along. I would assume he tried to restart it and get it off the road but it wouldnt run. Maybe he thought I'll get the truck off the road so no one hits it and gets hurt then walk everyone home. I think that thought would go through any caring reasonable persons mind. I can even see where he thought to use the boys. This will only take a second we only need to move the vehicle 15 feet to get it out of the lane. It's not what II would do but I again can not fault him for that.

I don't see a right or wrong answer. In some circumsatnce it will work out fine. In others it won't. The problem was a drunk driver. But, could it have happened if the driver wasn't drunk? The answer is yes. It's been proven the risk is less but it could still happen.

Had he broken down 1 minute sooner or later we might not be having this discussion. Or had he decided to take evryone out of the vehicle and walk home. The article might read father, mother, two sons and daughter killed 50 yards from their home after vehicle swerves to avoid disabled family truck in the road.

Who knows. Try and use commons scense, a reasonable amount of safety and make a decision based on the situation.