Hell of way to start the day.

[HardDrive]

Witnessed a dramatic single car accident this morning. The gal driving was unhurt, but very upset.

A truck drifted in to her lane, and she swerved too hard and lost control. Spun across the highway, took out an exit sign that shot into the air, went across this exit ramp, made contact with the light post, and down the embankment. I was the only one that pulled over. I checked on her, called the police and waited with her until they arrived. She had just bought the car She said, "I hope it's not totaled". I said something vaguely hopeful. All airbags had gone off, front and rear of the car badly smashed, door gaps off....it was totaled. Poor kid. She was very distraught. I still feel sad for her.

Car was a lot more chewed up than the photo suggests. And the accident easily could have been far more serious.

[Baz]

Good to hear she wasn't seriously injured!

Not sure if you remember but last year I witnessed a single engine aircraft crash....it happened right in front of me as I was driving down a back road here. I couldn't believe the pilot was able to scramble out of his crashed plane, walk across the road, and sit down....all before I could get my truck stopped completely and rush to his side.

The stuff that goes through your mind though when you have something like this happen right in front of you.....it's a hell of a reality check...that's for sure!

Thanks for stopping and rendering aid, Josh. You're a good man....

[Bill Douglas]

Thanks for looking after her. She's someone's very important person.

[pwd72s]

Good on you for stopping. Your words to a cop about the truck drifting may have saved her a citation. Hope so anyway. Poor kid has enough grief already.

[look 171]

Nice to hear there are good people out there who are willing to give a helping hand and actually stop to see if a stranger is OK.

This lone old man that lived half a block down from me fell one morning. I think he broke his ribs on the edge of the curb and was just laying there. No one stopped so I had to see if he's alright. Still, I see people just looking and driving by and some of these people are my neighbors. I called 911 and made sure he's taken care of. I discovered he has no family and no help. Sucks. A year later, he slipped my boy (he was 3) a 20 and said Merry Christmas. I never saw him again.

[Baz]

I tend to judge people by the way they take after community responsibilities.

When someone's garbage can has been blown over by wind and is lying in the road....do you stop and set it back up on the curb?

When you see a turtle in the road.....do you stop and pick it up - relocate it off the road?

When you are finished with your shopping cart....do you either return it to the store....or take it to the cart corral?

When a cyclist is on the road in front of you....do you hang back while opposing traffic clears before passing?

As a landscaper, I usually have a shovel in my truck. If I see road kill....especially fresh road kill....I will stop and move it off the road so the poor cadaver isn't repeatedly assaulted. If a dog or cat, I will bury it somewhere.

Yet a day doesn't go by that I don't witness acts of indifference by the general public in matters of community welfare.

Human beings......smh.....

[oldE]

I really wish "advanced driving" car control was mandatory for new drivers. Her swerve out of control might not have occurred.

A few years ago, I was resting in the evening when I heard "Bang, screech, Crump!" and realized someone was having a bad evening.
I grabbed jacket and keys and drove to the nearby corner where a car was lying in the ditch. Kid had blown a rear tire, lost control and backed into the ditch on the opposite side of the road. Another passer by had assisted the young driver out of his car and called for a wrecker. The young driver wasn't badly hurt, but had a scalp wound, so I broke out the First Aid kit and applied a dressing. On the short drive to the health centre, I got him to call his folks to meet us there.
While we were waiting for a Doc to arrive to put a stitch in his scalp.I asked him to please wash his face and hands, as he had been touching his wound and then rubbing his face. I figured if his Mother saw all that blood she would have a heart attack. He was cleaned up by the time the folks arrived.
The step dad thanked me for what I had done and I told him I just hoped someone would do the same if ever they found my son in the ditch.
I guess that was the point of the whole thing.
Best
Les

[ckelly78z]

Poor girl, she was probably thinking about mad parents, higher insurance, late to school on test day. You gave her some sense of peace, and order in a chaotic morning. Good on you !

[Porchdog]

Good for you!

My daughter is out at OSU - she will have a car starting summer term. I do worry about her all the way out there on her own.

I tried to teach all my kids emergency car control - especially in snow and ice. It took better with my sons than my daughter - she's a bit nervous as a driver which makes it tough.

[tcar]

Originally Posted by Porchdog

Good for you!

My daughter is out at OSU - she will have a car starting summer term. I do worry about her all the way out there on her own.
....

Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Oshkosh?... etc.????

[T77911S]

glad she is ok and quite surprised no one else stopped.


I bet the truck kept going and it will all be on her insurance.

I wonder if either or both were on cell phones

[Porchdog]

Originally Posted by tcar

Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Oshkosh?... etc.????

The Ohio State University - Out there in Columbus.

Go Bucks!

[enzo1]

Probably make her a better driver ...

[look 171]

Originally Posted by Baz

I tend to judge people by the way they take after community responsibilities.

When someone's garbage can has been blown over by wind and is lying in the road....do you stop and set it back up on the curb?

When you see a turtle in the road.....do you stop and pick it up - relocate it off the road?

When you are finished with your shopping cart....do you either return it to the store....or take it to the cart corral?

When a cyclist is on the road in front of you....do you hang back while opposing traffic clears before passing?

As a landscaper, I usually have a shovel in my truck. If I see road kill....especially fresh road kill....I will stop and move it off the road so the poor cadaver isn't repeatedly assaulted. If a dog or cat, I will bury it somewhere.

Yet a day doesn't go by that I don't witness acts of indifference by the general public in matters of community welfare.

Human beings......smh.....

Well, that's you. I would have taken out my phone and film the whole thing and post it somewhere for the world to see so I can get famous.

In green ofcourse

[stevej37]

Nice post Baz...esp #4
A lot of the divided highways around here have the barrier fence between the opposing lanes. It would be a lot worse sliding into those.
#2 happened to me this summer at a busy 4 way stop...guy ran out and relocated a turtle while at least 20 cars waited. No one honked and almost all waved to him.

[speeder]

Originally Posted by Baz

I tend to judge people by the way they take after community responsibilities.

When someone's garbage can has been blown over by wind and is lying in the road....do you stop and set it back up on the curb?

When you see a turtle in the road.....do you stop and pick it up - relocate it off the road?

When you are finished with your shopping cart....do you either return it to the store....or take it to the cart corral?

When a cyclist is on the road in front of you....do you hang back while opposing traffic clears before passing?

As a landscaper, I usually have a shovel in my truck. If I see road kill....especially fresh road kill....I will stop and move it off the road so the poor cadaver isn't repeatedly assaulted. If a dog or cat, I will bury it somewhere.

Yet a day doesn't go by that I don't witness acts of indifference by the general public in matters of community welfare.

Human beings......smh.....

Yes on all accounts.

[speeder]

Nice of you to help, HD. It was a little too late to help this (most likely) texting driver the other day. Right at my exit, so I had to get out and look.

Still wondering how she defeated the "Mansfield bar" on that trailer. The white thing in the firefighter's hands is one of those folded up disposable sheets for covering DBs.

[rattlsnak]

Did the truck stop.? Wonder if the knew what he caused? Or oblivious? Or did he know but keep going?

[onewhippedpuppy]

Good on you for stopping! I've witnessed a few minor accidents and stopped, mostly so the innocent party has a impartial witness. I've seen first hand how people try to lie their way out of an accident, more "people behaving badly" stories.

[HardDrive]

Originally Posted by rattlsnak

Did the truck stop.? Wonder if the knew what he caused? Or oblivious? Or did he know but keep going?

Truck did not stop, but I'm only reporting what she told me. The thing happened about 200 yards ahead of me. I was only snapped out of my morning drive stupor when I saw her spinning towards the exit sign. Who knows what actually happened. There was no evidence on the drivers side of making contact with another vehicle.