What would you have done?

Ronni

Ronni

Well-known Member
Location
Nashville TN
I was following an old guy in a gray Toyota off the freeway. He took forever to exit, creeping along, veering towards the center lane a bit too closely (IMHO) then at the bottom of the exit after the stop sign, he turned onto the street IN THE WRONG LANE!

The several coming towards him swerved to miss him, and he finally realized that he was in the wrong lane, so he moved back over. Then he put on his blinker to enter the off ramp!! Started to turn and then realized his mistake. He stopped dead, then suddenly sped up I guess because he decided to get back on the freeway going the opposite way from his original direction! I sent him good mojo and wanted to wrap him in virtual bubble wrap, both him, and the rest of the folks on the road with him! I was very afraid for him. The whole time, I was staying far enough away from him and the other cars so that if he'd caused an accident I wouldn't be involved and get hit from the fallout.

I got the clear sense that he was old when I was following him off the freeway, and then when I passed him after he decided to get onto the entrance ramp going the other way I got a better look and confirmed my original sense. He was gray haired, glasses, craggy face, hunched over the steering wheel. It occurred to me later that I should probably have gotten his license plate number and called the police with it, not to be nasty or vindictive, but purely out of concern for him and to keep him and others safe.

What would you have done?
 

"I should probably have gotten his license plate number and called the police with it, not to be nasty or vindictive, but purely out of concern for him and to keep him and others safe."

Yep.
 
A couple of years ago, I came upon a driver who was all over the road....and I saw a couple of near misses from people who tried to pass this clown. I stayed behind him and had the wife dial 911 on the cell phone, and stayed behind him, describing the location, etc., to the dispatcher. A few minutes later, a highway patrol came by with lights flashing, and gave me a wave, as he passed and pulled this joker over. This driver was either quite drunk, or more likely, playing with his cell phone....either way, I have NO sympathy for anyone exposing other drivers to a potentially deadly situation, and have no qualms about reporting them.
 
If I got a look at the license and could call the police I would. Everybody does anyway.

Sometimes I listen to the Fresno Police department scanner and people are always reporting fast or erratic driving. There is usually a police car nearby that takes the call.

Even if I don’t call...somebody would I’m sure.
 
Don, I had a similar experience on the interstate a few years ago. The 911 dispatcher asked me to stay behind the car. Shortly a marked cruiser came up behind me - no lights or siren. We followed the car off the next exit ramp and about a block later, when it nearly swerved off the 2-lane, the cop put on his lights and pulled the guy over. I got a call later that day thanking me. Apparently the offending driver was quite drunk.
 
I'd have called the police. He could have been drunk or otherwise impaired and he clearly needed help. He could have been an altzheimer's victim. We often hear silver alerts here.
 
I also have been in this situation, behind a crazy driver in the town streets, all over the roads. This was back before I had a cell phone. My house was nearby, so I called the police from my home with the license plate number.
 
PLEASE call 911 if you see someone driving erratically/dangerously!

Sunday, February 03, 2019
SAN FRANCISCO (KGO–TV)

A father from Concord is among the two people who died in a wrong-way crash involving several cars Sunday morning on Highway 101 in San Francisco. 40-year-old Waheed Etimad was killed when his minivan was struck head-on.

"We believe a car got on the wrong way on Vermont Ave., headed southbound in northbound lanes and collided with two cars, then went head on with another vehicle," CHP Officer Marcelo Garcia said. CHP says the wrong-way driver was also killed.

The accident scene was massive. It closed northbound 101 for several hours and sent nine people to the hospital.
 
The range of responses here is interesting, and all these various perspectives went through my head as I was thinking about what I did vs what I maybe should have done. "It's none of my business" vies with "I should be responsible and report this."

I don't think there's any "right" answer.
 

You must log in or register to reply here.

Back
Top