This is why you dont help people...

[Cryozombie]

About 1am, my friend left my house last night and was driving home. He got out to the intersection of the two highways that cross thru the edge of my town, and there was a minvan alongside the road with its hood up and its emergency flashers on.

My friend pulled alongside them, dropped his passenger window and asked if they needed help, and the dude pulled a handgun and tried to stick it in the window.

My friend slammed on the accelerator and took off. The only thing I can say is thank go he didnt take his truck out of gear or worse, park and get out to help them...

He filed a report with the local cops, but said that they seemed disinterested when he told them he didnt get a licence plate.

 

[Lisa]

Glad to hear your friend is okay Techno. Makes one wonder what the heck the world is coming to when you can't even help out someone in distress.

 

[Vadim]

Glad to hear that your buddy is doing ok. It really irks me when criminals pull this type of ruse to unsuspecting people that are willing to help. Did the police not send a cruiser to check the area for this minivan? I am sure that is not the first time those criminals attempted to pull that type of stunt. I guess the lesson is always be aware of your surroundings.

-Vadim

 

[Ceicei]

Sigh....

It's getting harder to be a "good samaritan" since we can't always predict how things will go.

- Ceicei

 

[Bob Hubbard]

I don't stop ever. I call 911, gice as full detail as I can and trust that they will handle it. I am simply not equiped for lifesaving, car repair etc.

It's cold, but unfortunately the only way to protect my butt.

 

[Feisty Mouse]

That makes me so...mad? depressed? resigned to a crappy world? When people who are trying to help others are targeted - that one person's kindness marks them as a target.


:angry:

 

[Cryozombie]

Did the police not send a cruiser to check the area for this minivan?

-Vadim

I would assume they did... they didnt say.

 

[Cruentus]

Glad to hear that your friend was O.K..

You definatily have to err on the side of caution now a days...it sound like your friend did, and that is why he survived.

Paul

 

[Sarah]

My God John...your friend must be a bit shaken up!

So sad things like that happen, makes me glad to be in New Zealand!

 

[Raewyn]

That sucks.................... as in really sucks................. no wonder people are out for themselves............. makes you wonder really why we have kids!!!!!! Who wants to bring them up in this kind of a world!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[chinto01]

And people wonder why nobody stops to help anymore. Glad to hear your friend is ok. This is why I never stop.

 

[Flatlander]

We caqn only hope that one day, karma bites that guy in the ***, in a particularly nasty bitey way.

 

[Deuce]

That's a crazy story. I have often stopped to give people a helping hand, and never thought twice about my safety. I guess that's the benifit of living in a small community, about 10,000. That's not to say that it still couldn't happen though.

 

[Drac]

Glad to hear your buddys ok..A friend of mine once stopped to help someone with a flat tire and when he was distracted they hit him with a 2x4 ..He took the blow on the shoulder but still manged to kick a little butt and they fled..So who did the cop pull over and question?? My friend!!

 

[loki09789]

I don't stop ever. I call 911, gice as full detail as I can and trust that they will handle it. I am simply not equiped for lifesaving, car repair etc.

It's cold, but unfortunately the only way to protect my butt.

Straight from the "Gift of Fear" ideology. It isn't cold IMO, Bob, just not as 'personal.' And, in a way, it negates any accusation that you were doing it for 'praise' because you didn't even stick around for the "Thank you SOOOO MUCH" so you feel good. Did the right thing and went on your way.

I stopped when I was in High School one late night. Same idea but the guy walking toward me was carrying a tire iron. I simply backed up and got out of there as I was saying "Well, I can see that you have more than enough help here" because there were at least 4 people crawling around the car....

Now I do the same thing. Call it in and hope they are okay.

 

[Gin-Gin]

Glad to hear that your friend was OK...
You definitely have to err on the side of caution nowadays...it sounds like your friend did, and that is why he survived.
Paul

Very true (unfortunately)....

 

[clapping_tiger]

Wow, crazy story. You always hear of stuff like this. Which is why I no longer stop anymore either, except for car accidents. But someone just pulled over on the side of the road I don't. I figure that with so many people with cell phones now, if they were in trouble chances are they have already called someone.

 

[Rich Parsons]

My God John...your friend must be a bit shaken up!

So sad things like that happen, makes me glad to be in New Zealand!

John,

Glad you friend was ok.


Sarah,

I was in NZ and I was filling up the Suzuki SideKick we rented, and I asked a local about picking up hitch-hikers going up the hill to ski. She never looked at me and said "You can pick them up and give them a ride", and then she turned to put the nozzle back and looked at me and said, "You just can't KILL them!" She jumped into her vehicle and drove off without paying for her gas. This of course made the guy with me laugh his rear end off. I asked about her reaction, and I guess a few years before that, and it has been a few years now, there was a guy who would pick up hitch hikers and take them back to his place and kill them. He had their back packs in his garage. And this is the only major horrible story they had in NZ.


When, I was a child, I was traveling with my mother and brother to visit grandparents. My mother pulled off the high way to change a flat tire. I asked her why she did not call for help on the CB, she replied that she had heard just in the last half hour of people coming to help and hurting people in the local area. So, as she was trying to change the tire of the 1970 full size pick up, a guy and his girlfriend stopped to help. I got out of the truck to stand back on the side to watch. I wanted to be sure it was OK. ** all of 6 years old ** Later in life I have stopped numerous times to help people out, usually when I see women with kids or two women, or a woman alone. Indlucing the South Side of LA on the E-way, we stopped and helped a woman and her Cadilliac to change her tire. She tried to pay us, and I left the money in her ash tray. I also have helped people on the local highways in my state, when I saw people in need. I had to jump a fence and borrow a water can and some water from a house to fill a ladies radiator, and I even gave her some oil I had in the car. She was so frustrated, for she wanted to pay and only had a couple of dollars. I told her to stop and get more oil at the next station and that way she could get her child back to his father, without being in trouble for being late.

When it is lighted and clear and you can see easier the whole situation it is best. When not, you need to be prepared for anything.


Peace all
:asian:

 

[jfarnsworth]

I agree brother Rich. Help only if it is light enough to see who is around the scene before you stop and get out. I very rarely ever stop to help someone in need and that's a shame anymore. Just because I have too many dependents to risk my own self if someone is up to no good.

 

[shesulsa]

John, wow. I've heard of this before. It sucks that being a good samaritan can be deadly.

Since I usually drive alone or with little one in car, I have AAA (go ahead and call me a wimp if y'all want to, I don't care) and if I'm in the boonies or it's dark, I will ask them to send a trooper out as well if I'm stuck.

Stay safe.