Got stuck at a red light and I can’t believe how mean people have become

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My car literally died at a red light. Apparently my car battery is leaking acid/died prematurely and a new one was needed. It wasn’t getting charged while driving. I didn’t know this when I left the house. I tried putting the car in neutral and pushing it to the shoulder but couldn’t physically do it. I’m a 5’2” woman and I weight 120 pounds. I simply couldn’t push it myself and steer the car safely. People whizzed by me honking and screaming. Clearly I am not sitting here and trying to push this car by myself for no reason. One guy yelled at me “this ain’t a parking lot, you can’t park there”. Seriously? I got very lucky and a firetruck with 3 firefighters passed by and helped me push the car to the shoulder and held traffic for me. I had to wait 90 minutes for a tow truck and only 2 people stopped to ask if I needed help. I understand I am owed nothing but I can’t believe how I was treated. I feel like this is just a greater trend of people becoming ruder and community disappearing.

That sucks. Good no one was hurt.

To get more empathy, need to change the fabric of thinking. People on this board and out there in real life think "it's none of anyone's business, keep walking away, why is their issue your problem..." That sort of mindset has always been in the great US of A. It also exists among other humans not just Americans, unfortunately.

[Anonymous]

I am sorry, and agree. Something similar happened to me. Minus anyone helping.

One thing I know now that I did not before. You can call the police on a non emergency number and they will come and set up flares around your car. That keeps you and others safe.

[Anonymous]

I also had a car break down at a light. It was mortifying! But it was in a small town in rural America and people were super kind.

After that experience I am so empathetic anytime I see someone with a broke down car at a light.

[Anonymous]

A tree once fell on my car while I was driving with my then-baby inside on a neighborhood street and trapped it underneath, blocking a lane of traffic. I was able to get us both out but then stood on the sidewalk for a long time waiting for AAA and police because it was a windy day with lots of branches down.

More than 10 people walked by either on exercise walks or dog walks and no one even made eye contact let alone asked if I was ok or needed help. This was in a busy, upscale urban neighborhood!

[Anonymous]

Yep.
Something was going on with my battery last winter. I had one strange start, and I thought, I should take it to the battery store to see if they’ll read it.
I had to drive home/to the store though.
I pulled up at a light, still in drive, but with brakes on. The battery switched off. I could tell because the radio turned off and on.

The car wouldn’t restart. Thank goodness I was in a turn lane, fairly unbusy pocket lane but on an otherwise big highway.

Within 4 seconds, I put on my hazards. The light turned green. I wasn’t the first car, I was maybe the third… couldn’t move.

The guy behind me honked .. laid on it. Then very rudely worked around me and looked mean at me.

**Did he not see the hazards!??* Despite the electrical problem, I could see they were working.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A tree once fell on my car while I was driving with my then-baby inside on a neighborhood street and trapped it underneath, blocking a lane of traffic. I was able to get us both out but then stood on the sidewalk for a long time waiting for AAA and police because it was a windy day with lots of branches down.

More than 10 people walked by either on exercise walks or dog walks and no one even made eye contact let alone asked if I was ok or needed help. This was in a busy, upscale urban neighborhood!

And exactly how can a stranger passing by help you in this situation? It was obvious you and your child were fine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am sorry, and agree. Something similar happened to me. Minus anyone helping.

One thing I know now that I did not before. You can call the police on a non emergency number and they will come and set up flares around your car. That keeps you and others safe.

I carry flares and a fire extinguisher.

[Anonymous]

You need an emergency kit. You should have put flares up if your hazard lights didn’t work.

[Anonymous]

Happened to me once, and I had the same response. It was horrible. Honking, yelling, a guy even got out and started banging on my window. I couldn't get out of the car because not one car would let me- kept whizzing by- would've actually killed me probably.
I was saved by 2 brothers who owned a gas station pretty much at the intersection- someone may have told one there was a stalled car. They walked up to me, helped me get out of the car, yelled at the honking cars, threw a couple of gestures at a few and got me to the sidewalk. Then they, together, rolled my car to their station. I got a ride to work and they said they would look at my car. After work I came back to find they had done a simple repair, an electrical thing. My car was getting on in age, never happened again though. No charge. I kept offering- especially for the help. No charge.

A year later this gas station was held up in a robbery and one of those brothers was shot and killed. I was gutted. Nicest guy ever. I contributed to a Go Fund Me for his family, but what a terrible loss. I think about him every time I drive by that area.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Happened to me once, and I had the same response. It was horrible. Honking, yelling, a guy even got out and started banging on my window. I couldn't get out of the car because not one car would let me- kept whizzing by- would've actually killed me probably.
I was saved by 2 brothers who owned a gas station pretty much at the intersection- someone may have told one there was a stalled car. They walked up to me, helped me get out of the car, yelled at the honking cars, threw a couple of gestures at a few and got me to the sidewalk. Then they, together, rolled my car to their station. I got a ride to work and they said they would look at my car. After work I came back to find they had done a simple repair, an electrical thing. My car was getting on in age, never happened again though. No charge. I kept offering- especially for the help. No charge.

A year later this gas station was held up in a robbery and one of those brothers was shot and killed. I was gutted. Nicest guy ever. I contributed to a Go Fund Me for his family, but what a terrible loss. I think about him every time I drive by that area.

Oh my this made me cry.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My car literally died at a red light. Apparently my car battery is leaking acid/died prematurely and a new one was needed. It wasn’t getting charged while driving. I didn’t know this when I left the house. I tried putting the car in neutral and pushing it to the shoulder but couldn’t physically do it. I’m a 5’2” woman and I weight 120 pounds. I simply couldn’t push it myself and steer the car safely. People whizzed by me honking and screaming. Clearly I am not sitting here and trying to push this car by myself for no reason. One guy yelled at me “this ain’t a parking lot, you can’t park there”. Seriously? I got very lucky and a firetruck with 3 firefighters passed by and helped me push the car to the shoulder and held traffic for me. I had to wait 90 minutes for a tow truck and only 2 people stopped to ask if I needed help. I understand I am owed nothing but I can’t believe how I was treated. I feel like this is just a greater trend of people becoming ruder and community disappearing.

AAAaaaawww I'm sorry 10 years ago in that area. The same thing happened, my car broke down near the Potomac on the highway. I just sat in my car in shock not knowing what to do. A man jumped out and smiled and told me to put it in Neutral. I did that and he pushed my car to the side of the grass and within 2 mins a really nice female police officer drove up behind me and told me that she received multiple calls that people were worried about me. While I waited for the tow truck she said she would swoop back in a few minutes to make sure I was safe and on my way. I was really young and naive and looking back thankful for these turn of events!! Times have changed!! However, later when having kids and getting older I had rude people left and right and other experiences that left a bad taste in my mouth.

[Anonymous]

If this happens to you your only goal is to keep yourself safe and act responsibly. You should not have been trying to push your car in traffic - that was very unsafe for you. You should have put on hazards, carefully gotten out and walked to median, and waited BEHIND guardrail, and called 911. people stopping for you only would have compounded the risk for them and for others.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My car literally died at a red light. Apparently my car battery is leaking acid/died prematurely and a new one was needed. It wasn’t getting charged while driving. I didn’t know this when I left the house. I tried putting the car in neutral and pushing it to the shoulder but couldn’t physically do it. I’m a 5’2” woman and I weight 120 pounds. I simply couldn’t push it myself and steer the car safely. People whizzed by me honking and screaming. Clearly I am not sitting here and trying to push this car by myself for no reason. One guy yelled at me “this ain’t a parking lot, you can’t park there”. Seriously? I got very lucky and a firetruck with 3 firefighters passed by and helped me push the car to the shoulder and held traffic for me. I had to wait 90 minutes for a tow truck and only 2 people stopped to ask if I needed help. I understand I am owed nothing but I can’t believe how I was treated. I feel like this is just a greater trend of people becoming ruder and community disappearing.

AAAaaaawww I'm sorry 10 years ago in that area. The same thing happened, my car broke down near the Potomac on the highway. I just sat in my car in shock not knowing what to do. A man jumped out and smiled and told me to put it in Neutral. I did that and he pushed my car to the side of the grass and within 2 mins a really nice female police officer drove up behind me and told me that she received multiple calls that people were worried about me. While I waited for the tow truck she said she would swoop back in a few minutes to make sure I was safe and on my way. I was really young and naive and looking back thankful for these turn of events!! Times have changed!! However, later when having kids and getting older I had rude people left and right and other experiences that left a bad taste in my mouth.

I mean how did you know you didn’t need to get out of your car to safety? Don’t they teach this in drivers ed?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am sorry, and agree. Something similar happened to me. Minus anyone helping.

One thing I know now that I did not before. You can call the police on a non emergency number and they will come and set up flares around your car. That keeps you and others safe.

It’s an emergency - you can call 911.

[Anonymous]

My car died on 16th street during evening rush hour when the alternator went kaput. I put on the hazards, called for a tow truck and then got out and waited at the nearby bus stop for the truck to show up. Yes, it caused a traffic situation for the 30 minutes it took for the tow truck to arrive but I don’t know what anyone else could have done to help. I’m just glad it didn’t happen in the middle of the highway.