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

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: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.

Amendment - if there is too much traffic to get to the shoulder safely then stay in the car with your seatbelt on. Getting out to push your car in the traffic lane is like the worst possible combo of mistakes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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?

This happened when traffic was sort of slow and stopping and then picking up a little again and then pausing. It was not while everyone was going 100 on the highway.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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.

IDK PP. Just asking "are you okay" can be comforting in emergency. Be kind.

- NP

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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?

This happened when traffic was sort of slow and stopping and then picking up a little again and then pausing. It was not while everyone was going 100 on the highway.

You still should not have tried to push the car. That made it more unsafe for you and everyone else.

[Anonymous]

I despise people in this area. They also get angry when people in front of them stop for a pedestrian in the crosswalk, or yield to make a left turn (rather than risk getting t-boned). Then they sit and look at the phones at intersections sh&t posting about undocumented immigrants.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

IDK PP. Just asking "are you okay" can be comforting in emergency. Be kind.

- NP

What about choosing the bear?

[Anonymous]

By the time people got up to your car, they probably were in a major traffic jam for about 30 minutes, caused by you and your poor maintenance of your car. I've seen people stopped right in their lane on a highway and I have nothing but anger for them just coasting to a complete stop without getting over onto the shoulder. I feel for you that this happened but you are responsible for your car when you take it out on the road. That didn't just suddenly happen with no warning.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: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.

If it did, then you coast to the shoulder and get the F off the highway. You do know that, right?

[Anonymous]

Honestly, I’m black and I feel like stopping to help a white person is setting myself up for disaster. It is a lot safer for me to not help you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: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.

If it did, then you coast to the shoulder and get the F off the highway. You do know that, right?

If your car stops, good luck moving it, you smug d$&k.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: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.

If it did, then you coast to the shoulder and get the F off the highway. You do know that, right?

Assuming someone going at 80 didn’t slam me off the face of the earth first. You do know that, right?

[Anonymous]

White woman here. I still remember the very kind elderly black man who pulled up in an old pickup truck and wanted to make sure I was okay and safe.

He was raised to be kind to his fellow man and fellow women.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Honestly, I’m black and I feel like stopping to help a white person is setting myself up for disaster. It is a lot safer for me to not help you.

No, I think this you looking for a reason to not be a helpful person in life.

[Anonymous]

Where are you changing your oil, they should have noticed a leaking battery.

Don’t get out of the car, people aren’t paying attention

https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/national-international/ohio-driver-three-car-pileup-video/3736396/

Definitely call 9-1-1 as this could escalate.

Everyone has a phone now, so what can a stranger do by stopping? Being a pedestrian on a road is so dangerous in the best of times. Pushing your car to the side while hundreds of cars were passing it just not feasible or safe.

On top of that, what if your car was damaged while you were pushing it — the Good Samaritan takes on all this risk that you can claim you injured them, damaged their car, or even assaulted them. Your “car troubles” could be part of a scam, who’s to know. And they know you have a cell phone so can call for assistance any time; it’s not like the 70s.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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?

This happened when traffic was sort of slow and stopping and then picking up a little again and then pausing. It was not while everyone was going 100 on the highway.

You still should not have tried to push the car. That made it more unsafe for you and everyone else.

NP. Thanks. I was really puzzled why OP was moving her car. I have seen broken down cars but not people moving them on a busy street - that sounds nuts.