Good Samaritans On The Road

Good Samaritan, originally uploaded by Washington State Dept of Transportation.

As our lives get faster and faster, one thing we can easily forget is what another person feels when their car breaks down. How does it feel anyway?

Well it sucks, to be truthful.

When I was 17, my car blew a tire on the inside/fast lane of Interstate 5 going northbound through Seattle. I had a spare. I did not have the right lug wrench. I had no phone (it was 1981 for crying out loud). I had to go to the bathroom. I had to sit there for an hour before I could convince a State Trooper to loan me his tire iron ("Um...yeah, but you gotta give it back."). I never ever ever want to be in that situation again. So, given that experience, I'm particularly sensitive to the needs of other motorists when it's pretty clear they need help.

In 1993 that feeling of helplessness came back when I saw a Ford AeroSlug van stalled in a Seattle intersection. I parked the car, helped the lady push it to a parking spot, and then made a call to her friend to get more assistance. Which brings us to the photo above...

What you see in this picture is pure kindness. A gentleman gets out of his own car to help push this one out of the way of traffic and to a safe curbside parking spot. It's not that hard to be this guy; what he did probably took a couple minutes out of his schedule; it also provided safety for other drivers by moving a potential hazard out of the way of danger. Kudos to our buddy!

Who can be a Good Samaritan? Well when it comes to roadside breakdowns, there are a few ways anyone can help. If you observe a disable vehicle or something dangerous, the quickest way to get the right help is to call the police; in my area they say it's okay to call 911 to report road hazards, but you should check your own city to see if that is alright with them. Most of the time, police will ask for location, direction headed (north south etc), description of vehicle, and if they are on the right or left side of the road. If you feel comfortable helping, take the time to safely get out of your car and help someone get into a safer situation.

By helping another motorist, you could be saving a life by doing so. Seriously!