Would you stop?

[Darrin]

I stop just about every time I see someone with that well known dejected look standing around a stopped vehicle.

Once was a family on vacation and their truck had blown a freeze plug. I managed to tow them (and the in-bed camper, and the 22 foot boat on the trailer) to the nearest station so they could get it fixed. This was in my little 1.8L 4 cylinder Chevy Luv, btw.

Another time I stopped and it was a family moving from Louisiana to this area after Katrina. Their rear tyre had blown out, so they put the spare on. Made it to within 5 miles of a repair shop when the spare blew out too. Loaded the family (and the dog) in my little Toyota Tercel and got them to their friend's house and he took it from there.


I've also stopped on numerous occasions to help people that were stuck due to inclement weather. Last winter I towed a poor girl out of the ditch after she'd done a lazy 360 on the black ice after coming across the train tracks. She was a pretty little thing, but alas I'm married.....


Mind you, I do have the added advantage of military security training to review a situation before getting into it. If I have the slightest odd feeling in my gut, I stop and ask if there's anyone I can call for them. But I won't get out of my car in those cases.