RANT: Woman Broke Down in the Middle of California Ave, and You HONK at Her?

[lifelover]

I NEVER write these but am compelled to based off what I experienced yesterday in West Seattle. On May 31, 2017, aprox 10:30-40am, I was driving down the hill on California towards Caffe Ladro. As I approached the front of Ladro, I was stopped behind a line of about 5-6 cars that were waiting on the red pedestrian light. The light turned green and no one moved. Pretty soon the first couple of cars drive around something and honk their horns.

As I got closer to the light, I noticed a car in the middle of the road with its hazard lights on. People continued to drive around the car and honk. I pulled up beside the car and looked in. Clear as day, I saw an elderly woman in the car looking frightened. I pulled over to the side of the road and got out of my car. As I was walking towards her car, more people are driving around her, stepping on their gas, revving engines, as if this was TOTALLY ruining their day.

I approached the front of the car just as a “gentleman” drives around her, GLARES at her, and speeds off. I could not believe what I was seeing. There was no mistake, this was a an elderly woman in a broke down car with her hazard lights on. Too scared to leave the car (I don’t blame her) because of how people were reacting towards her being in the middle of the road. I was appalled.

I went to the driver side window and she was clearly upset. Her car died and would just not turn over. I told her I would help her but we needed to get the car out of the road. At that time a large truck pulled up behind and an Asian man with broken English asked if he could help push her out of the road. His truck was large, not many people could fit around it. In the time it took he and I to push the car out of the road, NO ONE who was stopped by this, offered to help. No one.

Once the car was safe, I waved to the man and yelled “thank you”as he sped away. When I leaned in to talk to the woman, she had tears in her eyes. She asked me my name and we touched hands. I told her I was so sorry by how everyone treated her she said “I am not surprised, that is the world we live in”. It literally broke my heart.

My hope is that ANYONE who drove by her yesterday, and either: honked, flipped her off, yelled at her, stepped on your gas, revved your engine or looked the other way – reads this post. You should all be ashamed of yourselves. There are absolutely no excuses for your actions. I saw many of you, I made eye contact with a few of you as you sped away. I hope you feel a bit of shame. I am embarrassed for you.

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[blbl]

This disgusts me. Thank you for stopping & helping, but it’s kind of crazy when someone who simply helps push a car to the side of the road is a hero compared to the majority of people. I have witnessed too many similar incidents. I, myself, was bicycling to school in a hard rain in Salem, Oregon one day when I braked to stop for a line of traffic waiting for a train. My tire hit the curb and I crashed on the sidewalk. Every one of my very expensive books flew out of my backpack and scattered all over the road. I was bleeding, and I immediately burst into tears. I looked up to see at least six drivers watching me as they waited on their train less than ten feet away. Not one even rolled down its window to see if I was ok. I still hate Salem.

• This reply was modified 6 years, 10 months ago by blbl.

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[JanS]

the lack of compassion, and kindness in the world today is astounding. A few years ago I twisted my ankle and fell at the intersection of Admiral Way and 42nd by the SW gas station. I had just had surgery on my arm and could not get up by myself. A woman literally walked by me, no more than 2 feet away, averted her eyes, and kept on going. Didn’t even acknowledge that I existed. Someone in their car at the light, got out, came over and assisted me. So, lifelover, thank you…you did good. Continue to love life, for yourself, and those around you :D

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[AJP]

Something in the air? I was going 30 (the speed limit) on 16th Ave, and someone passed me on that two-lane road. Yesterday I watched a mom and kid start to cross the street at a marked, lighted crosswalk, while THREE cars zoomed past in the opposite lane. A few years ago in Georgetown I was in a similar situation as above, a woman in a car with her hazards on, people honking at her. I pulled over and got out, and with my six-months pregnant self, helped push her to the side of the road (a young man stopped and helped when we were about half-way there). What is it with people?

Lifelover, thank you for helping her and staying with her.

Side note to blbl: I spent some years in Salem. My brother still lives there and every time he tried to bike to work down Lancaster people threw bottles at him, yelled at him to get off the road, off the sidewalk, out of the crosswalk, spit, swore, etc. There’s a reason I moved away. I still hate Salem too.

• This reply was modified 6 years, 10 months ago by AJP.

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[JTB]

It seems to me that if a driver wants to pass a vehicle stalled at a crosswalk, the prudent thing to do is signal, honk, and pass by quickly to avoid obstructing oncoming traffic.

It reads as if you stopped along side the stalled vehicle and determined the driver was in some distress and then decided to lend a hand. It’s par for the course, that a number of drivers will pass by an incident before someone comes along who is willing to take the time to help out. That’s human nature. The Good Samaritan story isn’t exactly a recent observation about how people behave.

It’s good to remember that it’s very dangerous to get in the street or road on foot around a stalled vehicle that disrupts the normal traffic pattern.

One could get worn down by taking offense at the inconsiderate, angry, and dangerous behavior of other drivers.

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[WSB]

But when we stop calling this sort of thing out as aberrant .. the bad-behavers win.

To threadjack briefly, I have to cross California SW (aka Barton) between Fauntleroy Church and the Hall at Fauntleroy a couple times a month to cover an event. It’s not a wide street. I’m clearly visible standing at the MARKED crosswalk. Yet people don’t stop. So I have had to resort to WAVING FURIOUSLY AND POINTING as people approach, along with yelling CROSSWALK! I probably look and sound like a crazy woman. But really.

Thank you, OP, for this post, and your kindness. (That’s at the bottom of our hill, though we apparently missed this situation, and we pass through there probably six times a day.) – Tracy

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[Vanessa]

Shame on those impatient people! Thank you for helping the Elder woman.
Thank goodness for YOU!

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[kgraham]

So sweet of you to help this lady!

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[Author]

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