by Jack
It was just a fender bender, one driver rear ended another at low speed, both vehicles barely showed any damage. It happened at a stop light and traffic was heavy. Both drivers exited their vehicles to assess the damage and this caused traffic to start backing up. My son was right behind them when he maneuver around them on the right. He noticed one of the drivers standing between the two damaged cars, kneeling down, presumably to inspect the bumper damage! He immediately recognized the danger and yelled at the driver, “You’re standing in a kill zone…get out of there!” He quickly explained they better just get back in their vehicles and pull over to the next parking lot… they did and there they exchanged ID and insurance info.
My son, was an off duty police officer and it was a good thing he came along when he did because this minor accident could have become much worse.
You would be amazed how often drivers leave their cars sitting in the road because they think the cops want them too. Wrong…they’re blocking traffic, risking another accident and cops don’t want that! Cops don’t investigate fender benders – now if it was a drunk driver or a major injury, sure, but in most cases when its just minor damage its really more a civil matter.
You know … I’ll bet that the citizen does not appreciate being barked at … and complains. In fact, I’ll bet he already complained, and said complaint is the genesis of this post.
Am I right?
What’s wrong with: “Excuse me, sir, but maybe you should ….”
Libby…when its a matter of a split second and its life or death… you don’t say:
“Excuse me sir…Oh sir… excuse me…hello? Hellooo? Sir… I hate to bother you while you standing in between those wrecked cars in all this traffic, but do you realize tha…(tires skidding) screeeeeech…, then the sound of twisting metal…Ka-rash-splat, and a faint scream, ahhhgggg!
Oh, uh, well thats a mess…say, does anyone have a phone I could use to call a hearse for man cut in half? Oh, and would you have any Grey Poupon per chance? It’s tea time.
Then there’s, my method…. GET OUT OF THERE YOU IDIOT, YOU’RE ABOUT TO BE CUT IN HALF!!! MOVE IT….MOVE IT…NOW!!!
“… when its a matter of a split second ….”
In the situation you describe … that could only be if the cop himself was thinking of plowing into the guy.
Otherwise, such barking constitutes verbal abuse … and you shouldn’t ever wonder why cops are not fondly thought of.
No Libby, now you’re fishing. My son said the guy was in imminent danger and he was there, you were not.