What would you have done?

[Micki]

I think that might be a key point... women might keep going based on fear for their safety where a male might be more inclined to stop.

Well, yeah, a man seeing a woman in distress is when the "knight in shining armour" thing kicks in, but they'll take your car too if that's what they want.
And I do have mixed feelings about this incident, thinking what if she really did need my or anybody else's help.

 

[clevalley]

Well, yeah, a man seeing a woman in distress is when the "knight in shining armour" thing kicks in, but they'll take your car too if that's what they want.
And I do have mixed feelings about this incident, thinking what if she really did need my or anybody else's help.

Not sure so much about night in shining armor, but more of like what Dork said - men believe they can handle their own situation. It also boils down to the individual.

But you are right - it is a risky situation as you never know...

 

[kris31280]

Not sure so much about night in shining armor, but more of like what Dork said - men believe they can handle their own situation. It also boils down to the individual.

But you are right - it is a risky situation as you never know...

I'm female, and I would've stopped. I'd have dialed 911 on my cell phone before I rolled down the window part way, and I'd never have taken the car out of gear just in case it was necessary to put the pedal to the metal... but I don't think I could live with myself if I just sped past and potentially had condemned someone to their death simply because I let fear rule my decisions.

 

[LexiGirl75]

I'm 50/50 on this...

Micki,

Don't let anyone else convince you that what you did was right or wrong. You made the decision that you felt was right at the time. Whatever that woman had going on had nothing to do with you and it was your CHOICE to become a part of it OR not.

I would have drove past then slowed down, watched a bit with my windows opened, probably called 911 but kept a distance from her unless she said something that truly made me feel the need to put my life (and my children's as their mother) in her harm's way. When I look at my children I know that I've done the right thing for them as well as myself. At the end of the day my duty to them is all that matters. Heroes usually aren't here to tell the story. I've never aspired to be a hero.

I use to see cars broken down all the time on the way home, it would be a man and I would not stop (I know this is different) but I would say a prayer that they would make it home safely somehow. I don't find it hard to seperate myself. Don't know if that's a bad thing or not. It's my thing though...

 

[LexiGirl75]

And another thing, police don't expect citizens to put their lives at risk. Instinct exists for a reason. It's failure rate is remarkably low.

 

[Tigerlily]

It would depend on what part of Hermanville you were on. If was around the bend by the trailer court my obvious answer would be to speed up an let the chip fall where it may. If it were at either of the two ends of the road though, I would have to stop and offer assistence. Were you at R.C's?

 

[Sindy]

The same thing happened to me in 1995, 11:30pm or so, around the curves/trailers. There's the little white house across the road with bushes in front. A woman, (I think) jumped out waving her arms. It was dark, and I was by myself. I went home (about 3 miles away) and called the police. I never heard back from them or read anything in the newspaper about it. Your experience sounds EXACTLY like mine. To this day I don't know for sure if was a woman or not, or if anyone actually needed help or was up to something else.

 

[ANG]

This past Thursday night I drove through Hermanville Road in Lexington Park about 8:20 at night. There is a stretch of woods on both sides, very dark and no houses.
A woman (I think) in dark clothing jumps into the road almost into my car, waving her arms furiously trying to make me stop. I didn't. I kept on driving and called a friend that lives on that road. By the time he got there it was all quiet as usual. I also called a couple scanner people - nothing!
Has anything like that happened to you all or what would you have done?

I drove down all the way down Hermanville Rd on Thursday as well, at like 8:30ish. I didn't see anything. since I was alone I probably would have called 911. I would have thought the woman was in serious trouble or crazy.

 

[mainman]

When I was growing up, I knew of people around the neighborhood that would perpetrate acts such as this and acts similar in nature to get unsuspecting good samaritan type citizens to pull over to aid them, only to be robbed by a group of thugs.... Not saying this was the case here...but, ya never know

 

[vraiblonde]

what would you have done?

I would like to say I'd stop and think, then do something safe. But in reality I would instinctively stop the car, jump out and go, "What's wrong? Are you okay?"



So what you did was better than what I would do.

 

[Baja28]

I'm female, and I would've stopped. I'd have dialed 911 on my cell phone before I rolled down the window part way, and I'd never have taken the car out of gear just in case it was necessary to put the pedal to the metal... but I don't think I could live with myself if I just sped past and potentially had condemned someone to their death simply because I let fear rule my decisions.

You're just such a Billy Bad Ass you are. I hope I'm like you when I grow up.

 

[Micki]

I would like to say I'd stop and think, then do something safe. But in reality I would instinctively stop the car, jump out and go, "What's wrong? Are you okay?"



So what you did was better than what I would do.

During bright day light and houses around that would be my instinct too. But that area with woods on both sides is very, very dark. Afterwards I thought everybody has a cell phone or she could have walked a little further to a house instead of scaring drivers.

 

[kris31280]

You're just such a Billy Bad Ass you are. I hope I'm like you when I grow up.

Of all the other comments in the thread, you choose mine to roll your eyes at...

Wow... you don't have an axe to grind with me whatsoever I mean, it's very obvious that your comments are both impartial and a simple reaction because you just dislike what was being said

Micki asked what people would do. My answer is the honest truth and it has nothing to do with me being a bad ass or any other silly thing you want to come up with.

I have given strangers rides many times before, because I would hope that if I needed a ride for whatever reason and had to rely on a stranger I'd be able to get one.

Now I realize that concept may be foreign around these parts, because people are more suspicious and less eager to help. I was warned of that before I ever moved here, and I've seen it put in play since I moved here (for example, about 2 months after I moved here my mom's car got a flat tire. We pulled over to change it, about 20 cars passed, no one stopped, no one even slowed down to see if we needed help... they just kept on going. In MN, if a car is stopped on the side of the road and occupied, usually within 5 cars someone has stopped to see if they can help.)

So continue on to your flaming of me... it's become amusing at best.

 

[toppick08]

Of all the other comments in the thread, you choose mine to roll your eyes at...

Wow... you don't have an axe to grind with me whatsoever I mean, it's very obvious that your comments are both impartial and a simple reaction because you just dislike what was being said

Micki asked what people would do. My answer is the honest truth and it has nothing to do with me being a bad ass or any other silly thing you want to come up with.

I have given strangers rides many times before, because I would hope that if I needed a ride for whatever reason and had to rely on a stranger I'd be able to get one.

Now I realize that concept may be foreign around these parts, because people are more suspicious and less eager to help. I was warned of that before I ever moved here, and I've seen it put in play since I moved here (for example, about 2 months after I moved here my mom's car got a flat tire. We pulled over to change it, about 20 cars passed, no one stopped, no one even slowed down to see if we needed help... they just kept on going. In MN, if a car is stopped on the side of the road and occupied, usually within 5 cars someone has stopped to see if they can help.)

So continue on to your flaming of me... it's become amusing at best.

 

[jetmonkey]

This past Thursday night I drove through Hermanville Road in Lexington Park about 8:20 at night. There is a stretch of woods on both sides, very dark and no houses.
A woman (I think) in dark clothing jumps into the road almost into my car, waving her arms furiously trying to make me stop. I didn't. I kept on driving and called a friend that lives on that road. By the time he got there it was all quiet as usual. I also called a couple scanner people - nothing!
Has anything like that happened to you all or what would you have done?

The spider just caught a fly. Bring out the gimp.

 

[kris31280]

I was told before I moved out here by several people that it was, and my experience so far says it is.

I can give you no basis more reliable than my own meandering experience.

 

[toppick08]

I was told before I moved out here by several people that it was, and my experience so far says it is.

I can give you no basis more reliable than my own meandering experience.

It has changed here soooooooooooo much, but there are still good souls around.....

 

[dems4me]

I definately would have stopped, and if she needed a ride somewhere I might have had to go on gut feeling on that. I hate to say it but it was a female, I'd like to think I can hold my own Maybe I've been watching too many episodes of BadGirls - "pop off!"

 

[desertrat]

I'm 50/50 on this...

Micki,

Don't let anyone else convince you that what you did was right or wrong. You made the decision that you felt was right at the time. Whatever that woman had going on had nothing to do with you and it was your CHOICE to become a part of it OR not.

I would have drove past then slowed down, watched a bit with my windows opened, probably called 911 but kept a distance from her unless she said something that truly made me feel the need to put my life (and my children's as their mother) in her harm's way. When I look at my children I know that I've done the right thing for them as well as myself. At the end of the day my duty to them is all that matters. Heroes usually aren't here to tell the story. I've never aspired to be a hero.

I use to see cars broken down all the time on the way home, it would be a man and I would not stop (I know this is different) but I would say a prayer that they would make it home safely somehow. I don't find it hard to seperate myself. Don't know if that's a bad thing or not. It's my thing though...

I think you have the right idea. Drive past, turn around and get your lights on her. Yell out the window that you are calling for help and not to approach the car. Keep watching all around the car as you are doing this and keep your distance from her, say about 30 yds. Call 911. If you see anything you don't like it's time to get out of there.

 

[ccrc1]

Mikki, I will give you the answer from the law enforcement perspective. No, absolutely don't stop by yourself if you don't feel safe, you have no idea what you are about to get yourself into. That being said, I shook my head when I read your original post. You called a friend on that road, you called several "scanner friends" so I know you had a cell phone that was working. It seems you called everybody except the folks who could actually investigate and intervene if a problem actually existed.
Why would you not call the police FIRST!
One of two things are happening at that situation. First, the woman is in real trouble. Two, someone is acting stupid and their actions constitute a crime. Jumping in front of a moving car on a dark road claiming to be in trouble to scare or alarm the operator certainly constitutes at least a disorderly conduct arrest.
There is no need for you to be afraid to call the police, you are not bothering us. We want you to call in with suspicious activity. If we investigate and find nothing, theres no harm done. You also may be a witness to a crime not yet reported, discovered or released to the public. Not all crimes reported are dispatched over police radio's, especially those involving sex crimes. Even though some time has passed since this happened, I would still report the event to the county sheriff's office where it occured.
Mikki, I would be happy to answer any questions you have but, I will not engage in debate. This is a very anti-police site and I will not be drug into that nonsense.