With our recent car troubles, I’d like to thank all those marvelously decent British motorists and passers-by who asked if we needed help. Not that there was much anyone could do, especially those out walking their dogs, but we do appreciate the kindness and thought that came with the questions. And special thanks to the gentleman who came out of his house (in front of which we had parked once) and offered his tools. Sorry, we didn’t catch your name. Not only did you help us on our way, you provided some temporary entertainment.[ad#ad-1]
When our car breaks down, I like to turn away and pretend everything’s OK. I’d stare out at the grass, or whatever, to take my mind off the problem. I have to say that I have been pleasantly surprised by the number of cars that stopped to make sure we were OK and the walkers who asked if we needed help. In the US, you’d have to wait for a cop, making his rounds, to stop and help. Sometimes, truck drivers will stop or call for help for you.
Of course, things are different in the US. You never know who might stop and hurt you. You never know if you might get hurt trying to help. So, it usually does fall to the policeman’s lot to check on you. And, over there, you have cops and troopers driving around everywhere. You don’t see a lot of cops on the roads here, unless they are responding to a call. (Oh, yes, in Florida once, we had a ranger stop and help us out, just minutes after we had hung up with the AAA. At first, we thought it was the AAA, but then we realised it wasn’t. They have rangers patrolling the highways down there and they offer basic motorist services. He gave us some gas and sent us on our way to the next service station. If we had known we wouldn’t have had to call the AAA.)
We are members of the RAC, but it would not have been worth the call unless we needed them to tow us. They have been helpful when we’ve called, and they are much better than the US AAA. For now, we are just holding on until our parts come in.
I am glad but not suprised to read about your good experience with those helpfull people but I would like to tell you about something that happened to me about one year ago.
To set the scene it was dusk on a Sunday night and I was travelling down a country lane that led on to a dual-carridgeway. As I approached the T junction I noticed there had been an accident that had just happened. There was a smashed car on one side of the carridgeway and another car half sitting on top of a four foot hedge on the far side of the road.
By now two other cars had stopped to help. We checked the cars and thankfully everyone was Ok but shook up.
The smashed car had a mother and three kids in it so we got them to safety and decided to push the car to the side of the road out of harms way.
As the three of us are pushing this damaged car with flat tyres and broken stearing another car comes screaming down the counrty lane and stops at the junction.The window is wound down and these are the exact words the man inside said.
” I’m a police officer, you ought to move that vehicle before there is an accident”
Before we could say anything he had wound up his window and shot off.
I think he was chosen to be a Policeman for his observational skills.
That’s terrible. The American cop would most likely stop, even if just to give a ticket.
Yank’s last blog post.Helpful motorists in time of need