Stranded on the road? Would you give them a ride?

[rjl78]

I love it when people call 911 to report someone stranded... Are these people really stranded or making a phone call? Is there a problem or not? Of have these people already called for help? You who don't stop but feel compelled to call 911 annoy me... You can't answer these questions I pose to you when you call. Kinda hard to tell as you pass by at 75 MPH...

Oh and I really love it when someone calls 911 cause they have ran out of gas... I will gladly line you up with a wrecker to deliver you some fuel...

Poor planning you your part doesn't always constitute an emergency on my part. You stop and they need help and you can tell what sort of help they need no problem more than happy to help.

People are concerned enough to call but not to stop and see what the real issue is...

End of my rant.

[Huckleberry3911948]

almost got myself killed doing that. never again.

[Jammie]

Originally Posted by Huckleberry3911948

almost got myself killed doing that. never again.

Oh my!!! What happened?

[SDHomesteader]

Well we live up here in "The Dead Zone" I guess they call it now according to them damn cell phone commercials. Not very many spots up here in NE harding county (buffalo SD) where the worthless things even get a single lousy bar on em. We have learned to spot the stranded rancher versus the joe schmo stranded on the highway. If I am in the car (ex military and can handle myself pretty well) we will stop, if the wife is alone in the car, I've asked her not too unless she can visibly identify the person as a stranded rancher up here. She works at the gas station so we know just about every one that lives up here by sight.

I've even been picked up once up here, THANK THE HEAVENS. I had just bought a 69 Ford Livestock truck, and boom the rear end goes to hell after 80 miles of me driving it (thankfully we found a rear end for it for 400 and the guy I was making the payments too took that 400 off the final price of the truck) and the nearest phone to use was 10 miles away. It was a rodeo weekend up here and thankfully someone stopped and gave us a ride that 10 miles. My dad was with me at the time too and him being 65, that would have been one long ass walk. I'm sure we could have done it since we both are ex military but I'm also sure we would have just been pooped to all hell and back when we got here. Coming up Highway 85 From belle fourche to hear, once you past the Camp Crook Road Turn off there isn't another house for 35 miles or so (actually its a Gas station) and once you hit that gas station its another 22 miles or so to buffalo. That can get very tiring or a very lonely scary walk. Especially with some of the wildlife up here (had 2 big cat spottings up here last week not even a mile out of town up here, not sure if its 2 seperate Big Cats or the same cat).

So yeah, we may stop if I am in the car, but Heck no if wife is alone in car. I may think twice though also if I am in car with just my son too (9 yrs old), since he could make a very effective hostage per se.

[MJ1986]

rjl78, You must work for the 911 dispatch? I agree, people call 911 for the stupidest reasons.
Like that guy (I think in Florida) who called 911 to report that his sandwich from Subway wasn't "made to his specifications"! Unbelievable.

[SDHomesteader]

Originally Posted by MJ1986

rjl78, You must work for the 911 dispatch? I agree, people call 911 for the stupidest reasons.
Like that guy (I think in Florida) who called 911 to report that his sandwich from Subway wasn't "made to his specifications"! Unbelievable.

OMG you have got to be kidding me, are people gettting that ignorant now a days???

[MJ1986]

Yep...They occasionally have segments on late night talk shows (like Jay Leno) that will show them. I remember reading this on some news site like CNN or something.
There was one (on Jay Leno) where a police officer called 911 cuz his wife and him were high off of pot they baked into brownies...It was so funny.

[Chris19]

I called 911 twice in my life and for legit reasons. The first time was when I lived in Pierre and was driving back from Sioux Falls. It was when the roads were borderline of being wet and slick. I was 10 miles north of Vivian and seen a Ford Excursion with Florida plates flipped over with people ejected from the vehicle. Luckily, I had a couple of light fleece blankets and water bottles (bought a couple, just in case if I get stranded). I offered them that and glad to help in that way. I and a few other motorists stopped by to help the people. I dialed 911 and anther mostorist dialed 911 and the emergency personnel came within a half hour. In the meantime, I and other motorists waited until the emergency personnel come. I kept grossing out with the sight and smell of blood. Afterwards, I got the impression that the people were overdriving the road conditions. This spooked me somewhat.

The other time was when I was with my Dad and someone bumped into the back bumper of my Dad's Ford. I called 911 to report the incident and we pulled over into the nearby gas station and waited for the police to come.

Calling 911 to report that a sandwich made from Subway was not right or when kids making prank phone calls are stupid reasons to call 911.

I can see that an out of state motorist who's car broke down (not his or her fault) dialing 911 for assistance. He or she does not have the yellow pages for the area that is outside of his or her home area. Knowing that people are more spooked about picking up hitchhikers due to a rotten few, 911 would be a legitamite way unless if one wants to stand for hours or walk away from the car (possibly for miles) and risk having parts stripped from the car.

[rjl78]

Originally Posted by MJ1986

rjl78, You must work for the 911 dispatch? I agree, people call 911 for the stupidest reasons.
Like that guy (I think in Florida) who called 911 to report that his sandwich from Subway wasn't "made to his specifications"! Unbelievable.

Not exactly in a 911 center. I do have 911 calls turfed to me though.

But ONstar calls annoy the living daylights out of me.

On one accident I had units responding before onstar got around to calling. Yeah tell me how good that service is.