State of the world

[SGTUSArmy]

Yesterday was an interesting day, to say the least.

I was driving back from Andrews Air Force Base to Fort Meade on I-295 (Baltimore Washington Parkway) and was doing just like I had a thousand times. This time I was thinking about how nice it would be to hit the driving range and maybe play the back nine, since my orthopedic surgeon just cleared me to play golf again. I knew there was some construction about halfway up, and so I kept it at or just below 55. About a mile from the construction signs, I got over in the left hand lane, and sped up a bit to keep the flow. I could see the brake lights up about 10 -15 cars ahead.

A blue car, about where the brake lights had moved back to (about 8 - 10 cars ahead) swerved to the left and started across the median. It went all the way across the median and into oncoming traffic, it hit a car, I belive a minivan, and went airborne. It did a straight up jump, with a 1 and half twist, and landed on it's tail end.

At this point I was about 6 cars back, and immediately pulled into the median. I drove up to about 45 feet from the crash on the right side of the median. People were still speeding by on the right side, Northbound, but traffic was completely stopped behind the blue car, and ford explorer (I think it was an explorer, i know it was an SUV). I got out of my truck at a dead sprint.
I headed to the blue car, laying on the passenger side, windshield spiderwebbed, front end destroyed, both driver's side doors mangled and open. I thought I was going to find a dead body. I got to the car, and could see the driver standing there. He was dazed, but alive. His face was bloodied, had glass on his face, buried in his skin, and in his hair.

I began working to reassure him, you know: I am here to help, My name is Jared, stay calm, or calm down...etc..(never said you are going to be alright or you are going to live.) Another gentleman, in his mid to late 40s appeared, and he and I decided we needed to get the guy out. They both told me their names, but I forgot in the confusion. About this time, a couple of nurses who were on the southbound side had arrived and were dealing with the driver of the SUV.

I looked and thought best way to get him out may be to get on the car and lift him out, he looked like he weighed about 140. Either way, we needed to do something about the door, it kept bouncing in the wind, and he would not stay ducked down. I climbed up, pulled the door back, and realized there was not enough spaced for a good foothold, and the backdoor looked pretty unstable. I jumped down. A lady came up from the southbound side, and i looked at her and said I need some rags, a t-shirt, towels, anything to try to stop this guy's bleeding. I then realized the only to get him out soon was going to be through the windshield. (safety glass and was just a mess.) I began pulling on the driver's side edge of the glass. I pulled about 2 feet of it out of the way before the sharp pains got the better of me. I looked down and I had about 10 holes that were bleeding on my hand.

I then moved forward, and asked the other guy who was watching me to help me. We had the guy lean forward partway out of the hole, and we lifted him clear. I was really surprised at how light he was. I got him to lay down in the median, with head facing the southbound side (higher elevation), and hold the rags to his nose, and right cheek. I continued to try and reassure him for a few seconds, then started to run towards the SUV, and the nurses said that she was fine, and deal with him. I was not in uniform, just FYI, but I was wearing my rank in dealing with some of these people.

I continued to reassure the driver, and asked if anyone else was in the car. He said no. I also talked to him, about normal stuff, where ya going, where ya work, etc... he then looked at me, square in the eyes as the ambulance was pulling up, and asked that I call Chrissy. I asked who she was and her number. While he was explaining, I heard one of the nurses yell to the paramedics that there was a lady who was having severe chest pains and short of breath in the minivan. ( I NEVER SAW THE MINIVAN. I thought it had stopped to help. It was about a 50 yards south of the blue car.

A couple of guys who were behind me, just onlookers, said something about the police, and then I hear the one say, we don't have green cards, we need to go. They vanished.

Guess the jist of this post is, of the hundreds of cars stopped behind the wreck on the soutbound side, 4 people got out to help, 2 cars from the northbound side stopped. I remembered when I was in driver's ed, and getting ready to get my license, if you saw a wreck and didn't stop to render aid, you were in violation of the law. What happened to helping someone in need? I cut the living hell out of both of my hands, and pretty sure I still got glass in there. I had my pant legs and shirt covered in blood by the driver of the car. I don't ask that people go out of their way to save a life, but offer a little aid is not too much. Go up and keep someone calm, and talk to them. That can make a lot of difference.

I was giving my contact information to the state park police, and he said that I should go and talk to one of the paramedics and get something to wipe the blood off my hands with. I asked why? They had more important things to do right now. He shrugged his shoulders. I left, quietly once I was told I wouldn't be needed, and someone would by to take my statement in a couple of days. I couldn't believe that the cop thought it more important to get blood off of my hands than to deal with actual injuries.

I know it is a long post, but something I had not fully shared with anyone yet. I mainly wanted to get it off my mind. I also wanted to ask what in the hell happened to the American way of helping someone in need?

[LittleRedToyota]

nice job! you are a good man.

i also stop to help people in need when i see them...even if it's just someone who seems to be having trouble changing a flat tire. the really sad thing is that, not only do most of the people i know not do this, some of them even tell me i'm stupid for doing so.

"aren't you afraid you're gonna get mugged or something?"

it's sad.

the mass media takes isolated incidents and so over reports and sensationalizes them that we have become a nation of fear. everyone is afraid of everything. also, many people are so dependent on society and technology to do everything for them that they can't even really help themselves let alone anyone else...even if they wanted to help, they wouldn't know what to do.

anyway, it's always refreshing to hear a good story of someone helping out a stranger in need for no reason other than it's simply the right and decent thing to do.

[Intrigue]

Originally Posted by SGTUSArmy

I also wanted to ask what in the hell happened to the American way of helping someone in need?

*Sigh* A sad state of affairs indeed. But it doesn't take a serious accident like this to see it.

I see it everytime I'm "out-and-about". Rather than people waving and giving a "Hello" as you walk by, they are nose down, on the cell-phone, walking briskly.

The problem is: everyone is "too busy" and too muddled in their own affairs to worry about being kind and cordial to anyone else. Which is why, when I give the lady at the cash register a friendly "Have a great day!", they seem almost in shock.

I'm not saying everyone is like this, but more often than not, this has been my experience. This is also why I go out of my way to be friendly to everyone I interact with on a daily basis. I figure if I can brighten up one random person's day by being friendly and nice in my dealings/interaction with them, than my job is done.

Back on topic, no one got out of their cars because they didn't want the hassle. See above. It's funny that everyone slows down to gawk at the incident so they have a good story to tell; but they won't completely stop and try to help. Very sad, indeed.

The solution? Unfortunately, I don't think there is one, aside from "Try to restore Good ol' American Values from the 40s/50s."

[SGTUSArmy]

I was 16, and I was driving a 1968 chevy 1/2 ton pickup. I was going to my dad's house for a visit. 3 and a half hour drive from Fort Smith, AR to OKC, OK. When I hit 55, the truck would just about die, until I got to about 35. Then I would get power. I pulled over to the side of I-40, and popped hood. I had no more than started looking, and an older gentleman driving a truck with Coca-Cola on the side pulled up. He walked over, looked over my shoulder and asked: The choke blowing shut on ya? I was dumbfounded but in hindsight realize it was not taht far a reach. He showed me how to force the choke to stay open, unless the cable was pulled, and a few other tweaks on that old Straight 6 with 1 barrel carb.

When he finished, and we closed the hood, it had been about 30 minutes. He turned to walk away, and I asked what I owed him, and he said something that has stuck since, Stop next time you see someone who needs help. I don't always stop, not always that trusting. I also do not stop with my kids in the car. Without those drawbacks, I do stop on a regular basis. It makes me feel right inside.

[Intrigue]

Originally Posted by SGTUSArmy

I don't always stop, not always that trusting. I also do not stop with my kids in the car. Without those drawbacks, I do stop on a regular basis. It makes me feel right inside.

Good man. I almost always stop in daytime/populated area, because I feel pretty safe. At night, I'll usually pull over and offer to on-star a service person to them.

Believe it or not, my best friend met his fiance when he pulled over to offer tire-changing assistance, and then offered lunch assistance.

[SGTUSArmy]

Never had anyone propose to me, but I did get a couple of dates, my laundry done for me, and a couple pounds of fudge. I worked in a parts store at the time, and saved her about $100 in wrong parts and tools. Then installed the correct parts. She was a great cook, had a great smile, and eyes I could lost in. Her car on the other hand was a POS and would keep any decent mechanic busy for months. Unfortunately she was married. (found out a couple weeks later.)

[Frenchy]

First aid course comes back fast when you need it doesnt it. First off, you are supposed to "by law" stop if you are first on the scene of an accident, this does not mean every one must stop. If others stop and see you are in control and there is no need for them, they are free to go unless they have a higher power, IE: a Dr can not leave that way.

Even if all seems taken care of, doing traffic is always some thing usefull in this situation. Now the part that you probably did not get, mainly because you may not get involved with many bloody situations is this next phrase.

Originally Posted by SGTUSArmy

Yesterday was an interesting day, to say the least.

I was giving my contact information to the state park police, and he said that I should go and talk to one of the paramedics and get something to wipe the blood off my hands with. I asked why? They had more important things to do right now. He shrugged his shoulders. I left, quietly once I was told I wouldn't be needed, and someone would by to take my statement in a couple of days. I couldn't believe that the cop thought it more important to get blood off of my hands than to deal with actual injuries.

Police and ambulance drivers see blood every day, and a very scary fact of today is that blood can be a killer. Aids is probably what the police officer was concerned about, getting you cleaned of the victim's blood not so much your own. Although it takes courrage to help some one in need when they are full of blood, most officials today will not come near them with out gloves, and will strip down to skivies if the blood gets on their clothes as soon as they can and go into disinfectant mode. All I can say is thank you for being one of the few who stops and worries about others still, you are right, there needs to be more people like you.

[SGTUSArmy]

If I was that scared of getting a bloodborne disease, I would have used protection in College. If I was that scared of death and disease, I wouldn't have enlisted, and I wouldn't go visit at Walter Reed every couple of months. (usually i have an appointment there, and go by and greet some of the injured troops there for treatment. I go to Andrews for Ortho, all other specialty care is at Walter Reed.)

When I was in CLS, back in Bragg, the instructor told us that all Soldiers open theirselves up to liability by not helping. We are considered trained and proficient in first aid.

And yes, it was amazing how fast that stuff came to bear. I didn't think about any of it. He's bleeding, find a way to get him out and control it. Prevent further injury, prevent shock. It just seemed so natural.

[Frenchy]

Originally Posted by SGTUSArmy

If I was that scared of getting a bloodborne disease, I would have used protection in College. If I was that scared of death and disease, I wouldn't have enlisted, and I wouldn't go visit at Walter Reed every couple of months. (usually i have an appointment there, and go by and greet some of the injured troops there for treatment. I go to Andrews for Ortho, all other specialty care is at Walter Reed.)

When I was in CLS, back in Bragg, the instructor told us that all Soldiers open theirselves up to liability by not helping. We are considered trained and proficient in first aid.

And yes, it was amazing how fast that stuff came to bear. I didn't think about any of it. He's bleeding, find a way to get him out and control it. Prevent further injury, prevent shock. It just seemed so natural.

Thats why they make you practice so much in the army, when I was in the Watch, they even had us do it blind folded, The first thing we had to do was take the breach out of any guns ow wounded so they where not usable, I exchange that with the keys in cars... Then they said if you had to leave a body in the field, break the dog tag and put it between the teeth, Oddly enough i once took a wallet from a victims car and stuck the drivers permit in the teeth of the corps that belonged to it. Was not thought of at the time, just simple practice came back!

[MTauss2000]

There was a moment there, for some people it lasts several moments, but for at least one moment you sat there, comfortably in your car; it was the right temperature, and you were probably tired. You saw some bad **** go happen and at the very same time knew dozens of others did too. You had a decision to make and it was to either do something or safely stay in your warm comfortable vehicle and hope for the best.

You made a decision which you will live with the rest of your life, for better or for worse, just like everyone else there. The question is; would your father be proud, your grandfather, your son? How about your wife, that guys wife, or his son or daughter? I'm pretty sure, as you reached for your seatbelt release, this never cross your mind; neither did it cross the minds of the people who did not.

Regardless of the aftermath, regardless of the actions or inactions of others; when the moment of truth came and you had to act, you did so honorably. Sleep well on that, and know that you did the best you could. Job well done.