Need to rant...

[martureo]

I just had to vent a little bit. I know from personal experience that the world is full of idiots, but for some reason I needed to get just a little bit more validating experience last night. (A statement which will show it’s irony as you keep reading)

So I had 516 miles on the tank last night as I was leaving work. (stock 84 300D ~300,000 miles on it) The reserve light had been on for two days now (it’s 20 miles one way to work) and I didn’t want to fill up at the expensive station near my work. I’ve put around 560 miles on a tank before and have never completely run the tank dry, so I hoped that even with the loss of mpg caused by winter mix of diesel I’d be able to make it the 19 miles to the station I wanted to fill up at.

I didn’t make it.

I ended up getting stuck on a two lane road with no shoulders and had embankments on either side of the road. It was also starting to snow. Awesome.

So I flip on the 4 ways, shut off the headlights and running lights and wait for traffic to die down a minute before I get out and walk behind the car. I got out my trusty Euro warning triangle and set it out about 20ft behind the car, then went back to the car to grab a flare. I usually carry about 10 30-minute flares, I get them from a captain of the county Police department. (I met him at an accident scene when I was the first responder and was complaining that I’d used my last flare, he responded that he’d supply me with new flares as long as he worked there). Anyway, I set a flare down about 10-15 feet in front of the triangle because it was starting to get darker out. (5:35pm at the time)

I went back and called my wife and then called MBZ roadside assistance. There are two dealerships near me and they said it might take 30-45 minutes to get there. (It took a total of 70 minutes because the driver got lost and was looking for me on the wrong road)

While I was waiting I’d see people fly past me in the opposing lane, others would wait and slowly creep around, while still others would wait for traffic to appear in the opposing lane before driving by next to them, three cars wide across the road. But with all the idiots and overcautious people (I had one woman sit behind me for a full minute before she felt safe… I know, because I was able to sit there and time her with my watch), I still can’t figure out what I saw next.

It was probably the third flare I had out, standing at about a 45 degree angle from the ground, that I see some guy creeping up really close to the flare. He finally decides to move around me and RUNS OVER THE FLARE. He barely missed hitting my triangle as well. WHO RUNS OVER A FLARE?!!?!

He put the flare out so I ran out and being unable to re-strike that flare I pulled out another and used the new to reignite the old one (I figured more light is better). But then 15 minutes later the roadkill flare had just run out and someone else runs over the lit flare. OMG! What the heck!?! Now I have to wait again for traffic to die back down and go put another out.

Before the MBZ guys got there I had three people run over flares. I had 8 flares in my trunk when I started (that should have lasted me 4 hours in total) and now I have one left.

I know I’m the idiot who decided to drive on a back road with no fuel in his tank, and slowed traffic for an hour and a half. BUT WHAT TYPE OF MORON RUNS OVER FLARES? Especially flares that are propped up?

[chilcutt]

Why not try to look at the bright side ?

[martureo]

The bright side was that I was able to get off the side of the road.

But why do there have to be so many idiot/mean/reckless/untrained/uncaring/stupid/ignorant drivers out there?

....my poor flares...

[rs899]

I completely understand. SWMBOs 300D wouldn't start and it died about 4 blocks from the house. I eliminated the simple things and got a friend with a truck and chain to tow me home. Four blocks. As we got close the chain broke and I was trying to push the car around a corner to get it out of traffic. Do you think anyone would help? No. Not that I was expecting much, but I almost got run over. Not the least bit of what would pass for sympathy or safety. Nobody could stand waiting 30 seconds while an old dude pushes a 2 ton antique out of harm's way? The world's a different place from what it was when I was growing up.

[Txjake]

keep a flare gun in your trunk. The next time someone runs over your ground flare, bounce one from your gun off their windshield......

[G-Benz]

The BRIGHT side is that you didn't get rear-ended or side swiped at high speed!

It's amazing how many videos you can look up that show stopped or disabled vehicles pulled well over the shoulder with the appropriate flashers, warning flares, etc., and some dipstick STILL manages to lose control and collide with said vehicle!

[Pooka]

Back in the 60's a friend of mine once had the same problem. His solution was unique and might not work today.

He would just pick up a very used beater from a low-rent car lot for around $50. $70 was his top money. Then he would drive it until it blew up.

After he coasted to the side of the road he just got out, walked, and never looked back.

Once we were driving down Jefferson Street in Dallas and when the thing, in this case a very rusted out 1956 Chevy four-door, died we just walked to the next car lot. He picked out a 1949 Plymouth with some of the worst recaps on the lot. For $50 we were back on the road and that price included $1 worth of gas, which was about four gallons.

I think he finally bought a real car in 1974.

He called his solution perfect for someone with more time than money.

[chilcutt]

Originally Posted by martureo

The bright side was that I was able to get off the side of the road.

But why do there have to be so many idiot/mean/reckless/untrained/uncaring/stupid/ignorant drivers out there?

....my poor flares...

Just be glad you are not driving across the pond. Say a place like China, Vietnam, Indonesia..

I see things transpire on the road here in Singapore on a daily basis that make me wonder how much respect some of the drivers place on a human life.

Consider yourself fortunate.

As for your flares...well, they went out doing their job.

[martureo]

Originally Posted by rs899

I completely understand. SWMBOs 300D wouldn't start and it died about 4 blocks from the house. I eliminated the simple things and got a friend with a truck and chain to tow me home. Four blocks. As we got close the chain broke and I was trying to push the car around a corner to get it out of traffic. Do you think anyone would help? No. Not that I was expecting much, but I almost got run over. Not the least bit of what would pass for sympathy or safety. Nobody could stand waiting 30 seconds while an old dude pushes a 2 ton antique out of harm's way? The world's a different place from what it was when I was growing up.

The thing is that I make a point to stop. If I have 5 minutes of wiggle room to where I'm going, I'll stop push a vehicle on to the shoulder, etc. Heck, I'll even help you start your car again and follow you to the nearest repair shop.

I drive mostly back roads (there are plenty of highways around here) and I drive out in the middle of nowhere several times a week. I've stopped and waited on the side of the road for an hour with a 16 year old girl because I didn't feel right leaving her out there all alone.

Your right, the world is much different than it used to be. My father is the one who told me to stop whenever I could and help someone out. But he's also the one who yelled at me after he heard that I stopped on my way to a job interview and pushed a car out of a lane of traffic in my best suit.

Originally Posted by Txjake

keep a flare gun in your trunk. The next time someone runs over your ground flare, bounce one from your gun off their windshield......

oh man... that is Soooooooo tempting.....

[sloride]

Maybe they were trying to save the planet and by putting out the flares there would be less co2 emitted.

[martureo]

Originally Posted by chilcutt

Just be glad you are not driving across the pond. Say a place like China, Vietnam, Indonesia..

I see things transpire on the road here in Singapore on a daily basis that make me wonder how much respect some of the drivers place on a human life.

Consider yourself fortunate.

As for your flares...well, they went out doing their job.

While I guarantee that the driving conditions are much worse and much more common in those places, those who have immigrated from those places to where I live import their attitudes. But now they have bigger, faster and more powerful cars to kill people with.

[martureo]

Originally Posted by sloride

Maybe they were trying to save the planet and by putting out the flares there would be less co2 emitted.

By running them over in their Cadillac Escalade, Toyota Rav4 and Nissan Armada?

[The Swede]

Everybody is an idiot except me. I'm also the best driver in the world.

[spdrun]

Carry two quarts of the veggie oil of your choice in the trunk -- if the engine starts to skip, pour it in the tank. Problem solved.

[tbomachines]

Its everyone else's fault who can't dodge me when I'm stopped in the middle of a busy road!

The reserve light had been on for two days now (it’s 20 miles one way to work) and I didn’t want to fill up at the expensive station near my work.

No sympathy here. You created the hazard yourself. Lucky you didn't get rear ended by some numbskull on a cell phone.