Apparently pushing cars is just what I do.
I was on my way home from getting my hair cut on Saturday (it looks fabulous, btw, thanks so much for asking. I’ll post pics at some point). As I pulled up to an intersection near our house, it quickly became clear that 1) traffic in one lane wasn’t moving and b) there what a whole lot of honking going on. It was a regular car symphony.
As I pulled into the open lane, I looked over and saw a woman in a car that was clearly not going to be going anywhere anytime soon. She was driving an old Suburu that was having some obvious mechanical difficulties and her hazards were on. The people behind her had also apparently decided to not do the rational thing and think, “Gee, she has her hazards on, indicating that her vehicle has become a hazard of some sort. Perhaps I should help her to discontinue her status as a road block. Or maybe I should just stop honking.”
This isn’t rocket science, but it is physics. The sound of a car honking does not help broken down vehicles to move out of the way any faster. If the sonic force of a car horn was enough to move a car out of traffic, we’d all have much bigger problems.
As I pulled up next to the woman, I rolled down my window and asked if she was ok. She told me that her car was totally dead, that she had called AAA, but that they weren’t going to be there anytime soon. I asked her if she could use a push and she (rather incredulously) said yes. It’s so hard to imagine that someone might actually help you when everyone else has just honked and flipped you off. It’s also hard to imagine that I could push a car anywhere, unless it was downhill, we had a stiff wind behind us and I had an NFL linebacker to help me.
I had to drive about a block to an office park so that I had a place to park my own vehicle that wasn’t in the middle of traffic. Then I ran back, flagged down a guy who was walking by and we got to work. Learning from past mistakes, I reminded the woman to put her car in neutral BEFORE we started. It was a relatively flat surface and I hadn’t just run 5-6 miles, so this was much easier than last time. In less than 30 seconds, we were booking it. We pushed her up a few hundred feet to where she could leave her car on the shoulder and no longer be a road hazard or a magnet for misdirected road rage.
I felt more than a little bit proud of myself for helping. I also felt more than a little bit sad that everybody else chose to make the problem worse instead of lending a hand. As we were pushing her car, people were still honking at us. Who does that?!? Seriously. Who does that?
In many ways, I see a situation like this one as a metaphor for life. The roads we travel are not always going to be completely smooth or free of obstacles. When we do come across something or someone that gets in our way, we have two options. We can sit in our cars, honking and waiting for the road to clear. Or, we can get out of our own little bubbles, lean our shoulders into it, and do something about it ourselves. I know what I would do. Apparently, I am in a distinct minority.
Helping this woman took five minutes out of my life. Five minutes that were easy enough to spare at two o’clock on a Saturday afternoon. Sure, there may have been a few people in that line of cars who were late to important meetings or appointments. But I suspect that a good chunk of them were just being assholes.
As I waved goodbye, the woman thanked me profusely. She now appeared to be on the verge of tears from something akin to gratitude instead of frustration and fear. I told her that I’d been in her exact same situation, that I had sat, helpless, while people flipped me off and honked at me. A good samaritan was kind enough to push me out of traffic. I asked her to pay it forward.
And then I drove off.
GO HOPE!
In many ways, I see a situation like this one as a metaphor for life. The roads we travel are not always going to be completely smooth or free of obstacles. When we do come across something or someone that gets in our way, we have two options. We can sit in our cars, honking and waiting for the road to clear. Or, we can get out of our own little bubbles, lean our shoulders into it, and do something about it ourselves. I know what I would do. Apparently, I am in a distinct minority.
Well said.
Well done!
that’s why i love vermont. if i pull over for ANY reason, people pull over and ask if i need help. one time i really did need help and this guy pulled over who said he was a vietnam vet and he helped people because “nobody helped us out.”
i like that you told her to pay it forward.
cheers to you!
I love what you did and that you told the woman to pay it forward, you go girl!
Side note: I think the driving test should include a “When is it appropriate to use your horn?” section.
You are a class act, Ms. Roth.
Man, you are one helpy chick!
I knew there was more than one reason I wanted to be around you! nice stuff Hope!
I can physically feel my head getting bigger and bigger. Thanks, guys!
Good for you Hope, let this be an example to all! I love the “Pay it Forward” comment to her!
I totally love your meatphor for life. We should all stop honking at our life’s obstacles and just get out of our cars to do something about it. Wonderful that you stepped up to help and that you did so without much thought. Go Hope!