Doppelgänger
03-30-2012, 08:02 AM
I am not here for a pat on my back or a "good job". I am putting this out here with the idea that sometimes if you don't think your actions will count, just the opposite may be true.
The following events happened to me last night.
So I got home from work with the intent to work on my car, get cleaned up and go hang out at the Wild Bills meet for a bit. After the meet, I was going to go out and grab some doughnuts for my coworkers for Friday morning (today). So about 7:30 I head out of the house and swing by AutoZone for a few detailing supplies and text Jenn that I about to head up to Wild Bills for a bit. She replies that she would like to get out of the house for a bit, so I offer to go get her, pick up doughnuts and drop her and the doughnuts off at the house before going up to WBs. So I get to the house, pick her up and head up to Roswell. Swing by the Krispy Kreme, grab my 2 dozen and head out. Jenn suggests we go on a short drive since the weather is nice and we end up driving up Hwy 9, swing by Ferrari to gander what they have on display and do a little general driving around. I finally decide it is time to go home.
This is where the fun begins. The previous events are an example of how we can end up at the right place at the right time...perfectly.
So I get on GA400 SB at Mansell and merge into traffic. Normally I get on 400, dive for the left lane and drop the hammer. But tonight I am trying to be aware of my gas spendings and end up staying in the right lane. Just before Holcomb Bridge Rd. I come upon this blue Mitsubishi Lancer in the right lane traveling at about 50mph and making a terrible noise.The cars passenger front wheel is blown out and they are driving on a bare rim. I notice the driver is not making any attempt to get off the road or slow down. Something is not right here. So I decide to investigate a bit further by following. By now the car has slowed to about 40mph and is causing people to take evasive actions to avoid a rear-ending. I decide I am going to call in the driver to 911. So I toss on my hazard lights to warn other drivers of the dangerous situation and hopefully avoid hitting me or the Lancer. I first get connected with Roswell Police but am quickly transferred to Sandy Springs since I was at the river. So Sandy Springs emergency dispatch is on the phone with me and I am giving them a play-by-play report of where we are and the actions of the Lancer. The person driving was weaving from lane to lane...from the shoulder back into moving lanes of traffic and even at one point, almost to the left lane of travel where most cars are doing 70+ mph as well as speeding up to ~45mph and back down to ~20mph and weaving lanes of traffic.. There were multiple instances where the driver drifted into an adjacent lane with no warning nearly causing several cars, and two 18-wheelers to clip them. It would have been a major accident scene if any of this would have happened. I would really like to think that my driving with my hazard lights on was making some people aware there was a situation ahead and preparing for something out of the ordinary. Really, I think if I had just passed and went upon my way, we would be reading about a bad accident on GA400 last night. Anyway. About 1/2 mile before the Sandy Springs MARTA station, an officer comes up and attempts to pull the Lancer over. They do not pull over, they actually increased their speed! I honestly though I was about to watch some crazy chase...but that never happened. The officer pulled up next to the car and they proceeded to pull over.
I am determined to know the outcome of this, so I stay pulled over on the should behind the responding officer in case I may be needed for anything. Within a few minutes another officer shows up and closes the right lane to shield all of us who are pulled over by dangerously close to the flow of traffic (narrow shoulder and a guard rail were causing this). Eventually I see the officer assisting the driver out of the car- an older lady with a cane and barely an ability to maintain her balance. The officer escorts the woman back to his car and she is barely able to stand, let alone walk. Our initial reaction is that this woman is incredibly drunk. So she gets in the car and the officer that was behind me gets out of his car and comes up to mine.
"Are you the one who called this in?"
"Yes Sir, I am" I said.
"Well it's a good thing you did because you probably just saved this woman's life. She is old and shouldn't be driving and is likely having a medical situation. We have paramedics en route right now."
"Wow. I honestly thought it was a drunk driver given how they were driving...that or someone trying to flee the scne of an accident considering the damage to the pass. front of the car and driving on a bare wheel". I said.
"Yeah, I was reading the descriptions dispatch was sending out and it really did sound like one of those and that is what I was expecting. Well thank you for calling this is, we really do appreciate it. Thank you very much".
"No problem. When I came upon her, I knew something just wasn't right and felt I had to call it in rather than just not paying attention and carrying on with my night thinking it was just someone with a flat tire" I said.
"Are you OK to leave? Can you see around me?"
"Yeah, I can see back there....but don't mind me if I have to gun it to get up to speed"
"No problem you have a good evening and thank you again"
"Alright officer, you too"
*I merge out into traffic and leave*
I still can't believe the timing of all of this and how I ended up at the right place at the right time.
The following events happened to me last night.
So I got home from work with the intent to work on my car, get cleaned up and go hang out at the Wild Bills meet for a bit. After the meet, I was going to go out and grab some doughnuts for my coworkers for Friday morning (today). So about 7:30 I head out of the house and swing by AutoZone for a few detailing supplies and text Jenn that I about to head up to Wild Bills for a bit. She replies that she would like to get out of the house for a bit, so I offer to go get her, pick up doughnuts and drop her and the doughnuts off at the house before going up to WBs. So I get to the house, pick her up and head up to Roswell. Swing by the Krispy Kreme, grab my 2 dozen and head out. Jenn suggests we go on a short drive since the weather is nice and we end up driving up Hwy 9, swing by Ferrari to gander what they have on display and do a little general driving around. I finally decide it is time to go home.
This is where the fun begins. The previous events are an example of how we can end up at the right place at the right time...perfectly.
So I get on GA400 SB at Mansell and merge into traffic. Normally I get on 400, dive for the left lane and drop the hammer. But tonight I am trying to be aware of my gas spendings and end up staying in the right lane. Just before Holcomb Bridge Rd. I come upon this blue Mitsubishi Lancer in the right lane traveling at about 50mph and making a terrible noise.The cars passenger front wheel is blown out and they are driving on a bare rim. I notice the driver is not making any attempt to get off the road or slow down. Something is not right here. So I decide to investigate a bit further by following. By now the car has slowed to about 40mph and is causing people to take evasive actions to avoid a rear-ending. I decide I am going to call in the driver to 911. So I toss on my hazard lights to warn other drivers of the dangerous situation and hopefully avoid hitting me or the Lancer. I first get connected with Roswell Police but am quickly transferred to Sandy Springs since I was at the river. So Sandy Springs emergency dispatch is on the phone with me and I am giving them a play-by-play report of where we are and the actions of the Lancer. The person driving was weaving from lane to lane...from the shoulder back into moving lanes of traffic and even at one point, almost to the left lane of travel where most cars are doing 70+ mph as well as speeding up to ~45mph and back down to ~20mph and weaving lanes of traffic.. There were multiple instances where the driver drifted into an adjacent lane with no warning nearly causing several cars, and two 18-wheelers to clip them. It would have been a major accident scene if any of this would have happened. I would really like to think that my driving with my hazard lights on was making some people aware there was a situation ahead and preparing for something out of the ordinary. Really, I think if I had just passed and went upon my way, we would be reading about a bad accident on GA400 last night. Anyway. About 1/2 mile before the Sandy Springs MARTA station, an officer comes up and attempts to pull the Lancer over. They do not pull over, they actually increased their speed! I honestly though I was about to watch some crazy chase...but that never happened. The officer pulled up next to the car and they proceeded to pull over.
I am determined to know the outcome of this, so I stay pulled over on the should behind the responding officer in case I may be needed for anything. Within a few minutes another officer shows up and closes the right lane to shield all of us who are pulled over by dangerously close to the flow of traffic (narrow shoulder and a guard rail were causing this). Eventually I see the officer assisting the driver out of the car- an older lady with a cane and barely an ability to maintain her balance. The officer escorts the woman back to his car and she is barely able to stand, let alone walk. Our initial reaction is that this woman is incredibly drunk. So she gets in the car and the officer that was behind me gets out of his car and comes up to mine.
"Are you the one who called this in?"
"Yes Sir, I am" I said.
"Well it's a good thing you did because you probably just saved this woman's life. She is old and shouldn't be driving and is likely having a medical situation. We have paramedics en route right now."
"Wow. I honestly thought it was a drunk driver given how they were driving...that or someone trying to flee the scne of an accident considering the damage to the pass. front of the car and driving on a bare wheel". I said.
"Yeah, I was reading the descriptions dispatch was sending out and it really did sound like one of those and that is what I was expecting. Well thank you for calling this is, we really do appreciate it. Thank you very much".
"No problem. When I came upon her, I knew something just wasn't right and felt I had to call it in rather than just not paying attention and carrying on with my night thinking it was just someone with a flat tire" I said.
"Are you OK to leave? Can you see around me?"
"Yeah, I can see back there....but don't mind me if I have to gun it to get up to speed"
"No problem you have a good evening and thank you again"
"Alright officer, you too"
*I merge out into traffic and leave*
I still can't believe the timing of all of this and how I ended up at the right place at the right time.