Jeremy & Cisco

I just pulled over to help Jeremy and Cisco, because they ran out of gas, shortly after getting off the freeway. I was able to give them the gas they needed, but because the van was on a slope, it wasn't getting to the fuel line. We had Cisco back up to a flatter spot and then rocked the car while he started it. It took some coaxing, but eventually they were on their way back to Waipahu.

Nice Lady in Need

I just pulled over to help a Jennifer Wong, owner of CNA Senior Transport. Her vehicle had blown out a front tire on the driver side. She was in a very bad place and much too close to oncoming highway traffic to work on it. She had called AAA and because of her safety, she also called the police to ask if she should stay with the car or find a safer spot. I offered to stay with her until help arrived. Maybe my blinking light might help people see the situation earlier. We only talked for about 10 minutes before the helpful AAA tow truck rolled up and she started the paper work.

The van is used to help transport our senior citizens about town, and I guess when there was a problem, they had to transfer their client to another van. That could have been very difficult if they were wheelchair bound, but fortunately that was not the case, and they were able to get their client quickly under way again. She struck me as a very compassionate and intelligent lady.

During our conversation she asked me how I was funded. That kind of made me laugh inside. "I'm not" I said with a grin.

Black Jag

Hi Everybody, its 8 a.m. on September 11th Tuesday and I just pulled over to help a black Jaguar that was in distress. I was leaving Mililani and the person declined assistance. He had somebody coming already from Jaguar. He thanked me for stopping, so that's the latest! Aloha -Rich.
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Bad Crash

This accident stopped traffic for miles. I didn't stop because by the time I got there authorities were on the scene. It's hard to see, but behind the pickup is an overturned SUV! Yikes!

Smoke... Not Good.

I came across this elderly couple with the hood up in the parking lot of Zippys. They were on the phone and had someone coming. There was unknown smoke coming from the engine compartment. Known or unknown, smoke is NOT good.

Nothing I could do to help...again. Anyone else seeing a pattern?

Good Samaritan's final act

DES MOINES, Iowa -- A central Iowa woman said she saw a Good Samaritan dying two hours after he had helped her fix her flat tire, reported KCCI-TV in Des Moines. Police said Rick Byrkett, 53, of Des Moines, ran northbound across Euclid Avenue and into the path of a truck. Amy Conlin said that Byrkett had spent the last hours of his life helping a stranger.

Conlin was on her way to a friend's house for dinner when she hit a median on the street.

"Right here, right there is where I popped the tire," she said, standing near the spot. Byrkett, who was walking by, stopped to help. "He came up and said, 'You ladies need some help?' I said, 'sure,' and so he changed the tire for me," she said. "He said he enjoys doing nice things for other people so maybe if he's in need, maybe someone will stop and help him out. That's what he said."

Fifteen minutes later, Conlin and Byrkett parted ways. Neither of them knew that two hours later, Conlin would be stopping for Byrkett.

"Yeah, I did stop because I knew. I knew it was him. I knew it was," she said.

Police said Byrkett had been hit by a pickup while crossing the street. Conlin was on her way home and drove through the intersection where the accident happened moments before.

"I yelled his name, and he grunted," she said.

Conlin watched him being loaded into an ambulance. He died later at the hospital. She said she's thankful she had a chance to know him even if it was for only 15 minutes.

"I appreciate what he did for me. You know, take his example and move on with his example to help others," she said.

Diesel Fuel

This big GMC truck I found on the Waipahu off ramp, coming home at the apex of the hill. He said he has a helf tank of diesel fule, but it seems like it's not getting to the engine. He thinks air is getting into the fuel line somehow. He already had someone on the way, so once again nothing I could really do. Didn't give him a card and snapped off a quick photo which turns out focussed on my camera instead. This is a junk way to take a quick photo, I have to try something else.

Accident Aftermath

This young lady had had an accident earlier in the day. She didn't think her car was damaged, but after getting on the freeway, the car started to smoke, so she decided to pull over and call a tow truck. She was waiting for the tow truck (with her daughter in the back seat) and there really wasn't anything I could do. I forgot to give her a card and nearly forgot to take a photo.

Transmission

I stopped for a guy (Jeff?) in Mililani today. He was near McDonald's and his white car was off to the side of the road, but not completely off. He was just standing there waiting when I pulled over. Nice guy! He told me it wouldn't stay in gear and he had coasted to a stop where he was. I helped him get the car safely out of traffic and there was really nothing else for him to do but wait for the tow truck, which was already on its way. I gave him a website card and we said goodbye, joking about his good fortune of being stranded on a beautiful day in the shade of a big tree. Aloha Jeff (?)!

Stopped Today

After nearly a month of no cars or me on a tight schedule, I finally was able to make a stop.

I stopped by a truck that had its hood up but no blinkers. The guy came out to meet me and said it just died on him in the fast lane and he had to hobble his way across all the lanes of traffic to get the car to the side of the road. He thought it was just a loose battery cable. I got my "jumper" kit and we had the engine running again, but is sounded terrible! Strange squeals and didn't quite want to idle. He said that the oil light was also on. By then his friend (who had called earlier) arrived so I gave him a website card and said bye. Hope his engine is alright!

(I thought I posted a "mobile" Treo blog entry, but I guess it didn't take.)