Hidden Acts of Service

A recent message about Hidden Acts of Service has changed my mind about this blog.  I hope to continue to assist people along the road when I'm driving, but when I do, I will do it privately.  

Thank you readers for being a part of this journey.  This blog was an exciting experiment, but it confused my motivations and made me question the reasons why I did it.  My goal was never to glorify myself, and yet I had to fight that temptation.

I really recommend the video.  Check it out.  I wish I could embed it, but follow the link and watch for yourself.  It is very well done!

Aloha and Mahalo, the end of the road has come,

Rich

Been a while...

I haven't written for a while now. I had a crisis of confidence in my motivation. Am I doing this for the wrong reasons? I still don't know, but this morning I was nearly forced to stop, so I did. It felt good.

As I approached the middle street merge area, I saw a young lady on the side of the road, her car's hood up and she was on the cellphone. I was late for work and in the center lane and although I felt sorry for her I wasn't planning to stop.

Then the blue Acura in front of me stopped dead in my lane. Soon his hazard lights came on and I realized he was having trouble. I kicked on the amber flasher and got out to check on him. Right then someone else came to help to so we pushed his car off to the side of the road, getting him out of the dangerous traffic. I ran back to my truck and got it off the road too and checked on both stalled cars.

The Acura just died. He had gas and battery and was not overheating and he just called his dad to help. I walked over to the young lady and inquired if she was OK, and likewise her dad was on the way. As is typical, there was really nothing else I could do.

I said my "goodbyes" and "be carefuls" and got back on the road, very late for work now, but I called the boss and he said "no problem."

It's frustrating not being able to always solve the problem. I keep lots of resources with the truck (tools, water, gas, a battery-jumper, air compressor, duct tape) but if there is something mechanically wrong with the car, a call and a tow is about all that can be done. I was surprised how many times people with cellphones just wave off help. It happens a lot!

Maybe I'll start to stop again (that sounds funny). Stay tuned.

Ouch

Teaching about Giving to the Needy

Matt 6:1-4

“Watch out! Don’t do your good deeds publicly, to be admired by others, for you will lose the reward from your Father in heaven. 2 When you give to someone in need, don’t do as the hypocrites do—blowing trumpets in the synagogues and streets to call attention to their acts of charity! I tell you the truth, they have received all the reward they will ever get. 3 But when you give to someone in need, don’t let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. 4 Give your gifts in private, and your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.

2-hours waiting for help!

I just pulled over to help a young nurse that had blown out a rear tire near the airport. (She told me her name, but now I've forgotten.) She called her brother to come help, but they were having problems understanding each other in regards to her location. Her cellphone was nearly dead when I arrived.

I offered to wait with her until her brother arrived, but started looking at the tire and asking if she had a spare. She did, but it was flat! I used my compressor to reinflate it and started to change the tire. I felt like a total rookie using her jack! I kept thinking I was doing something wrong, but I couldn't figure it out. Finally got the car jacked up, and her old tire off, and just as I was putting her emergency spare on her brother arrived! He took over lowering the car and I finally saw what I was doing wrong with the jack. I was so embarrassed!

I said my goodbyes (nearly forgetting my compressor!), they said thanks and I was back on the road.

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.
Click here to listen

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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.)

Good end to a bad day

Near Aloha Stadium I was kind of stuck in the middle lane. I usually drive home in the right lane, because that is where most stranded drivers end up. Coming from the viaduct and merging with the Moanaloa Freeway puts me right in the middle. I was getting irritated because the traffic on both sides of me was moving pretty briskly and I couldn't match speeds for a lane change, and I soon found out why. A few cars ahead of me was a pickup that was slowly lurching to a stop. Eventually I was right behind it and I fired up the amber dome light, to help people realize there was a problem.

The truck wouldn't quite stop, and it couldn't quite go, everytime I thought it was through it would seem to revive. We limped over to the right shoulder slowly as I blocked traffic. Eventually the painter's pickup came to a stop.

I walked up and asked if there was anything I could do to help. They didn't have a cellphone so I let them use mine. It was noisy and so it was hard to hear. The first call was a little funny because after 30 seconds of trying to make himself understood he realized it was a wrong number! The second call seemed to go through and I guess he was able to call for help.

His passenger asked if I could take him to Pearl City. I said no problem and he gathered his stuff and hopped in my truck with me. I don't want to get into details but today was a very frustrating "first day on the job" for him and he was very grateful to be "rescued" from his day. He was very frustrated with the driver, whom he had just met that day and he wanted nothing else to do with him. We introduced ourselves and I enjoyed listening to him. He had a lot to say! I ended up taking him to Waipahu High School since there was a transit center there and it was basically on my way.

I gave him a card and dropped him off at the bus stop. I'd have to say I have never met anyone so grateful for my assistance than this young man. He said he was ready to just get out of the truck and walk home already!

I'm glad I was able to bring a little blessing to his life. Hopefull he'll check in here and give his side of the story too!

Beware Police Impersonator

News Release
June 4, 2007

Impersonating a Police Officer and
Unauthorized Entry into a Motor Vehicle

CrimeStoppers and the Honolulu Police Department are seeking the public’s assistance in identifying and locating a male wanted for Impersonating a Police Officer and Unauthorized Entry Into a Motor Vehicle.

On May 23, 2007 at about 7:45 p.m., a female was driving northbound on Piikoi Street when she was pulled over by a male claiming to be a Police Officer. The suspect had a rotating blue light on the dashboard and used a loud speaker to order the driver to stop. The suspect told the driver that she was being pulled over for a defective tail light and to get out of her vehicle. The female, who was talking on her cell phone refused and the suspect tried to grab the phone from her. The female began screaming for help, and two males scared the male away. The male got back into his vehicle and fled.

Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call CrimeStoppers at
955-8300, or *CRIME on your cellular phone.

Free cellular calls are provided by AT&T, Nextel Hawaii, T-Mobile, and Verizon Wireless Hawaii.

Suspect: Unknown male
Race: Hawaiian
Age: 20’s
Complexion: Tan
Clothing: Black jacket, black pants
Vehicle: 4 door, dark blue or black sedan, dark tinted windows

Roadside Rescue

These sweet ladies were having some kind of mechanical issue that robbed the van of power. Someone else had also stopped and was helping them too. She already had her husband on the way. I realized there was nothing I could do to help and I didn't have my cards on me at the time either.

This message was sent from Rich's Treo 650.

Lull...

Just a note to say that I've been driving my wife's car for a week while we have some maintenance issues attended to. No stops last week and probably won't start again until Thursday afternoon. Don't get stuck until Thursday! (grin) -Rich

Blue S.U.V.

This person declined any assistance and said that a tow truck was already on the way. She said the problem was mechanical and she would simply wait for the tow truck to arrive. I think she might have felt a little scared so I didn't offer her a card. I think she just wanted me to go away. That's OK. I understand. She must have felt very vulnerable.

This message was sent from Rich's Treo 650.

Yellow Pickup Truck

Stopped when I saw a yellow pickup on the road with its flashers on and its hood up. He said his wife was already coming and that he needed to rebuild his carburetor. There was nothing I could really do but was able to give him a card and say "God Bless You". He waved thanks as I pulled away. I forgot to take a photo.

This message was sent from Rich's Treo 650.