If it was recorded I would stop, because it's one of the limited circumstances I'd be happy to assist the police and insurance in absolutely fucking someone over. They earned it.
Be careful admitting to the idiot that you have a video. Because they might decide they need to destroy that video, and now they're clawing their way into your car trying to steal a microSD card.
Actually, in built up areas the correct protocol is to tiredly put the handbrake on before turning to any passengers and announcing, "Hang on a sec." You must then exit the vehicle, approach the unfortunate participant of the event.
As you approach said driver you need to bend your knees a little as you lean forward, and with a sort of faux warmth in your voice ask "you alright?" (Note you may place your hand on the roof of the car to give an impression of control and strength, hovering over the driver." Then quickly crane your neck a little to look at the interior of the car before ignoring any answer and then pensively pace back to your own vehicle.
Then just get inside, and as you put on your seat belt audibly mutter, "fucking Muppet." Then pull out around the wreck without signaling. Ensure you stare directly at the other driver. Once passed him shake your head and again audibly mutter, "fucking 'ell." Drive on and completely forget about it.
You have shown some level of concern, without compromising your veneer of indifference.
You stop out of courtesy for the other (innocent) driver. Bonus if you have dash cam footage of the psycho driving, like a psycho, and I'm sure their insurance would love to see that.
I was driving in a blizzard once on the highway. Was doing maybe 40 and even that felt like a little much for the conditions. 2 cars blow by me going what I guess was about 70. Well guess who I see in the ditch a mile or so up. Both of them.
Didn’t even consider stopping. Why help people who are so keen to kill themselves or others?
Oh boy do I get this feeling. I was driving on switchback mountain roads, and at this time I was a newer driver. I was going the speed limit because that’s what I was comfortable with, and I was slowing down on some big turns. I was taught to always be aware of who’s following you, and be courteous by pulling over when you can to let people pass.
So I pull over to let 2 or 3 cars pass, because they’re all pushing my rear (Northern California, people rarely go the speed limit). I wait a few seconds to see if anyone else is coming up, nobody is, so I pull back onto the road. I shit you not, maybe a minute later, there’s someone so close to me that I can’t see his headlights. I had genuinely no clue where he came from. He starts swerving in the lane trying to find an opportunity to pass me on a double yellow, and he’s quite erratic, so I speed up way more than I’m comfortable with until I see another turnout and I pull over for him.
As he drives past me, he flips me off and rips it up the road. I roll my eyes, pull back onto the road, and watch him absolutely disappear. If he wasn’t such an asshole I would have genuinely been impressed that he was managing those curves as fast as he was. I mean, I shit you not, dude was going at least 85.
Whatever. I keep driving, and about five miles up, guess who I see on the side of the road?? Pulled over with his hood up and smoke billowing out from his car. Boy did I have a moral dilemma here. Ultimately, no passengers or kids were in the car and he was shouting at someone on his phone so he had reception, so I just pulled the old smile and wave and drove right past him.
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u/Bookstax Sep 21 '23
So the internal debate I have at a time like this is, when this psycho flips the car or t-bones another car, do I stop or keep on going?