Trouble in the Dark

S

SamH

New member
A scenario...

You are driving down a dimly-lit country road at night. Suddenly, you see a violent scuffle between two men on the side of the road; a car is parked beside them.

Nearest town is 15 minutes away by car, and the traffic is sparse.

You have no cell phone, and no weapons except your bare hands and some tools (screw driver, car jack, etc.)

Do you simply continue driving and let a potential murder take place? Or do you stop and intervene? What would you do?
 
Note the car's plate number. Catch the combatants in your headlights and bellow at them in an authoritative way to stop. Be prepared to drive off at a moment's notice. If they ignore your command, drive off anyway and stop at the nearest available phone to call police or have the homeowner call police. Include plate number in your call.
 
Keep in mind that you have no idea what the situation is, no idea who is who, and no idea why they're doing it.

Could be an undercover cop taking down a suspect.
Could be two drunks brawling.
Could be a murder in process.
Could be two friends horsing around.

Best option: call 911 and give the license number.

Be wary of getting involved when it's not your problem. You don't want to become the victim.
 
I'm with ctdonath. I'd get the plate number, a description if possible, but no way would I get out of my car.

M1911
 
drive on, if I had no weapon or phone. But I sure wouldn't be in that situation. If I had a phone, I'd likely call. I sure as hell wouldn't intervene unless I had more information.
 
KUDO's to all the above. Do what you can with minamal risk to yourself or those in you vehicle. Trust no incident, those involved as they are strangers. Who knows, if it wasn't a stage set and there are lurkers waiting for the first car to stop? I ask you, should you be the nice guy for a total stranger and lose your live and possibly that of your family? Unarmed and no cell phone is a bad time fopaw.
If you want to be of help, drive further and save the lost puppy walking down the road. You might get licked to death but you saved a little guy. Make the phone call later
 
Sam,

It is impossible for me to be in my vehicle and NOT have a weapon. Period.

Jumper cables, tire iron, spare clothes, training tools (if my dojo bag is in the car), heavy-duty belts, oil- there's ALWAYS something. As others have said, you, as the driver, don't know the whole situation. Unless I recognized one of the combatants, I would probably not stop.
 
Of course, there is always a weapon.

However, not everyone knows how to turn an everyday item into an effective combat implement.
 
roaming vigilante

Even if I had two pistols, three knives, and the usual impact weapons, I would not butt in to the situation as described. Why go to prison for brandishing at a pair of drunken cousins fighting over who was going to drive?

In a different scenario, where I see a person about to inflict death or grave bodily harm upon a victim, I might take a risk to save a life, if I could do so safely.

Even cops may hesitate to butt in to a domestic dispute.

I would speed to the phone, and if pulled over for speeding, convince the cop to check it out ASAP.
 
Well, we should all remember the car is a weapon. I wouldn't get out of the car, I would shine my headlights on the two and blow my horn for a while. If that doesn't stop them, then they must be serious about doing harm to each other and the police are needed to mop up. (Because by the time the police get there, the harm-doing will be OVER, all they'll be able to do is MOP UP!!!!)

That was a good point, you don't know who's who, you don't know what started it. Don't dive into this one like a referee into a hockey brawl!!!
 
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