911:: Re: Road Rage

[Guest guest]

At 12:12 PM 07/21/2000 -0400, aqugrl wrote:

> Oh my god that sounds like here!!! Our city has done a huge televsion

>campaign, school thing etc on " road rage. " !!!!! Every day we get continual

>calls that someone cut me off, they were tailgating, they flipped me off!!!

-------------------------<snip>-----------------

The following is a conversation, nearly verbatim, that I had with a caller

just the other night:

" 9-1-1 Emergency, what are you reporting? "

" There's this man, he's right behind me and he's flashing his lights at me! "

" Where are you? "

" On the highway, oh, oh, oh.... he's RIGHT behind me! "

<deep cleansing sigh> " And which highway would that be, ma'am? Where are you? "

" Highway 101! He's scaring me! "

" Ma'am, Highway 101 is very long, where on Highway 101 are you? What

direction are you going and what is the last cross street or exit you passed? "

" He's SCARING ME! "

" Ma'am, I cannot help you if you don't tell me where you are. But first,

what lane are you in? The fast lane or the slow lane? "

" There's only two lanes here..... "

<another deep breath> " Well, one of them is the fast lane and one is the

slow lane, the fast lane is on the left and the slow lane is on the right.

Can you pull over to the right to let him pass you? "

" There are cars ahead of me, I can't go any faster! "

<eyes closed, hands poised over the keyboard> " What's your phone number in

case we get disconnected...... "

" It's my cell phone. "

" Yes, I knew that. What's the number to your cell phone? " (The Caller ID

display was the ever-so-helpful XXXXXXXX.) She rattled off the number;

amazing, someone who actually knew their cell phone number! She must give

it out to friends....

" Ma'am, the first thing to do is to remove yourself from danger, and that

means you need to pull over to the right and let him pass while I get more

information from you, okay? "

" Why is he flashing his lights at me? There are cars ahead of me, I can't

get away! "

" Are there cars to the right of you? Can you slow down and pull over to the

right so he can pass? I'll keep you on the phone while you do this... "

" Yes - but they're going slower. He'll pass me. "

" That's the general idea. I'll keep you on the phone, okay? You can give

me information on his car, if that's necessary, when he passes you. Can you

tell me how many people are in the car? "

" Mine? Just me. "

I've now added " scared female " to the RP field in my incomplete CAD log. I

decided not to use " stupid girl " ..... " No, in the car flashing his

lights.. Can you see if he's alone or not...... Has he passed you yet? "

" There's a truck next to me, I can't pull over. "

" Ma'am, when someone flashes their brights at you, that's a sign they're

asking you to let them pass. Even if you're already going the speed limit,

it's a signal - that's why they do it - and it's usually smart to get out

of their way - and far safer, too. You need to pull over to the right as

soon as you can. "

" Okay. HE JUST FLIPPED ME OFF!!! Oh, and he's the only one in the truck. "

" Good. It's not a gang, then. Now, can you tell me where you are? "

" I'm almost to Salinas. "

Smashing my forehead into the keyboard would probably muck up the minimal

information I've already typed: a few command codes, a phone number,

" scared female, " the code for " reckless " and the description: " tailgating. "

" Are you going north or are you going south? "

" It's a big Blazer, one of those Fords! "

I choose not to correct her, but I want to REAL BAD. " Which way is he

going? North or south? "

" He's going south - we're almost at that 101 RV place.... "

" Ma'am, you don't need to speed up to chase him. You're safe now, right?

You're southbound on Highway 101 just north of Road, right? "

" Yes. Don't you want his license plate? "

" No. It's common for other drivers to use their bright lights to ask

people ahead of them to let them pass. The safest thing to do is pull to

the right and let them pass, even if you weren't driving too slow. He has

continued on, right? He's not slowing down to mess with you any more, is he? "

" Noooo.. but he flipped me off! "

" Well, ma'am, that's not against the law. We don't have a vehicle code or

penal code that prohibits hand gestures like that. Let me have your name

so I can document this call and you just continue on your trip, okay?

You're safe now. "

" Okay, thanks. "

Yes, I did complete the CAD log for this non-incident and I did route it to

the radio for broadcast. It was quickly disseminated as a " reckless black

Blazer-type vehicle tailgating in the #1 lane, SB 101 at Rd " and

filed by the dispatcher. Who, incidentally - and appropriately - rolled

his eyes as he read " flipped off the RP in passing " - to himself. He

turned to me - my CAD logs are <ahem> sort of known for being FULL of

information and details - and remarked, " I don't need to send anyone to

make contact with her, do I? "

" I didn't give her that option. She's safe now. The 2000 vehicle code

hasn't had " flipping off " added to it, has it? "

<group snort>

Unfortunately, variations on this theme are all too common. And, of

course, we DO respond appropriately when people are truly being victimized

by road rage situations, threatened, harassed, or otherwise in danger.

(Either from their own or others' actions.)

It's just tiresome - and often funny. (Yah, to us, anyway.)

Happy to be here, proud to serve.

Olmstead

Communications Supervisor

~on the Central California coastline~

" Not presumed to be an official statement of my employing agency. "

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