Being in law enforcement once upon a time - one thing you have to remember is that you don't know who's in that car or truck off to the side of the road... a good percentage of cops are killed during traffic stops. Without the benefit of flashing red/blue lights to keep cars from creaming you, a firearm to protect you, or a police radio to call in the license plate or call for help - you're pretty much at the mercy of whoever is in the vehicle you're trying to help out.

****, I've been stuck before and have refused help from passerby because I don't know if they have a motive or agenda with me being stuck on the road. On the other hand I've also broke down and had someone break down right by me and we'd walk together to a payphone to get help. But that was during a time where things were more rosy.

Times have changed - it's a dangerous world out there. Most of us have cell phones these days... if I see someone on the side of the road that is clearly putting themselves at risk of danger I'll phone it in. By stopping what am I getting myself in to?

I like to believe that 99.9% of us are good people, but right now there are 7 million people in jail/prison or on parole in the US. They're there for a reason and percentagewise that's about 2.5% of us who are bad people for one reason or another.

I have a family to support - just not worth the risk anymore.

I drive very lonely roads..sometimes an hour between rigs..I stop and roll down the window and ask if they need me to call in somewhere...sorry but I just can't drive by someone 30 miles from some town... risky perhaps

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easy to wound hard to kill

You are a good person, don't change that.

Seems like a good idea to note the nearest mile marker and call the highway patrol for someone who is broke down.

But my h***, if you can't help someone push their car out of the way, or out of the snow..You suck.

Someone puts thair car into the median (intentionaly) and you think I should help? No, I am not going to contribteto the stupidity of a four weeler. Sorry but if nobody else is around you might find me dialing 911 on my phone, but putting myself in danger to be nice? Not going to happen

With the original post, I say good for u, it takes a lot of courage to ask people for help like that in a situation where u know you may catch a lot of flak for it. They might hav given u crap, but just remember those r the situations that ur put in, in life that strenghten and galvanize your character. I like being put in that position, unless I feel my personal safety is threatened. Beyond the threat of physical violence, I will laugh with and at all the people throwing hatred my way. Respect, Peace!!

Heavymetal, yes it is sad how bad / downhill/ to sh*& the industry has fallen.
I have been running super end dumps and hoppers around the south, and as a rule, it pretty much old school truckin'
Sure beats the H#$ outta OTR....

There are still some good helpful drivers out there, as I found out by experience when my truck broke down on I 26 in NC. It just totally stopped running, no engine, dash guages, or qualcomm, and I had to strong-arm it up the ramp to a rest area where it stopped of course, in the way. Not one, but two other drivers already parked, not only got out to help direct traffic around my stalled truck, but also popped the hood and tried everything they knew to see if they could get me rolling again. One of them even stayed until the wrecker came to pick my truck up and take it to the terminal for repairs. It was a relay in the fuse box, and it took out everything when it went. I couldn't even send a breakdown message, because the qualcomm was dead, so it's a good thing I had a cell phone, or else I would have been in deep trouble. Thank goodness, all the good guys are not gone from the business. If I see a chance to help, and I can do it, I do. If I don't have time to stop, I will try to contact the driver by cb and ask if they are alright, and have help coming. People didn't turn their back on ME when I needed help, and I won't do that to anyone if I can help it.

Oh, and along with the good drivers, there was one Epes driver who yelled at me because my truck was in the way, and he wanted through. I told him he was welcome to start it and drive it out of the way if he wanted to, he just glared and drove off cussing me as he rolled through the grass. As if I could have done anything to keep that relay from blowing!!!

I broke down in Allen Town PA on the onramp and pulled over as far as I could. I was well out of the the way and put my triangles out. I had drivers cussing me out. All I can say is there are a bunch of rude, stupid drivers out there. I won't call them truckers because they aren't. I had a wrecker enroute and had drivers telling me that's a heck of a place to shut down and sleep. I told them I wasn't shut down; broke down waiting on a wrecker. They were still cussing me saying that's what you get for buying a freightshaker. Look stupid it is a company truck. Oh I forgot you can't read. All you can do is sound stupid on the CB!

Years ago I would have had all kinds of hands asking me if I was OK on the side or having hands stop to see if they could help. Today's driver (not all; there are still some good ones, just few and far between) is the CB belching, ain't got no panties on, knucle dragging cave man that is afraid of soap and water. I remember when it was still a noble trade. I sure don't miss being on the road anymore. Was a time that I did, but that was then this is now.

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My childhood dream of becoming a truck driver turned into a nightmare!

Fourteen years ago, when my daughter was an infant, my clutch cable broke near a very, very busy intersection at the height of rush hour. A trucker and his partner who were bobtailing, parked on the side of the road to my left, ran over to me, pushed my car safely off the road, and were gone in the blink of an eye. Saved my skin, and probably my daughter's, too.
I will never forget their faces, and to this day I wonder if they had wings under their shirts.
Talk about a lasting impression of truckers.