Situational Awareness

#4 I was driving north on 5 right when that fire started. You could see smoke even before Shasta Lake. I took an off ramp parked and searched on phone for WTF was going on. Saw that the fire was burning very fast and crossing the 5. I said no thanks turned around headed back to Redding and headed east took 299 east to 89 north miles further but didn't want to deal with 5. After stopping for the day I found out just how it was and thanked that little voice that yelled at me to GTFO

 

I was raised in Memphis in a not-so-great neighborhood a couple generations ago. I never have been able to explain being 'street smart' to people, I just know that I have it compared to others I've met. I'm not bragging, but constantly keeping your eye on people and how things are playing out around me has always come easy to me. I just guess I have a sixth sense about something not being right. I hope to gods my kids have a little of that but they probably won't being raised in a safe, small town.

First video, I'd have gone around and been gone EXCEPT I'm paranoid about jumping over in the hammer lane in a truck unless I absolutely have to.

Second, it's a big city. Crazy fools like this can be all around you. I feel for both those ladies but being big-city dwellers they have to choose every time someone looks off like that dude, and these two chose wrong. I wonder how many others didn't make the video? If it were bigger guys would he have come at them?

I've kind of always found it helps to look/act a little crazier than the crazy one in that situation. Run at him yelling BACON! and he might be the one scared to death.

 

OMG, that is hilarious - but very smart! Your post reminds me of a PBS program, aired years ago, with a detective by the name of JJ Bittenbinder. He was teaching street smarts, like what to do in various situations, and how folks (especially women) should never go to a secondary location, etc.

I remember one encounter he talked about, similar to the video, that if someone is approaching you on the street or in a parking lot or at an ATM, and you get that uncomfortable feeling, just act like you know them and say something like, "Well hey! Haven't seen you for a long time! How's your momma doing"?

It throws them completely off guard and makes them wonder if you really do recognize them! And unless they're just bat#### crazy, they'll probably move on and leave you alone!

 

No doubt. Excellent idea.

 

I remember my father telling me all my life don't drive your hood, drive two cars ahead of and behind you. He meant watch more than what's at the end of the hood of my car. He was totally right. Seeing the guy 2 cars ahead braking means something may be up ahead - you can avoid the problem.

 

1) Put on my four ways and keep about a car and a half of distance. I ALWAYS do this anytime I notice a quick stop. If someone hits me I did what I could.

2) Hard to say. I would have noticed the way he was heading towards me. If I had a gun and he caught me by surprise I’d probably shoot him regardless if he was fleeing to prevent someone else from getting stabbed also.

3) Honestly this one is tough. If my life is threatened and I can find enough room to turn her around with or without the trailer I’d probobly do that. I’d rather be in jail and alive than burned to death.

4) I would have slammed the gas the moment my glass broke and try to ram the f’er to the wall. If I already would have caught the intention on the mirror I would have gunned it out.


Now this is thinking logically comfortable in my bed. In a surprise situation I don’t know how I’ll react.

 

You were lucky to be where you were and when you were there. The people in the video were north of the fire on the south bound side. As you probably know, those canyons are pretty deep up there, so you can't see smoke from a far distance. A buddy of mine was south bound through there just as the fire started. He said it was smokey but no sign of flames. I guess 30 minutes later is when the video was shot and people were stuck on the freeway. I noticed at least a couple dropped trailers in the video, so some drivers did drop to escape the flames. I would have done the same.

 

Concerning street smarts you either have them or you don't, can't really teach it. Doing food service I've been in every ####-hole in the northeast and never had a problem. Blend in act like you belong there