On a Thursday night coming home from work and housesitting, I had car trouble. I entered the highway and proceeded in the right lane going about 65mph. Any other day I'd be like the speeders going 75mph in the left lane. It was around 6:15pm, so it was still pretty heavy with work traffic, and I decided to just stay there in the right lane. I had just dealt with exterminating some ants, and needed to relax for once on my ride home. Going for about a mile on the highway, suddenly my car went quiet.
What? No, oh no, oh no. All kinds of lights come up on my dashboard, and I realized there was no shoulder or exit any time soon. I had just passed the service road entrance too. I put my flashers on, and I started to drift slower and slower. Was this really happening? My gas pedal didn't work, and I didn't even want to try the brake. Cars started flying around me. I eventually came to a halt and tried to start it up. A bunch of quiet air hissed at me as I turned the key. I was a sitting duck! I always wondered what would happen if my car just died in the middle of the highway.
In a scattered mind, I took out my AAA card to get a tow truck to come. I started dialing the number, but looked back and saw all of the impatient drivers swerving around me so fast. I quickly dialed 911 instead. They would come quicker than AAA. I told them the situation and said they were going to send someone. I called the boyfriend and left a voicemail. I wasn't scared until I was hearing myself leave that message. The longer I stayed there, the worse I felt. I thought that I can't possibly push and steer the car by myself. A minute or two later, a van driving on the service road stopped and backed up near me. A guy got out and walked across to me. He asked me what happened and checked my battery to see if it was loose. It wasn't, but tried turning the ignition again - still air.
The guy ran up ahead to see if there was an exit or shoulder I could be pushed to. There was an entrance ramp to the highway, but far up. He pushed the car while I steered. He had so much courage having rush hour drivers directly behind him cutting around to get into the left lane. I was now scared for him too. He took a few breaks, but we made it up to the area where cars were merging onto the highway. We had to time it just right so that the car could be pushed over and then back into the service road and onto the shoulder without hitting cars coming onto the highway. When it was clear, we proceeded. As I was being pushed back, there were two eager beaver vehicles coming up fast on the service road. I pressed the brakes, but the car didn't slow down because of no power brakes at this point. I heard the nice guy pushing the car yelling to stop, and I pushed the brakes even further down until it finally stops.
After another clear opening, I was finally safe on the shoulder. I had nothing to offer the nice guy who pushed my car. His name was Zach (could be Zac or Zack too). I shook his hand and thanked him so many times. Thanks Zach! I won’t forget your kindness, and I will pay it forward!
As he walked back to his van, a cop car pulled up and talked to him. Meanwhile I called AAA. I talked to the cop, but there wasn’t much he could do at this point since I was now in a safe spot. The boyfriend came to sit with me and take me home. The tow truck guy got lost finding where I was, but finally found it and towed my car.
Because of an unfortunate delay with my mechanic, I finally got my car back after more than three weeks. My car is smiling and good as new now :) Thank you to all who helped me!
What? No, oh no, oh no. All kinds of lights come up on my dashboard, and I realized there was no shoulder or exit any time soon. I had just passed the service road entrance too. I put my flashers on, and I started to drift slower and slower. Was this really happening? My gas pedal didn't work, and I didn't even want to try the brake. Cars started flying around me. I eventually came to a halt and tried to start it up. A bunch of quiet air hissed at me as I turned the key. I was a sitting duck! I always wondered what would happen if my car just died in the middle of the highway.
In a scattered mind, I took out my AAA card to get a tow truck to come. I started dialing the number, but looked back and saw all of the impatient drivers swerving around me so fast. I quickly dialed 911 instead. They would come quicker than AAA. I told them the situation and said they were going to send someone. I called the boyfriend and left a voicemail. I wasn't scared until I was hearing myself leave that message. The longer I stayed there, the worse I felt. I thought that I can't possibly push and steer the car by myself. A minute or two later, a van driving on the service road stopped and backed up near me. A guy got out and walked across to me. He asked me what happened and checked my battery to see if it was loose. It wasn't, but tried turning the ignition again - still air.
The guy ran up ahead to see if there was an exit or shoulder I could be pushed to. There was an entrance ramp to the highway, but far up. He pushed the car while I steered. He had so much courage having rush hour drivers directly behind him cutting around to get into the left lane. I was now scared for him too. He took a few breaks, but we made it up to the area where cars were merging onto the highway. We had to time it just right so that the car could be pushed over and then back into the service road and onto the shoulder without hitting cars coming onto the highway. When it was clear, we proceeded. As I was being pushed back, there were two eager beaver vehicles coming up fast on the service road. I pressed the brakes, but the car didn't slow down because of no power brakes at this point. I heard the nice guy pushing the car yelling to stop, and I pushed the brakes even further down until it finally stops.
After another clear opening, I was finally safe on the shoulder. I had nothing to offer the nice guy who pushed my car. His name was Zach (could be Zac or Zack too). I shook his hand and thanked him so many times. Thanks Zach! I won’t forget your kindness, and I will pay it forward!
As he walked back to his van, a cop car pulled up and talked to him. Meanwhile I called AAA. I talked to the cop, but there wasn’t much he could do at this point since I was now in a safe spot. The boyfriend came to sit with me and take me home. The tow truck guy got lost finding where I was, but finally found it and towed my car.
Because of an unfortunate delay with my mechanic, I finally got my car back after more than three weeks. My car is smiling and good as new now :) Thank you to all who helped me!
