ES - Re: LADIES WHO TRAVEL AT NIGHT - TAKE HEED TO THIS!

[Arabella de Montacute]

I know this is wayyyyy off topic, but my sister sent this to me and I 
think it's important to think about for a few moments.  Arabella

Urban Legend ..or actual happening.. either way, better paranoid than 
sorry
!
Guys, pass this along to the women you love !

 I headed for home by myself at approximately 10pm. I was between exits
when a car pulled into the right most lane beside me (I was in the
center lane) and started matching speeds with me. After a minute, I
tried to slow down so he would pass. He slowed, too. I regained my
previous speed, and he sped up with me.  Finally after a few minutes of
this, he pulled slightly ahead of me, rolled down his window and
motioned towards my tire as though something was wrong. The man had
already begun to make me nervous by driving along side me for some
distance on the mostly empty highway, and now my training took over.

"This man is trying to get me off the road by myself here in the dark,"
I thought. This was is basically the middle of nowhere.  I know my car.
I am very careful with maintenance, and I am an experienced driver.  I
know what a flat tire feels like. I knew my car was fine. I put on
my turn signal and moved to the right-most lane behind the man anyway
and slowed down slightly (there is always the chance that something
could have been wrong, better to be prepared). The other car pulled onto

the shoulder and started slowing down.  Now I knew he was definitely
trying to get me to pull over. I passed him, he swerved back on the road

and drove right behind me.  At the next exit, there were two gas
stations.   They were well lit and there were a few people there. I
exited, he followed. Not only this, but a car I had not previously
noticed, that was in front of us suddenly swerved off the exit when I
put my turn signal on. I know this scenario. I grew up in some pretty
bad areas.  I have had training in this. At this point, everything I had

learned was in control. I decided not to stop anywhere.

By now there was absolutely no doubt that my car was fine. When we
approached the stop sign at the dark, empty intersection after the gas
stations, the car ahead of me put on his left turn signal and stopped.
I checked for traffic as I approached the intersection, then pulled
around him to the right, and headed straight back for the highway.  Both

the car that had been ahead and the one that had been following me
turned left across the highway and did not pursue further.

I have now carefully checked my car in a safe place when I knew I was no

longer being followed. It is in perfect condition. This is a classic
scenario for car jackers to use at night. I feel lucky that I was well
prepared and didn't have to think too much about what to do.

1. Don't ever let yourself be caught between two cars. Car jackers often
work in pairs, attempting to corner your vehicle.

2. Don't ever pull off the road at night by yourself in a dark,
unpopulated place.

3. Carry a cell phone - I'm going to get one!!

4. Stay calm. Don't try any tricks. If you are in an accident, you are
vulnerable.

5. Remember that most criminals want easy victims...DON'T LET YOURSELF
BECOME ONE!

6. Make sure you find out how to react BEFORE you are in the situation!
These situations are unfortunately real and dangerous. Thinking about it
when it happens is too late!

7. ALWAYS make sure you do not stop until you are CERTAIN that help is
present (i.e., even if you are in a slight accident, head straight for
the police station, and don't stop until you are there. Car jackers
often slightly damage vehicles by bumping them from the rear to try to
get the driver to get out.)

GOOD ENOUGH TO READ? PASS IT ON.
KAREN L CAMPBELL
Attorney at Law
EMail: Karen.L.Campbell at sdma.com


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