Help Your Fellow Driver

Admittedly this post may sound like I'm patting myself on the back, and perhaps I am a bit. But I think it's an interesting "feel good" story of how we should all help each other.

We're at the Flying J just outside of Omaha, and it feels about 150 below zero out there. My wife walked up to the store to smoke (I quit 4 years ago and although it doesn't bother me, she refuses to smoke around me). While she was up there, a gentleman approached her and said:

" I'm so sorry to bother you. I came in to do laundry, and when I went back out to the truck both of my door locks are frozen. My phone is in the truck, Flying J won't let me use theirs, can I use yours to call my wife and get the number to my road assist?"

"Well of course." she said. So he calls and gets the number, then calls Western Express (he's a flatbedder too btw). They tell him to call back in 15 minutes...

"Ma'am I'll understand if you can't, but can you wait 15 more minutes for me to call them back?"

"Absolutely, don't worry about it."

Meanwhile, I'm chillin in my jammies in the truck reading a book, unaware of all of this. She shoots me a quick text letting let me know what's going on, where she is, and where his truck is. She's helpful, but no fool either. I told her to tell him to heat the key up, then insert the key into the lock to thaw the ice. She said ok, and after letting him make his phone call returned to the truck to start cooking supper.

A little while later he knocked on the door of my truck...

"Man I'm so sorry to bother you, do you know any tricks? Road assist first had me try WD-40, then deicer spray. Nothing is working."

"Did you try heating the key up?"

"Well no, with all that flammable stuff in there I'm afraid of holding a flame to the lock and catching the truck on fire."

"No you heat up.....hang tight buddy, I'll be right over"

Did I mention it's like 200 below zero out there?

So I get dressed to go over to his truck. On my way out the door my wife says "tell him to come for supper, I'm making extra." I just love her.

Heated the key with a lighter and stuck it in the lock. Four or five times of doing that and within 5 minutes the door was open. The look of joy and gratefulness on his face made the 100-yard frozen journey totally worth it.

As if that wasn't already awesome enough, I then insisted he come over to eat with us. He accepted and the three of us had a good meal and good conversation.

In the grand scheme of things this is really no big deal. Just one person helping another. But it created a bond and a memory none of us will likely forget.

We need more of that.

Carry on.

That was very nice of both your wife and you to help out! a lot of people would have denied helping, and left him out there or they probably wouldn't know what to do either. So it was a bonus you had a better idea to try! What in the world, how would Flying J not let someone use their phone when it's that cold outside, and he has no way back into his own truck. They're just as bad as some of these truckers out here laughing at people rather then helping them out.

What in the world, how would Flying J not let someone use their phone when it's that cold outside, and he has no way back into his own truck.

That really ticked me off as well. All I can think is maybe they thought he was a bum or something. Like a lot of us flatbedders at times, he was kind of dirty. Still no reason to turn somebody away into the cold.

Might be a FJ company policy, not just the decision of the clerk at the fuel desk.

Turtle I think it's great what you and your wife did for that other driver. It honestly doesn't surprise me at all from what I've seen here that you'd brave the elements to help somebody in need. In general everyone has gotten to be in such a hurry they refuse to help others out. 2 weeks ago I was in the truck and a car got tboned in front of me in a 45 mph zone. Nobody else stopped and I stuck around until EMT's showed up and police took my statement. Only injury was one person complaining of some leg pain. I manually had that event saved on my drive cam and informed my manager then told PD to contact him (gave his number) to get the video. It's extremely frustrating that everyone refuses to help each other out. There will come a time we're in need and will need help from others.

We truckers get to help in lots of ways. and not just other truckers.

I was coming off a ramp in Cleveland or cincinatti when a criminal jumped out of a car and was chased on foot by a cop. Both the cop car and other car were in the middle of the intersection. I saw the solo cop's radio fall of his shoulder while running so i blocked the intersection and called 911 for backup givimg them the direction of the foot chase.

Other officers showed and shook my hand before bidding me farewell.

BTW... Always keep lighters in zipped up jacket pockets for just this frozen lock reason.

good point Turlte

Turtle

I'll give you a very big pat on the back. I see it all time out here where other truckers won't get out and help another get into a tight space. What you and your wife did was great in my opinion. But there will come a time when the ones who don't help will need it and someone else will give them the bird. so cudos.

That's good stuff right there. Definitely need more of that

Great job Mr. and Mrs. Turtle!

Turtle,
Great use for an old trick...I stopped smoking years ago....gotta remember to keep a lighter handy, like Rainy said.
Extra good to help a person out. We're all to quick to "look the other way" when we see someone who needs help.
You and Mrs. Turtle stay safe in this weather.
Bill R