The other night, I WAS that creep, gesturing for a pretty woman to roll down her window. It was interesting.
By The Horse
@TheHorse (238399)
Walnut Creek, California
March 6, 2020 6:32pm CST
As I was pulling up to a stoplight the other evening, I noticed that the left brake light was out in the car in front of me. The driver was making a left turn, and so was I, and I also saw that the turn lane to my left was empty, so I decided to do slide into that lane and pull up beside the driver.
Her car was a newer car (she was a woman of about 35), so my thought was that she might not know her light was out. I did a friendly double honk and rolled down my passenger window. As a psychologist, I wondered what her reaction would be, and studied her closely.
She hesitated a bit, and rolled down her window. Her look was not one of contrived arrogance (worn by many California women) or extreme fear. It contained a slight hint of impatience, and also some degree of curiosity.
I said, "Do you know that your left brake light is out?"
She said, "No I didn't. Thanks!"
I said laughed and said,"Don't get a fix-it ticket--it's a pain!" and started to roll up my window, so as to be "non-intimidating."
She said "Thanks!" again as I did so, and I gave her a friendly wave back.
We both looked straight ahead, made our left turns and did not communicate after that. Would you have acted any differently than she and I did?
Note: This post was inspired a post by Danna B. (@db20747), who experienced something similar from the other person's perspective.
14 people like this
13 responses
@sweetashoney (3597)
• United States
7 Mar 20
We don't get fix it tickets here, we just get fined! I once was stopped because my tag light was out, I was charged 75 dollars and I had to pay it. there is no get it fixed option, the way they look at it here is, if you don't fix it, you'll just be charged again if your stopped.
I did have someone run up to my car at a red light years ago to tell me none of my signals or brake lights were working, he had been behind me for a while. I was so happy that he did, come to find out I had a short in my wires that caused everything to go out. I was still a long way from home, I think I was still around 15 or 20 miles from home. I took all the back roads I could and I tryed my best to wait and make a turn when no other cars were around. By that time I was back out on country roads.
1 person likes this
@sweetashoney (3597)
• United States
7 Mar 20
@TheHorse To tell the truth, I really forgot how much it cost. I really think though, if I'm remembering right, someone that I knew traced all the wires and fixed it for me, so I don't think it cost me anything. Like they say, that's what friends are for. lol
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (238399)
• Walnut Creek, California
7 Mar 20
@sweetashoney Oh, that's very cool. I've had friends help me fix automotive stuff for no cost. And of course I've helped friends fix stereo issues at no cost.
@andriaperry (118793)
• Anniston, Alabama
7 Mar 20
No, I have done that before as well as people doing it for me. That was a kind thing to do.
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (238399)
• Walnut Creek, California
7 Mar 20
@andriaperry Interesting. You know that I got pulled over in Nebraska for being a "middle-aged white male." They're the ones importing pot from California, where it is legal, to Nebraska, where it is not. He let me go pretty quickly and never asked for my driver's license.
1 person likes this
@andriaperry (118793)
• Anniston, Alabama
7 Mar 20
@TheHorse Ya know I have only gotten one ticket, ever. Usually the cops let me go, I don`t know why, they just do. And I am breaking the law, for sure.
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (238399)
• Walnut Creek, California
7 Mar 20
@LindaOHio Had she looked scared I would have just rolled up my window and looked straight forward.
1 person likes this
@LindaOHio (222986)
• United States
7 Mar 20
@TheHorse She could have panicked. I would wonder why a guy pulls up next to me and wants me to roll down my window.
1 person likes this
@porwest (112928)
• United States
7 Mar 20
I am usually suspect of anyone these days. Just too many weirdos and wackos out there. Not sure. In the moment maybe I would have just cautiously rolled my window down to see what the other person wanted. Of course, if I'd have seen you, I might have hit the gas pedal. 
1 person likes this
@indexer (4852)
• Leicester, England
7 Mar 20
I think you did the right thing. Look at this from another point of view - presumably you would not have hesitated to do the same thing if the driver had been a male of the same age as you, but you had second thoughts because it was a young woman. Would you therefore have risked the young woman getting a ticket rather than the middle-aged man? Why put her at a disadvantage just because of who she is?
1 person likes this
@noni1959 (13067)
• United States
7 Mar 20
It depends where it's at. Is it dark out? Bad area? The other day I turned onto a dark street to find a place to turn around and as I pulled into a turn out and went to make my U, a truck pulled next to me rolling down his window. I was on alert but he just wanted to tell me my right light was out. I told him thanks and he went on. Just don't pull behind or along side of a woman on a dark street to tell her something about her car.
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (238399)
• Walnut Creek, California
7 Mar 20
@indexer Most of us travel unarmed in the US. But many "naughty" people are armed and dangerous. WHile returning home from playing music with a friend, I had to pass by a murder scene where one driver had shot and killed another. It was not the first time this has happened to me.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (382693)
• Rockingham, Australia
7 Mar 20
I would have done much the same. We pulled up next to a motor-bike once whose indicator was going but he was going straight ahead. There was a lot of noise but Vince just gave a short bip and I made open and closed fist gestures at him. He understood and gave me a thumbs up.
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@Metsrock69 (3617)
• United States
7 Mar 20
I would do it because most of the time the driver of the car does not know about the back tail light not working
1 person likes this
