I had an interesting experience yesterday morning, casing me to wonder and reflect at yet another curiosity of my tax dollars and their expected return.
Sunday at 9:50 a.m. I was traveling south on 1st (Hwy 93) in my car and slowed to stop at the Golf Course road stoplight in the inside (left) lane. As I did so, my car stalled and died. I attempted to crank the engine over, which it did, but wouldn’t start. I instinctively floored the accelerator pedal, and almost simultaneously the car spewed large black smoke out the exhaust pipe… into the face of a lady in an SUV behind me. Yup, I felt a bump. I got out of the car, walked hurriedly to her window as the light turned green, and asked if she was OK. I was glad to see a Ravalli County Sheriff look at me – expressionless – from the window of his smartly cleaned 4×4 as he drove by in the right lane heading south, sure he’d turn left or right or some such thing and address the stalled car and SUV issue. The SUV driver stated “yes, I’m OK” but was a bit shaken. I asked her to turn on her hazard lights as I returned to my car, finally got it started, and chugged in to the Town Pump Park lot. The lady followed me into the lot where we examined cars. Thankfully a light bump, no damage to either vehicle, no injuries. We looked for the Sheriff to assist and… he was nowhere to be seen. I advised I was not concerned with reporting any “incident” as no damage or injury occurred to me. She stated the same, we waved goodbye as she drove away.
As I pondered the lack of public service and concern for safety, not one but two motorists, both of whom had been traveling NORTH on First, pulled into the parking lot after TURNING AROUND from their personal schedules to check on me and my car. These two had witnessed the entire incident from their side of the road at the stoplight. Furthermore, both of these individuals assisted me with time and tools to address a fuel delivery problem with my engine, and would take nothing but “thank you” in return. Both commented on the Sheriff’s lack of response…
Interesting that a person’s actions speak so much louder than words! I made it safely and successfully home more than an hour later. It is my pleasure to thank Jeff and Ted once again in this forum, and to continue to ponder the use of the tax dollars all of us Ravalli County citizens pay toward.
Ed Strand
Hamilton