Recent interesting experiences (not quite to qualify as adentures)

8 years ago

last modified: 8 years ago

My landlord has cleaned out my lane, including right up to the garage and my back door, a couple of times in recent days, and while he was doing it yesterday, when I told of my recent experiences, he asked to see my glasses ... then told me that he thought they should be good enough to help a fellow see when the fuel in the tank feeding the furnace was down to the end ...

... and the gas tank on the car, as well.

I was to pick up my son (in his van) at 12:30 on Tuesday, following his colonoscopy and while on the freeway en route to the city ... the engine died, just as another freeway was joining the one that I was on, but, there being few cars/trucks, I was able to cross over three or four lanes to get to the shoulder easily.

My son and I had put the things that had been in my car that died, prior to its being taken to the boneyard, into his van a week or so ago, so I picked up the gas can, which was included, and started walking to the next junction, which was, fortunately, less than a mile away.

Just beyond an overpass, a van was sitting on the side of the road. As I passed the passenger window, it opened, and a lady said that it looked as though I needed some gas, and she would willing to take me to the gas station, just after the exit, not far ahead.

I accepted her offer with alacrity, and when I put the gas into the can, she offered to take me back to my van: I guess that she'd noted that I had quite a few miles on my odometer! It was a rather generous offer, as she had some travel to get to the next exit - so I thanked her, offering her a tip, which she refused.

I had to climb over the concrete lane separation median, which was rather high. Scraped most of the snow off of the top with the gas can, couldn't leave it on the side I was leaving, and it was somewhat of a drop on the other side, so carried it as I lifted my leg quite high and got it over the fence.

When I had poured in the five bucks worth of gas ... the engine would fire and run for a couple of seconds ... then stop!

A dozen times or so.

Ggrrrowwwll!! (That's me, not the engine).

A dozen more times or so ... and the battery decided that it had had enough of this game: don't you know when to give up trying an impossible task, stupid?

Yeah, well ... I'm going to have to walk to the exit to call CAA ... and walkin' a distance in some snow isn't that attractive.

Just beyond the overpass that I'd passed the first time ... there was a pick-up truck, with a fairly substantial flat-bed trailer, sitting at the side of the road. As I passed, the driver beckoned, and said that he'd drive me to the exit (he'd made a delivery in Strathroy, a town about 25 miles away, and was en route home, to a city 60 mi. or so down the road). I'd had another interesting connection with Strathroy, a couple of weeks ago: more on that, later.

CAA said that it'd take a half to three quarters of an hour, and that I should be with the vehicle ... also that if the police came, they might well have an unattended vehicle towed.

As I travelled the entry from the city street to the freeway, I had my thumb up, seeking to attract some attention to my plight. The rules are that one can't hitch-hike on the freeway - only the merging lanes.

As I approached the end of the merging lane, five cars merged on, and another car who'd come on at the clover-leaf, beyond the street, came over toward me: a police car.

The young officer asked what was my problem/I doing, and I said that I'd run out of gas just under a mile down the road ... so he said that he'd take me to my car, followed the exit to the other freeway, then turned at a turnaround for emergency vehicles.

He said that I should pay attention, as he'd be taking off rather quickly, and I said that I'd been driving for quite a few years and had some experiences with regard to what cars may do. He offered to stay with me, at first, and I said that I'd be O.K., that he could go, then he had a call to another activity, and that my tow truck was arriving.

So, I rode with the truck to the garage, then walked to son's place, found that he'd not wanted to leave on his own for some time, in case I showed, and that it had been something like three quarters of an hour till he'd caught a bus to go home.

The garage called to say that my car was ready, and when I picked it up they said that one of the tires was really bad, that I shouldn't drive it on the highway, so I drove it a few blocks to where I get tires and they replaced it.

All in all ... I was a very fortunate guy, that day.

And I've been figuring that I need a cell phone, substantially because if I need roadside service in case of car trouble ... I can call CAA from the vehicle.

This is too long as it is: more later.

(And - the library is fixin' to close).

ole joyfuelled

Featured Answer

Georgysmom

8 years ago

O.J. I know you are extremely frugal...you can do what we do. We have just a flip-top phone and buy minutes. I am just not a cell phone person but like to have one on me in case of emergencies. We buy $10.00 of minutes at a time and that lasts me for months. You really should have one.

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Comments (22)

PKponder TX Z7B
8 years ago
Oh goodness! What was wrong with the van that it wouldn't start? That sounds like a lot of headache for you, glad it all turned out in the end.
maire_cate
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
Perhaps you didn't consider it an dventure - but I'd say you had an eventful day and thankfully you managed to get the car and return home. I agree wholeheartedly that a cell phone for you is a great idea.
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moonie_57 (8 NC)
8 years ago
Yep, you need a cell phone, OJ. It might save your life.
User
8 years ago
I'm glad your alright. You don't need any more adventures OJ. A cell phone would be a good idea...do it. I'm happy everything worked out for you.
marilyn_c
8 years ago
I can't imagine walking that much on the side of a freeway or in snow. Thankful for some helpful strangers and the police officer.
yeonassky
8 years ago
I'd say that one was an adventure. Glad you had help enroute and that you were okay even climbing over the meridian. You definitely need a cell phone! A reliable vehicle is also a wonderful thing:-). Glad you didn't get chilled through and are okay. And that your DS is as well.
Fun2BHere
8 years ago
Thank goodness for the kindness of strangers, eh?
User
8 years ago
Get a cellphone. I finally convinced some years ago a person close to ... gulp ... your age to get one. He does use it now especially if he is traveling in unfamiliar territory.
User
8 years ago
what a day!
gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
8 years ago
I can definitely sympathize.........something very similar happened to me a few years (12??) ago, pre-cell phone. Driving an older car home from work after dark and in wet weather and it broke down on the Interstate. I put my hazard lights on and lifted the hood - as you are supposed to do - but no one stopped. And not a sign of any state patrol cars!! Waited for well over an hour and then decided if I wanted to get home at all that night, I better start walking. The closest exit was maybe a mile and half away and I was about halfway there when a cop car finally pulled in behind me. And he wasn't very nice :-( Pretty much lectured me about the dangers of walking along a freeway (which I was well aware of!) and when I mentioned how long I had waited for help and no patrol cars passed or stopped, he said they were "busy with other matters"!! Well, thanks for that!

He did give me a lift to the nearest exit and a convenience store there where I could call for a taxi to get me home and then arrange for my car to be towed to the repair shop.

So I learned my lesson.........since I still drive an older car and who knows what can happen, I now travel everywhere with both a cell phone and with AAA roadside service!! And even more important now, as my current work takes me all over the place in some very remote areas where police or state patrol seldom frequent and chances of a good Samaritan stopping are slim. Cell phones are essential in these situations!!
Terry
8 years ago
OJ listen to these wise people and get a cell phone. They are not that expensive anymore and having one can be a lifesaver.
sjerin
8 years ago
I wonder if you can get a free (used) one meant for seniors in Canada? Is there such an organization? Put your fingers to work and google it, maybe.
schoolhouse_gw
8 years ago
This was one time things could not be fixed with new elastic! I got worried reading about you having to climb over the median barrier. Thank goodness, as other have said, that good people stopped to help.

I have a cell phone but rarely use it except for long distance calls and emergencies. The thing is I never think to stick it in my pocket when I leave the house. I do however have AAA. Yes, it's expensive but peace of mind.
marylmi
8 years ago
Joyful, maybe time to dig deep in these pockets and get reliable transportation and of course a cell phone? What a terrible experience for you. Some years back when my husband was in the early stages of Alzheimer's I was taking some side roads and going around some lakes just for a drive. In the process, we had a flat tire and had to walk about a mile back to the last house that I had went by. I had to make him walk with me as didn't want him there alone in case he walked off through the woods somewhere. The guy came back to the car to change the tire but found we didn't have a spare!! So, had to go back to his house and try to get someone out there. I vowed that would be the last time I would be without a cell phone and I did purchase one the next day !! My trusty little Kyocera flip phone which still works great and I still keep for a backup. Have a smart phone also which i love!
Suzieque
8 years ago
I don't quite understand your series of events, but it seems like you, your son, and a number of other people were inconvenienced due to lack of planning. Please let me know if I have misunderstood. For your safety and convenience, and that of you loved ones, I think you are best served, and best serving, to get a phone. I mean this kindly, but it's not all about you. Care for those that care for you.
sherwoodva
8 years ago
Joyful, you had quite a day! I agree that an inexpensive cell phone like Georgysmom described would be ideal for you. Glad that you and your son got home safely. I would have been exhausted from all of that walking and adventure.
joyfulguy
Original Author
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
Actually, thanks to the kindness of others, there wasn't a lot of walking. And I was fortunate that I was less than a mile from the exit ... but there could have been about four, and I wouldn't have wanted to go back, as there's no gas station near the former two entries.

Gas at a station near me is cheaper, but often I'm in a hurry when I
leave, and late getting home, so I buy a small amount of gas in town,
hoping to get a larger amount at the station nearer home. But son's
van, which engine is about half as big again as mine was, uses more gas
... and the gauge is rather unreliable as it gets down near the bottom.

I mentioned an earlier connection with the nearby village of Strathroy. A couple of weeks ago, when I came out from the suburban church, there was a car stopped in the parking lot with the hood up, so I, being nosey, went over to see what was happening (or, more accurately - not).

A lady had steam coming out of her engine while driving nearby and pulled into our parking lot. We started her engine and it sat there running, with no steam coming out. She'd called a relative from another village near hers, and he arrived. We three decided to try heading for an auto repair shop about a mile away ... and within about about a block, it started steaming again. They called a tow truck.

Last week the relative brought her to my house and we had a visit - she wants to invite me to her house to share a meal. I'm not sure how they found where I live, as I don't think that I gave them that information.

But, as a number of you know, I can be found ... as happened when, not having heard from me for a while, a number of you got together and Jasdip was able to provide enough information to enable the provincial police to go looking for me ... and they, being busy, sent an officer from a nearby aboriginal settlement to find me ... which took her 8 minutes to get to my house.

ole joyfuelled ... who, some claim, seldom runs out of gas!
Jasdip
8 years ago
OJ, were you climbing over the median on the 401 with your gas can??

I think I'd be having a man-to-man talk with your son, for not hanging around and waiting to see that you came back to the car safe and sound.

I hope all is well now, and that your car is running smoothly again.
sjerin
8 years ago
Jas, I think son was getting a colonoscopy and waiting for his ride home: OJ in son's empty (of gas) van.
joyfulguy
Original Author
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
Jas, the van was empty - of both son and gas: I was on 401, about 5 - 10 min from picking him up, following his colonoscopy, about half a dozen blocks north of where we had the gathering with Nita,

He waited about a quarter of an hour for me, then stood waiting for upwards of a half hour at the bus stop, which was right by the medical test office, so I'd have seen him, or him me, had I arrived a while after that.

When the driver of the tow truck called him and gave the phone me (he'd had to call CAA, and then son, earlier to get directions as to my location), son told me that he was at home.

He was not feeling too much out of shape, following the procedure.

I walked from the garage to his place and the garage called something like an hour later to say that the vehicle was ready to go ... and then I went to the tire shop to replace the tire that they'd advised me not to drive on, on the highway. I'd noticed a bit of a quiver in the back of the van, so had thought that I needed to have them check it, but didn't realize that it was as serious as it was.

ole joyful
joyfulguy
Original Author
8 years ago
About mid-evening last Monday I was feeling chilly, checked the thermometer - it was about 60 degrees F. Checked the furnace, pushed the button to restart - nothing. Checked oil tank - at the bottom!

Set an electric heater to operate in bathroom and kitchen, as it was about 15 degrees F. outside. Went to bed, with an extra blanket.

Had a meeting Tuesday morning, visited son, borrowed an electric heater - for basement. As house was chilling - didn't want any frozen water pipes!

How ... was ... I ... going ... to ... ask ... landlord ... (troubled as he is by arm in a sling from snowmobile accident almost a year ago and in pain) ... that ... I'd ... let ... the ... furnace ... run ... out ... of ... oil ... --- AGAIN!

Piled on blankets, enough that they made me sweat ... then pulled off several on toward morning, to alleviate the sweating - as who wants to run around in sweaty clothing in a cold house! A while ago, when he oil line had allowed air to get in, I was able to open a valve by the pump to let the air get pumped out, then close it when oil spurted out.

Tried that ... it pumped some air, then oil, so I closed the valve and the fire started ...

... ran for part of a minute ... and went out.

Opened the valve, some more air came out, then oil, closed it, the fire started again. After a couple of such results ... the fire started ... and kept going.

Has been going since.

I've been away from 10:15 this morning till now, 7:45 ... but am almost 100% sure that the house'll be warm when I get there.

So - I'm about 15 degrees of thankful.

That ... my house is full of hot air, again (no comments, please!).

And ... that I don't have to presume upon my landlord's good nature, to clear up the results of my heedlessness.

I'm deciding that, in the cold weather, I'd better contract with myself to check the level of the fuel in the tank on the first and the fifteenth of each month.

At our church's annual meeting on Sunday, the minister had said something about the church being somewhat chilly on some days of the week ... so I slipped over to her husband to ask whether it was mainly full of hot air on Sunday ...

... and he looked at me and solemnly said that, "Yes, it was".

ole (warm) joyful

Recent interesting experiences (not quite to qualify as adentures)

Georgysmom

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