After my ride, I pulled my car into a gas station to fill up. (By the way, I've had my Prius for about a year and half and have probably filled up only around 40 times. It really gets an average of 50 mpg and is my favorite car that I have ever owned even though it looks like a computer mouse on wheels). Filling up the Prius takes about two minutes because of it's small gas tank but I'm very paranoid when I fill up with gas here in the big city. Years ago, one of my girlfriends had her purse stolen out of the passenger seat while she was filling up and her baby was in the back in a car seat. This story scarred me for life. Thank g-d the creepy crook only stole her purse and not her baby! Since that time, whenever I fill up, I am on high alert.
As I was finishing up, a Russian lady approached me. I think she was in her early 60's and had a car at another pump. She asked me in perfect English, "What do I do to get the gas?" My spidey senses started to tingle. My first instinct would be to help someone in need but I had a weird feeling. I said "You should go ask inside". She would not budge."What did you do to get gas?" and "Can you help me?" were her next two questions.
Maybe she really needed help, but she likely had a driver's license as she was driving a car. She spoke perfect English, so why couldn't she just read the instructions on the pump? It just seemed weird.
As a women, we are told to go with our gut. Was she going to distract me while her accomplice was going to grab my precious (iPhone) out of my car and make a run for it? Was she going to rob me? Was she going to kidnap me? Or was she just in need of help?
I know that my sweet husband would have walked over to the pump, explained it to her and probably would have pumped the gas for her but he is a bad-ass.
What would you do? I was in a nice part of town but I do live in a big metropolitan area and there is crime on the news all day, every day.
I said that I was in a rush and jumped in my car and hightailed it out of there as fast as my Prius could go. I felt guilty for a second but better safe than sorry right? Kind of sad comment on today's society. What would you do?
6 comments:
Japolina, I lock my car whenever I get gas. MY keys are on scrunchy that hangs on my wrist. I put my card in my bra front or pocket. I run the card get gas and never have to worry if someone is trying to get in my car. I am like you, I would have said twice "go in side, they will help you." The second time, I may have said it with a bit more force. You are right, no place is truly safe any more. Warn your son that's driving about this also. I tell my g.daugher to put her phone in her bra when she goes into restrooms too. It's too scary to think of our young being so trusting. Bless your heart, xoxo,Susie
hahahahahaha I love Susie.I thought I was the only one.
I always have my phone in my bra. I was with my real estate agent once and I said " opps my boobs are ringing I have to answer this.
If you had a weird feeling just say what you did.
Or read the gas tank it will tell you what to do. Slide the card and follow the pictures.
Your gut is your second brain. It tells you when there is danger.
cheers, parsnip
I think about stuff like that all the time. I sometimes wonder if I saw someone who looked like they were in need on a desolate country road would I stop? but I fear that someone would jump out of the woods when I did and hijack my car and leave me.. or worse.. my plan is to just call 911 and report that someone looks like they need help. I'm such a chicken! Ive been in some pretty creepy situations in my job. I was just knocking on a door in a trailer park this weekend while on call, and no one answered. Then as I was pulling out of the park a young black mail flagged me down.. and I actually stopped and unrolled my window a few inches. He said, "can I ask who you are?" and I said.. "can I ask why you want to know?" then he told me that it was his door I had just been knocking on and he had seen me from down the street. Im not sure what made me stop, but I did.. theres a lot of creepy people out there though.. always wise to be cautious!
have a great day my friend
xoxo
vivian
did I really write black mail? lol! black male.. lol!
LOL Viv- Maybe you felt like you were going to be black mailed!
Jappy- I would have done the same thing you did-I think you have to go with your gut instinct and act on that impulse...and your impulse was to "run". IF she truly needed help she would go inside to get it after the first NO from you.
I think we have to be safety conscious first and helpful second anymore. xo Diana
Good call, listening to your spidey senses. clearly she knew enough english to understand your advice on asking inside. If she were ok, she wouldn't have asked again... - xo jo
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