If it’s not one thing, it’s another. Either some guy is trying to kiss your wife or someone is throwing rocks into freeway traffic.
Driving my brood (sans sick mama bear) to the gym for dinner (they have a fancy schmancy health café) and rock climbing class, just exiting the interstate on this long sweeping ramp, I hear a thud coming from the side of truck. It was not your usual road debris noise and with no traffic in front of me I wasn’t sure what caused the sound. My first thought was, “I hit someone.” My second thought was, “I lost someone or someone got hurt”, and when my youngest didn’t answer the first 2 times I called his name (it’s dark in the truck) I was starting to worry. He finally answered and I pulled off the road, about 50 yards in front of another vehicle also on the side of the road.
A quick check of the truck revealed nothing obvious so after telling the kids to stay put I walked back to the other vehicle. I asked if the people getting out of it if they’d lost something on the road (thinking I ran over it) or if anything hit their vehicle. Yes, something hit their SUV as well and shattered the windshield. We walked back along the road a bit and saw broken wood all over the road – like someone was hauling firewood, dropped some, and it got ran over.
A car pulled over in front of my truck and an occupant walked back to join us (making me realize my kids are in the running truck and I haven’t checked back with them - d’oh!). He said he thought something came out of the woods and hit his car. Yet another car then joined the fun at the end of the line…something broke their windshield as well.
The scene of the crime, to the right of the sign
Was it the wood? Two drivers said they thought the objects were thrown so 3 of us walked even further along the ramp. It was definitely not the wood - rocks began arcing out of the trees at us! One guy went up into the woods but without a flashlight it was a fruitless action.
The state police were called (verdict: juveniles), information gathered, report number given out, and over an hour later we were on our way…with my oldest son desiring a Stetson hat like the trooper was wearing. They do look imposing, which is the point I suppose. In addition to the report number the trooper gave us a brochure on jobs with the MD State Police. If you’re looking for a job, there you go.
As for my truck, the kids noticed the side view mirror was pushed in. At first glance it looked like the only damage was a scuffed plastic housing but further inspection revealed creased metal and damaged paint on the passenger door. It will probably cost just under my deductible to get it fixed.
We were lucky – the Tundra’s oversized mirror kept the rock from hitting the side window next to my daughter. And out of 3 vehicles, ours was the only one without a broken windshield.
Over dinner the kids asked me why other people would do such a thing. In my day it was doorbell ditch or maybe turning off the main circuit breaker to a house. I wish I knew the answer to their question – though I usually know all, this one’s got me stumped.
About ten years ago, a trio of juveniles got the bright idea to drop cinder blocks off of a highway overpass onto traffic. Happened about one mile from my office. One lady, a school teacher from Alabama, lost her life. The juveniles were tried as adults. They will spend most of their lives in jail. I can’t imagine what would cause someone to come up with an ideal like that. The juveniles cried like babies at their trail.