thanks skidmark, you articulated what i was thinking when i read M-Taliesin's post...i am still shaking my head in amazement over your lack of street smarts which leaves a bit to be desired...sorry, picking up a strange female in aurora late at night was bad enough but to let them into your vehicle and then drive them to the shelters located off of 21st and broadway area at that time of night is beyond unbelievable!!
wabbit
Howdy Rabbit!
Point taken on many of your arguments. Meanwhile, I saw a woman running the the street looking like she was in panic mode. I stopped as I always do when I see somebody in trouble. Other Coloradoans have helped me in times of trouble, and I do likewise. Kinda of an old school thing that you don't see much these days, especially in cities.
My immediate concern was that she didn't get hit by a car. Being as dark as it was, with the traffic on that stretch moving pretty quick, I'd have hated to let it go and hear later that some woman got hit by a motorist and maybe killed because I didn't do what I did. Or that a motorist was up for vehicular homicide because they had a beer before heading home that night and hit her. Or that her life was in peril from an assailant and because I did nothing, cops were hoping for information because they had no leads.
Yep. I could have handled it better, but didn't think through anything except the immediate observation. Getting her safely out of the immediate possibility of harm was my only thought at the first blush. Once she was in my car, I had better opportunity to evaluate the situation and decided to get her close to where she wanted to go and unload her as quickly as possible. As for firing a shot, you're right. Too close. But a handgun can be used in other defensive ways.
As for possible 'other' complications, that's why I contacted APD to make a report. Let them know what took place.
Given the scenario, and a bit of time to think through options, I'd likely have done some things differently. Give the situation as it unfolded, I did what I did to protect her along with other citizens who might have gotten hosed by accident.
Could I have handled the situation better? You betcha. But it unfolded pretty quick and I hadn't planned on anything unusual that evening.
Oddly enough, when detecting late a night, I am routinely unarmed. I spend much more energy being wary of my surroundings and anybody in the vicinity because it is pretty easy to get snuck up upon when wearing headphones and focused on trying to find gold or silver with a detector. I didn't have my partner with me, so I was able to drop my awareness level (so I figured) once I was back in the relative safety of my car.
I can understand, even appreciate, the criticism involved here. But I've lived a long time in Colorado, and it is still something folks do... stop to help others in trouble. Folks have done so for me, and I often do so for others.
On another note, had I done nothing and learned later that she'd been running for her life from an attacker, I'd have trouble accepting that I did nothing. Given the split second decisions I made, I made my choices, right or wrong and accept that I may have chosen unwisely. Things turned out alright, and she left my vehicle unharmed and relatively safe. I, myself, felt relatively safe. I can read the paper this morning confident that I won't see where the cops are investigating what happened to that woman they found stuffed in a dumpster or some other horrid outcome and feel it is to some extent because I did nothing. Or that some innocent driver was going to be jailed for hitting a woman he didn't see running on a busy thoroughfare in the dark.
So I understand and appreciate the criticism I'm getting here. It isn't undeserved, and I accept that.
After all, am I my brother's keeper?
Blessings,
M-Taliesin