MSQueen
02-08-2007, 07:53 PM
i had a very scary experience this morning on my way to work about 7:45. i had just turned onto South Main Street in Petal when my car started feeling like it was "drifting" or "floating" on the road. i really freaked and started trying to turn the wheel to get off the road and get into the parking lot at Petal Harvey Baptist church, but the only thing that happened is my steering wheel continued turning, but my wheels didn't!! i had NO STEERING at all in my car. i immediately put my hazard flashers on so others coming up in back of me would know to get in the center lane and go around me. i really don't understand why it's so hard for people to figure out when they see hazard lights that they need to "go around". i swear, i thought several cars were going to plow into the back of my car before they realized they needed to go around! oh well,...
i immediately called my husband at work and told him what happened and that i needed him to come get me, and he made arrangements for a wrecker, but it would be about 15-20 minutes for them to get there. several passers-by stopped and told me they would help me push the car off the road, and i told them i could have done that if i could steer the car, but there wasn't any steering. i turned the steering wheel and showed them how it spun 'round and 'round, and most all of them shook their heads and said they had never seen that before.
i figured since there were so many people who evidently didn't know what flashing lights on the rear of a car that wasn't moving meant, that i needed some assistance from the petal pd until the wrecker showed up. i called and told the dispatcher what had happened and that i needed an officer to come and assist since i was afraid one of these crazy folks was gonna hit into the back of my car with the flashing lights steadily "flashing" on and off!! btw, "thumbs up" to the dispatcher also! i was really frantic and upset when i called, and she was really friendly.
a few minutes later a PPD car pulled up with HIS flashing lights going and parked behind my car. (they were SLIGHTLY bigger and brighter than mine!) i again explained to him what had happened and why i had called for an officer, and he told me that i could get back in my car and sit if i wanted and said, "i don't think anyone will be hitting MY car with the flashing lights!" lol ... his name was Jonathan Brady, and he was very friendly and engaged in conversation with me and stayed there until after the wrecker came and took my car to the shop. while we were there, another officer came by to make sure there wasn't anything he could do, but i didn't get his name.
i just wanted to say THANK YOU to Officer Brady and the PPD for their caring and understanding during a time that was pretty stressful for me!
i also want to thank the Lord above for keeping me safe and for not letting this happen in some other place where the situation might not have had the same fortunate outcome for me and possibly other drivers!
p.s. it turned out that a $3 bolt holding the steering column in place (i don't know all the automotive terminology) had come loose and come off, causing the steering column to come apart from the steering wheel and causing there to be no steering! my husband found a local car parts place that had a similar vehicle at their shop and they took it off their car, and my husband had it bolted on my car. :smt038
i immediately called my husband at work and told him what happened and that i needed him to come get me, and he made arrangements for a wrecker, but it would be about 15-20 minutes for them to get there. several passers-by stopped and told me they would help me push the car off the road, and i told them i could have done that if i could steer the car, but there wasn't any steering. i turned the steering wheel and showed them how it spun 'round and 'round, and most all of them shook their heads and said they had never seen that before.
i figured since there were so many people who evidently didn't know what flashing lights on the rear of a car that wasn't moving meant, that i needed some assistance from the petal pd until the wrecker showed up. i called and told the dispatcher what had happened and that i needed an officer to come and assist since i was afraid one of these crazy folks was gonna hit into the back of my car with the flashing lights steadily "flashing" on and off!! btw, "thumbs up" to the dispatcher also! i was really frantic and upset when i called, and she was really friendly.
a few minutes later a PPD car pulled up with HIS flashing lights going and parked behind my car. (they were SLIGHTLY bigger and brighter than mine!) i again explained to him what had happened and why i had called for an officer, and he told me that i could get back in my car and sit if i wanted and said, "i don't think anyone will be hitting MY car with the flashing lights!" lol ... his name was Jonathan Brady, and he was very friendly and engaged in conversation with me and stayed there until after the wrecker came and took my car to the shop. while we were there, another officer came by to make sure there wasn't anything he could do, but i didn't get his name.
i just wanted to say THANK YOU to Officer Brady and the PPD for their caring and understanding during a time that was pretty stressful for me!
i also want to thank the Lord above for keeping me safe and for not letting this happen in some other place where the situation might not have had the same fortunate outcome for me and possibly other drivers!
p.s. it turned out that a $3 bolt holding the steering column in place (i don't know all the automotive terminology) had come loose and come off, causing the steering column to come apart from the steering wheel and causing there to be no steering! my husband found a local car parts place that had a similar vehicle at their shop and they took it off their car, and my husband had it bolted on my car. :smt038