I hate car fires.
I’ve never had a car that caught fire but the idea of them just makes me sad. My car has always been a safe place for me, somewhere I can not worry about things and listen to music or just let the wind blow through the windows and feel happy. I realize that feeling safe in a car is kind of silly, seeing how you’re more likely to get hurt in a car than anywhere else during a normal day but my general need for occasional alone time has always looked past that, and I drive safely and have a safe car. I think most people pretty much love their cars and feel safe in them so when it comes to then darn thing catching on fire it’s kind of devastating.
I saw one on the highway this morning on the way into work. It was a Chevy SUV and that’s a first for me because every car fire I’ve seen to date has been a Jeep Cherokee, four of them in total. Today’s fifth car fire sighting marks the end of my theory that Jeeps are the only trucks that catch fire. Either way, I came up to it just as the state trooper got there and what I saw wasn’t what I expected, but it probably should have been.
As I was driving by I saw the state trooper quickly rush out of his car and run immediately toward the truck which was completely engulfed in flames from the cabin forward and fling open the doors to look for someone inside. I’ve no doubt that it probably hurt and being that close to a fire that’s shooting out of a car about ten feet in either direction wasn’t pleasant but it was done completely without hesitation and it was kind of amazing.
Seeing an act of bravery is kinda rare since this part of the world is pretty tame compared to the rest but it shouldn’t be taken for granted. I thought about it for the rest of the way in and am sure it’ll be on my mind for a few more days and thankfully don’t have to think if it too often since dangerous situations aren’t happening everywhere around me all the time. I don’t think I’d have too many friends if that was the case.
Thank you to all of the people out there that have signed up for the kind of job that might force you to put others before yourself. You’re all real heroes.