Today, if you stop and offer someone help, there is a strong possibility you are putting yourself in legal jeopardy. Correct me if I am wrong on this. This is why people are cynical and disbelieving. That aside, I must agree with others who suspect an assault by Jack Daniels. Or, perhaps she found her teenaged son's stash.
There, how's that for cynical?

On general principle I agree with you. 911 is for emergencies.

In this case, however, there was enough to suggest that perhaps this woman was in need of help. I would prefer to err on the side of caution, call 911 and let LEO sort it out.

If your cable goes out, DO NOT call 911.

Some states have Good Samaritan laws. Whether that would apply in this situation ??? or how effective the laws are ????

When you live on the west coast, in a beach town, homelessness and mental illness are common place in the large street populations. Bizarre behaviors by the street populations, and those that sleep along our MUP's, are not uncommon. It really is sad to see that mental illness is something our society really does not know how to effectively treat.


In response to the OP's post; if what he saw was really unusual for the area he was in, I think the prudent thing would have been to stop and check what was going on (if it would not put him at risk) or notify the local PD.

I saw a woman standing 20' up a dirt road in a very rural area twelve miles from my home. The wasn't wearing a shirt and was holding some type of platter over her head with one hand. She was facing away from me and not moving.

I kept going but later found out an artist lives lives up that road.

I think ftwelder has it. You were a witness to a piece of conceptual art and were too clueless to appreciate it.

OK, I've been thinking about this for a week now. (I know I really need to get a fuller life. ) I'd be quite curious to know what the behavioral signs were that indicated to the OP that she seemed "a bit off". Were the body language cues on which you based this? Did she make eye contact? Did her facial expression change as you approached? The possibilities are endless as to what was really taking place, and without more information it's really hard to "evaluate" the situation. I know the behavior of taking a step into the road as you approached and moved away from her might seem odd. But I can recall many times I've seen people do similar things. And the number of times I've seen a squirrel do this is countless. It's almost as if their decision-making has frozen for a moment. If you startled her, the behavior would seem typical of what many might do when they freeze for a moment and then try to react.

Just be glad you got by with no contact. Who knows? Maybe she liked the looks of you and your bike and was hoping to HIT on you.

This would explain it:



When people are talking on their cell phone, they can look right at you, and not see you. She was in another world.

Inattentional blindness

Barefoot????

I wonder how many people know their non-emergency number.

Some jurisdictions are now charging the caller with a crime if the call is not an emergency.

Just add the non emergency numbers to your cell phone for all of the areas you ride in.

This thread reminds me of an experience I had a few years back when I attempted to ride over a wet metal drawbridge and fell very heavily. I was lying there on the metal grid, still clipped in, bleeding profusely from my face, while several cars drove by close to me and not one stopped.
As it happened, I was not seriously hurt, just bruised and grazed, but it just goes to show the attitude of some people in our society nowadays.

I've had people seemingly intentionally move into my path. Absent any other data I would have to assume they were looking for a confrontation. That makes them the most dangerous animal on the planet (are they armed?). Avoidance is a very valid response.

And regarding good samaritan laws, my late father always lamented how physicians were usually not protected by them. As a physician he pointed out that responding to a cry for "is there a doctor in the house?" could end up with him losing everything he had.