BreakTheChain.org

SUBJECT: For women who drive at night:
Please read and pass on!!

Guys out there please share this info with the women in your life.This is a good thing to know. Sometimes emails that get forwarded are important.Consider this one to think about. Very important for your safety.

As I headed for home by myself at approximately 10 pm, I was between exits when a car pulled into the right-most lane beside me (I was in the center lane) and started matching speeds with me. After a minute, I tried to slow down so he would pass. He slowed, too. I regained my previous speed, and he sped up with me. Finally after a few minutes of this, he pulled slightly ahead of me, rolled down his window and motioned towards my tire as though something was wrong. The man had already begun to make me nervous by driving alongside me for some distance on the mostly empty highway, and now my training took over. This man is trying to get me off the road by myself here in the dark," I thought. The area where I was, is basically the middle of nowhere. I know my car. I am very careful with maintenance, and I am an experienced driver.

I know what a flat tire feels like. I knew my car was fine. I put on my turn signal and moved to the right-most lane behind the man anyway and slowed down slightly; there is always the chance that something could have been wrong, better to be prepared. The other car pulled onto the shoulder and started slowing down. Now I knew he was definitely trying to get me to pull over. I passed him, he swerved back on the road and drove right behind me.

At the next exit, there were two gas stations. They were well lit and there were a few people there. I exited, he followed. Not only this, but a car I had not previously noticed, that was in front of us suddenly swerved off the exit when I put my turn signal on. I know this scenario. I grew up in some pretty bad areas.

At this point, everything I had learned was in control. I decided not to stop anywhere. By now there was absolutely no doubt that my car was fine. When we approached the stop sign at the dark, empty intersection after the gas stations, the car ahead of me put on his left turn signal and stopped. I checked for traffic as I approached the intersection, then pulled around him to the right, and headed straight back for the highway. Both the car that had been ahead and the one that had been following me turned left across the highway and did not pursue further. I carefully checked my car in a safe place when I knew I was no longer being followed. It is in perfect condition. This is a classic scenario for car jackers to use at night.

I feel lucky that I was well prepared and didn't have to think too much about what to do.

1. Don't ever let yourself be caught between cars. Car jackers often work in pairs, attempting to corner your vehicle.
2. Don't ever pull off the road at night by yourself in a dark, unpopulated place.
3. Carry a cell phone. If you don't have one...get one!!
4. Stay calm. Don't try any tricks. If you are in an accident, you are vulnerable.
5. Remember that most criminals want easy victims. DON'T LET YOURSELF BECOME ONE!!!
6. Make sure you find out how to react BEFORE you are in the situation! These situations are fortunately real and dangerous. Thinking about it when it happens is too late!
7. ALWAYS make sure you do not stop until you are CERTAIN that help is present (i.e., even if you are in a slight accident head straight for the police station, and do not stop until you are there. Car jackers often slightly damage vehicles by bumping them from the rear to try to get the driver to get out.)

GOOD ENOUGH TO READ? PASS IT ON!