What are the Responsibilities of a Car Accident Witness?

Posted on August 14, 2010 by Freespirit Writer

How many times have you come upon a car accident while driving? How many times were you the first at the scene? Did you stop and ask if the involved parties were alright or did you call 911 to report the accident? Do you know what your state’s responsibilities are for being a car accident witness?

I witnessed a would-be hit-and-run-car accident this week, but I wasn’t the only one who saw it happen; however, I was the only one who stopped in the middle of residential traffic to ask if one victim was okay, and called 911. I saw a mini-van coming from the west straight into oncoming traffic who didn’t stop at the red light. If I was 2 cars earlier, it would’ve been my car that was broadsided. The mini van hit one car, then another as both cars crossed the minivan’s path going in opposite directions and then continued through the busy lunchtime intersection. I grabbed my cellphone to dial 911 as the mail truck behind me blared its horn forcing me to move through traffic, but I stopped to ask one driver if she was okay.

I really thought I was going to have to chase this minivan down to get its license plate as I was on the phone with 911 operator, but alas he did stop after turning through the intersection. And still the irresponsible USPS mail truck was blaring its horn as well as the car behind it for me to move, of course, I didn’t give in, I thought it was my civic responsibility as a car accident witness to remain with the parties involved.

As I was calling 911 (no one else seemed to have a cellphone) and told the operator of the location, an ambulance arrived on scene from another “run” and checked on the victims. I asked the 911 operator if I should stay as a car accident witness. Whether it was my social responsibility, being a good Christian Samaritan or just a concerned citizen I stayed on the scene until the local police officer arrived on the scene.

The officer initially thought I was involved in the accident and called in my license plate, but I assured him I was not and was only the responsible person who called 911 as I had witnessed the near hit-and-run car accident. Thankfully both cars that were broadsided did not appear to be hurt only shook up a bit, and the driver of the minivan as feeble as he was claimed his brakes gave out and that’s the reason he couldn’t stop. I gave the officer my account of what happened as well as my contact info, and he released me.

What would you have done if you were in my situation? Would you have been the Good Samaritan and offered your help or at least called 911?

According to this article on being a witness to a car accident, I did the right thing!

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Killing a Garden

Posted on July 27, 2010 by Freespirit Writer

I have tried to grow a container garden for the last 2 years. Living on the uppermost floor of an apartment building, does not allow me much space or freedom to plant the herbs and veggies that I want.

I may advocate and live a green life, but that sure doesn’t include a green thumb.

This year I wanted a salad garden, minus the lettuce. You know a cucumber plant, a tomato plant, peppers and a few herbs. It was my belated Mother’s Day present from my Mother.  She selected a full and healthy cherry tomato plant in a hanging basket, a very green and spiny cucumber plant with bright yellow flowers (I wasn’t even sure what it was at first), and a bushy oregano plant dug from her own garden as well as 2 jalapeño plants that had yet to bloom.

I promptly planted every plant in a prepared pot with soil and gave them a full drink of water. I watered them every day in the morning, misted their leaves. Watched as the tender leaves developed, a plump cucumber grew off the vine and yellow flowers turned to tiny round green tomatoes. The tiny tendrils wrapped themselves around the trellis and the dangling tomato plant.

Then the rains came…everyday for a week. My plastic pots flooded, the green leaves exploded. Then the drought came and I watered them twice a day and once with plant nutrients added. And the 90 degree plus temps and high humidity.

I guess I understand why it’s important for planters to have drainage holes. And how to kill a garden.

Thankfully I was able to save the tomato plant and it has provided numerous juicy cherry tomatoes, and I relished in the one cucumber I was able to harvest. The best news is that I saved one pepper plant and it is growing new green leaves that will hopefully yield a couple jalapeños too.

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Spirituality – More than religion

Posted on July 18, 2010 by Freespirit Writer

Faith. Believer. Spiritual.

What do these words mean to you? Are you thinking about religion, Christianity, God, or a higher power? Maybe they remind you of someone you know that talks about these words or maybe you have had an experience that “brings you to your knees” that altered your life.

Faith to me means you go with your intuition, you follow a path, a thought, or a notion that it will turn out to be the right choice for you at that time. It’s believing in something that you can’t touch or maybe not even fully understand, but you know it’s true.

Believer, a person who has a set of values in something whether it’s God, Buddha, god/goddess, a shaman or another higher power. However, it also means that they are confident enough in themselves and their faith, their trust in their volition to act on something to change or create a change in the world. I believe that you can be a “believer” in many ideas and things, and your beliefs will change as you grow and experience more in life and meet other people.

Spiritual is what I believe I am, even moreso than being a churchgoer because spirituality extends beyond what we have been taught to believe as well as faith. Spirituality means that a person can believe in many things and ideas and faiths or religions. Here’s an example, I am a member of a certain religion, but I am also a student of other faiths like Native American (many of my ancestors), Wiccan and Pagan (influences of friends and personal experiences – both of which have to deal with honoring the earth), astrology and Chinese influences (spent many months in Asia) as well as Mormon (I am a direct descendant of one of its first leaders).

I know what you’re thinking, “Wow! That’s a jumble of beliefs, many of which contradict each other.” However, if you think back to your roots…I mean all the way back to the beginning of the country where you live or where you’re from…your people came with a definite set of values, but also wanted some freedom to change and adopt other values. So it is true with me, and many of you as well.

My son does not attend church with me on a regular basis because I am giving him the freedom to choose where, when and what he wants to believe in. I didn’t have that choice until I was much older – I was a wanderer across many types of religions and practices, but I did return to my beginnings, and with a renewed sense of faith, belief and it has enhanced my own sense of spirituality.

What are your thoughts? Do you embrace one set of values, or do you have a variety of faiths and beliefs? I’d like to hear your opinions.

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Kindness of Strangers Extends Beyond the Clouds

Posted on July 14, 2010 by Freespirit Writer

Toddler Receives a Free Flight to Doctor on the Wings of Strangers

Caleb Nord, not even two years old, has a very rare disease (FHL-V) and there are only 5 doctors in the world who know how to treat this rare disorder that attacks Caleb’s white blood cells.

Caleb, along with his mother Ann Nord, needed to get to a specialist from White Bear, MN to Cincinnati, Ohio, but Caleb couldn’t fly regular airlines since his immune system wasn’t strong enough. With just a couple conversations with people in his hometown, a carwash fundraiser for Caleb and an ad in the local newspaper, Caleb and his mother received the ride they needed to Cincinnati.

How much would you help a little boy who is struggling to survive to meet his medical needs?

Read Caleb’s story on CaringBridge.com, a non-profit site that offers families a place to keep a journal for friends and family about their children’s health problems.

Sign Caleb Nord’s guestbook and leave him a message too.

God Bless Caleb we greatly admire your strong spirit and determination to fight this rare disorder!

Caleb is undergoing chemotherapy and being treated with steroids and antibiotics. He needs a bone marrow transplant. Only five physicians in the world specialize in the disorder. One of those is Dr. Alexandra Filipovich of the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center. Doctors at St. Paul Children’s Hospital want Caleb and his parents, Jeremy and Ann Nord, to see Filipovich, who sent an e-mail to his friend Bill King, vice president of business administration for Cirrus. A few more e-mails and phone calls, and it was arranged: Instead of going Delta, the Nords will take a Cirrus plane flown by a commercially licensed Cirrus pilot from St. Paul to Cincinnati on Tuesday, returning either Tuesday or Wednesday, depending on how long they need to be in the hospital. King’s call caught her by surprise, Ann Nord said. “I had no idea that anyone had contacted him,” she said. “I get this call and the kids are screaming and running around, and I ended up calling him back. He told me everything, and I just cried.” King said everyone at Cirrus from the top down wanted to help. ” Gary Doty noted how everything came together: a visit to Duluth, an ad in the paper, a casual conversation at a carwash, a couple of people connecting with a couple of other people.

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