Called CHP on Lexus with two flat tires on 85/280. (? for CHP BARFers)

ScorpioVI

ScorpioVI

كافر ლ(ಠ&
I was driving to work around 7:30 this morning on NB 85 at De Anza when I saw a lot of smoke and shredded rubber. There was a silver Lexus up ahead in the right lane with blown front and rear tires (passenger side), and I figured he'd pull over.

He didn't. He went to NB 280 and drove on like this for the next 40 minutes. I got behind him, put my flashers on, turned my camera on, figured this guy was impaired or 5150 or something. Called 911 twice. No sign of cops so I kept following this guy to Woodside Rd and Redwood City. The whole time he's driving about 40, spitting out shredded rubber and his rims falling apart.

He stopped at a light in Woodside and I confronted him (white guy in his mid 60s), he said he's just going to a doctor's appointment. I, umm, implored him to pull over and get a tow truck. He keeps driving. Now he's got everybody's attention, making a hell of a racket with his car, and I see a couple other drivers picking up their cell phones (hopefully to call 911). I hear sirens, but still no cops. I follow him all the way to his doctor's office until he parks, by this time we had a train of people following wondering what was up.

I confront him again at the parking lot. He said it was a life or death situation. OK. He didn't seem impaired, couldn't smell alcohol on his breath so I let him walk into the building. I sit there for 5 minutes, still no cops. Fuck it, I went to work.

Question is, is there anything you LEOs can do about this guy. Stupidity isn't a crime but driving for 40 minutes on the freeway on two flat tires must count for a reckless at least. I have video of the whole thing and I have pictures of the guy as he got out of his car. Anybody care to do any further investigating?

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vought

vought

Riding every day
I've got video of him. If it's life or death he's talking about, driving an uncontrollable car on the freeway during rush hour is pretty LoD. Given the evidence and eyewitness accounts, I'd sure hope CHP could do something.
 
vought

vought

Riding every day
People like this infuriate me. Probably more damage to that car than I make in six months, and all so he didn't have to sit in a dirty taxi. I'd love to know how he blew both tires and got that sideswipe as well; looked like a guardrail hit and I assumed he'd done it shortly before I encountered him just south of Page Mill.
 
2

22348b cvc

Speed chaser
I have come across these many of times. Usually with senior drivers it is some form of dementia and they really have no clue. Sometimes it is drugs or alcohol but from just what the OP gave us this does not sound like it was the case. Most of the time call an ambulance to take them to hospital for medical evaluation, tow car, and priority re-evaluation on driver license. I try to get family members involved if I can.
 
NoobCorpse

NoobCorpse

Well-known member
LEOs correct me if I'm mistaken, but:

Instead of 911, you might have better luck with the CHP Hotline - 800-835-5247. I've used it for reporting ladders in lanes and accidents.
 
ScorpioVI

ScorpioVI

كافر ლ(ಠ&
vought said:
I've got video of him. If it's life or death he's talking about, driving an uncontrollable car on the freeway during rush hour is pretty LoD. Given the evidence and eyewitness accounts, I'd sure hope CHP could do something.
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I've got video of you and this guy just before the Page Mill exit. I was honking my horn at you trying to warn you too.
 
RightCoastBias

RightCoastBias

F8TRED
The smell of alcohol on his breath could be related to diabetes. Low blood glucose can lead to a person pretty much being drunk and smelling like it, even when they haven't had a drink.

That could have been his medical emergency, though calling 911 and a ride somewhere certainly would be the better choice. But who knows how this all started. He could have been feeling ill due to low glucose levels, got in his car and it got worse and worse.
 
J

Junkie

gone for now
vought said:
People like this infuriate me. Probably more damage to that car than I make in six months, and all so he didn't have to sit in a dirty taxi. I'd love to know how he blew both tires and got that sideswipe as well; looked like a guardrail hit and I assumed he'd done it shortly before I encountered him just south of Page Mill.
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The car should be driveable with 2 new wheels/tires, nothing else needed. I don't see any other damage related to driving after he hit the guardrail.

Then again, it's easily possible for there to be hidden damage.
 
}Dragon{

}Dragon{

(╯°□°)╯︵ ┻━┻ ︵ ╯(°□° ╯)
RightCoastBias said:
The smell of alcohol on his breath could be related to diabetes. Low blood glucose can lead to a person pretty much being drunk and smelling like it, even when they haven't had a drink.
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A diabetic reaction does not have an odor of alcohol (ETOH)- it's more like an acetone odor.
 
bojangle

bojangle

FN # 40
Staff member
Junkie said:
The car should be driveable with 2 new wheels/tires, nothing else needed. I don't see any other damage related to driving after he hit the guardrail.

Then again, it's easily possible for there to be hidden damage.
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I do. There is damage on the side of that car that looks to be consistent with the shape and height of a guardrail.
 
J

Junkie

gone for now
I agree, it appears he hit a guardrail. I was assuming that was the original collision, that caused the flats.

I was saying that the wheels are the only thing he damaged *after* he hit the guardrail.
 
ScorpioVI

ScorpioVI

كافر ლ(ಠ&
bojangle said:
I do. There is damage on the side of that car that looks to be consistent with the shape and height of a guardrail.
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No guardrail on the right shoulder anywhere on 85. Closest would probably be 17, so he was driving in from Santa Cruz, scraped a guardrail, ran on flats until his tires blew out on 85/De Anza, which adds at least another 5+ miles to the 21 miles I followed him for.
 
SLOWREX03

SLOWREX03

Well-known member
I pulled up the logs for it. looks like several people called it in and some gave conflicting locations which had a couple officers looking in the wrong area. the driver ended up being contacted by 2 law enforcement agencies, but i dont know what enforcement action was taken.
 
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