masameet
12-08-2007, 02:07 AM
In the back seat of a cruiser!!!! :cry
And man, is the seating back there tight even for a little person. :laughing
To make a very long story short, this thread is an appreciation thread for CHP Officers Jeff Thomas and Dan Geers, who really did a great job helping me out of a genuine jam. I believe they work out of the Oakland office. And I'm planning to write them letters of appreciation and forward them to their bosses (Arnold and those others guys).
So here's the long version of the continuing saga of my adventures by motorcycle ...
Last night, around 6 p.m., in the HOV lane on EB I-80, about a 100 feet east of of the Emeryville Powell St. overpass, my DRZ crapped out on me completely. No headlight, no ignition, no instrument panel lights, no battery. Luckily the SUV driver that I'd just shared a lane with and passed realized something was up and let me tippy-toe power walk my dead bike in front of him a few feet to the center divider. There, as I leaned against the K-rail on the darkened freeway with hundreds of cars, trucks, buses and motorcyclists whizzing by me less than a foot away, my first thought was: Call for a tow. And even though I'd recently plunked into my cell phone the 800 number for MoTow, I couldn't find it in my Verizon LG phone.
So I called a few tow companies whose numbers were easily found in my contacts under Tow. Dave at Dave's Tow said, Sorry, but I'm booked up for the next 4 hours. And Rich, at Cycle Tow, said, Sure but I'm not with AMA. So I called 911.
Took like 5 full minutes for a CHP dispatcher to come on the line. She was actually kinda nice. But she denied my request to have a CHP patrol car come by and run interference for me so I could push my bike across 5 lanes of stopped traffic. Instead she had me promise that I would accept whatever tow truck showed up. She would also have a CHP cruiser come by to protect me until the tow truck showed.
About 15 minutes later I saw one CHP cruiser drive by in the 4th lane. :wtf Meanwhile, hundreds, nay, perhaps thousands, of motorists passed me. The first guy to stop -- and I mean he came to a complete stop about 15 feet east of me and held up traffic -- was in a box truck. I ran up to his truck and thanked him for stopping for me. Four other drivers, with their windows down, slowed to a stop and asked if I was okay. I thanked them too for their concern. One rider stopped for me. Like the box truck driver, he parked his bike about 15 feet east of me but walked over to me and asked if he could help. He offered to have me grab a hold of his bike's seat or passenger peg. I didn't quite understand how we could manage the impromptu bike tow safely, so I thanked him for his kind offer. Maybe one day I'll be able to see what he looks like in daylight.
And I got back on my cell phone, checked for MoTow (it was under MoTow! [smacks forehead]), and waited for a human to come on. Finally some youngish woman did. Her attitude was basically You're too new a member to be in our database. Then she put me on hold. Finally a really nice older lady came on. We again went through the same information-gathering process, but this time Doris, as she gave her name, tried to help me. About 20 minutes into the call with her, I perked my head up to see another CHP cruiser pass me -- in the 3d lane.
"Hey, ass--!" I shouted in disbelief.
I let the word die in my mouth, since the phone was still against my ear and I really didn't want to offend Doris. I watched as the cruiser drove another 30 feet forward until it stopped, turned on its flashers, forced other drivers out of the HOV lane, and then backed down towards me.
Whew!
"Did you guys hear me?" I asked.
"Nah. I saw you as we drove by," said a really good-looking CHP officer who turned out to be Officer Jeff Thomas. (And I must've said, at least three times, I can't believe the dispatcher didn't send out a patrol car for me.)
His partner, Officer Dan Geers, who was driving, I noticed was laying down a bunch of flares for us. I guess Officer Thomas was his supervising officer, because he apparently directed Officer Geers to walk into traffic and make a stop of all five lanes. I didn't get to watch him perform the feat because I was absolutely thrilled when Officer Thomas all of a sudden said, I'm going to walk your bike to the other side of I-80, where it'll be much safer.
Yippee!
And yes, I waved to the stopped drivers as we walked across the five lanes of EB I-80. :laughing
As we got to the other side, I noticed the overhead freeway lamp some few feet from us. So I asked if Officer Thomas would park my bike under the light. He complied without hesitation. Then he said, It'll be much warmer if you sit in our patrol car.
Yes! I thought. And then he laughed as I tried to shoehorn myself into the back seat.
About 6 minutes later a tow truck drove up and Officer Thomas sicced Officer Geers on him while I continued talking to MoTow's Doris. From the patrol car, we watched as the tow truck driver wheeled my bike towards the back of his truck in preparation for hoisting it up on his cable winch.
Officer Thomas then said, If AMA can get you a tow, go with them.
So I got out of the warm cruiser to talk to the tow trucker driver. MoTow's Doris hadn't yet promised she could get me a tow. The tow truck driver took his cell phone from his ear and stated, You have to let me tow you. If you don't, I can take your bike in and you'll have to pay for storage, 'cuz we can't have an abandoned motorcycle on the freeway.
Officer Geers, to the tow truck driver, said, Gimme your phone. And he talked to, I guess, the CHP dispatcher. Then to me he said, Can AMA get you a tow? If yes, we'll wait with you until one shows up.
So we're sitting in the CHP cruiser again, enjoying the warmth, when Officer Thomas said, Denny's is just down the way from here. What if I walk your bike to there?
Man, there went my free CHP ride. :cry
OK, I said. And I know you guys have to be "working [the freeway]." :cry
So with Officer Thomas trailing us, pushing my bike, Officer Geers backed the patrol car down towards the Powell St. onramp.
Hey, you're doing a great job, Officer! I offered.
Oops, almost hit the guardrail there, he said.
We both laughed.
Finally within a few feet of Powell St., Officer Thomas stopped Officer Geers, told him he'd stop oncoming traffic at the onramp so Officer Geers could maneuver the cruiser safely, told him to make a U-turn up at the frontage road (near the gas station), and to park at Denny's. Where I thanked and shook their hands twice before they drove off again.
All in all, Officers Thomas and Geers made my near awful night of danger very bearable.
Thank you, CHP. Thank you, Officers Thomas and Gears. :applause
And man, is the seating back there tight even for a little person. :laughing
To make a very long story short, this thread is an appreciation thread for CHP Officers Jeff Thomas and Dan Geers, who really did a great job helping me out of a genuine jam. I believe they work out of the Oakland office. And I'm planning to write them letters of appreciation and forward them to their bosses (Arnold and those others guys).
So here's the long version of the continuing saga of my adventures by motorcycle ...
Last night, around 6 p.m., in the HOV lane on EB I-80, about a 100 feet east of of the Emeryville Powell St. overpass, my DRZ crapped out on me completely. No headlight, no ignition, no instrument panel lights, no battery. Luckily the SUV driver that I'd just shared a lane with and passed realized something was up and let me tippy-toe power walk my dead bike in front of him a few feet to the center divider. There, as I leaned against the K-rail on the darkened freeway with hundreds of cars, trucks, buses and motorcyclists whizzing by me less than a foot away, my first thought was: Call for a tow. And even though I'd recently plunked into my cell phone the 800 number for MoTow, I couldn't find it in my Verizon LG phone.
So I called a few tow companies whose numbers were easily found in my contacts under Tow. Dave at Dave's Tow said, Sorry, but I'm booked up for the next 4 hours. And Rich, at Cycle Tow, said, Sure but I'm not with AMA. So I called 911.
Took like 5 full minutes for a CHP dispatcher to come on the line. She was actually kinda nice. But she denied my request to have a CHP patrol car come by and run interference for me so I could push my bike across 5 lanes of stopped traffic. Instead she had me promise that I would accept whatever tow truck showed up. She would also have a CHP cruiser come by to protect me until the tow truck showed.
About 15 minutes later I saw one CHP cruiser drive by in the 4th lane. :wtf Meanwhile, hundreds, nay, perhaps thousands, of motorists passed me. The first guy to stop -- and I mean he came to a complete stop about 15 feet east of me and held up traffic -- was in a box truck. I ran up to his truck and thanked him for stopping for me. Four other drivers, with their windows down, slowed to a stop and asked if I was okay. I thanked them too for their concern. One rider stopped for me. Like the box truck driver, he parked his bike about 15 feet east of me but walked over to me and asked if he could help. He offered to have me grab a hold of his bike's seat or passenger peg. I didn't quite understand how we could manage the impromptu bike tow safely, so I thanked him for his kind offer. Maybe one day I'll be able to see what he looks like in daylight.
And I got back on my cell phone, checked for MoTow (it was under MoTow! [smacks forehead]), and waited for a human to come on. Finally some youngish woman did. Her attitude was basically You're too new a member to be in our database. Then she put me on hold. Finally a really nice older lady came on. We again went through the same information-gathering process, but this time Doris, as she gave her name, tried to help me. About 20 minutes into the call with her, I perked my head up to see another CHP cruiser pass me -- in the 3d lane.
"Hey, ass--!" I shouted in disbelief.
I let the word die in my mouth, since the phone was still against my ear and I really didn't want to offend Doris. I watched as the cruiser drove another 30 feet forward until it stopped, turned on its flashers, forced other drivers out of the HOV lane, and then backed down towards me.
Whew!
"Did you guys hear me?" I asked.
"Nah. I saw you as we drove by," said a really good-looking CHP officer who turned out to be Officer Jeff Thomas. (And I must've said, at least three times, I can't believe the dispatcher didn't send out a patrol car for me.)
His partner, Officer Dan Geers, who was driving, I noticed was laying down a bunch of flares for us. I guess Officer Thomas was his supervising officer, because he apparently directed Officer Geers to walk into traffic and make a stop of all five lanes. I didn't get to watch him perform the feat because I was absolutely thrilled when Officer Thomas all of a sudden said, I'm going to walk your bike to the other side of I-80, where it'll be much safer.
Yippee!
And yes, I waved to the stopped drivers as we walked across the five lanes of EB I-80. :laughing
As we got to the other side, I noticed the overhead freeway lamp some few feet from us. So I asked if Officer Thomas would park my bike under the light. He complied without hesitation. Then he said, It'll be much warmer if you sit in our patrol car.
Yes! I thought. And then he laughed as I tried to shoehorn myself into the back seat.
About 6 minutes later a tow truck drove up and Officer Thomas sicced Officer Geers on him while I continued talking to MoTow's Doris. From the patrol car, we watched as the tow truck driver wheeled my bike towards the back of his truck in preparation for hoisting it up on his cable winch.
Officer Thomas then said, If AMA can get you a tow, go with them.
So I got out of the warm cruiser to talk to the tow trucker driver. MoTow's Doris hadn't yet promised she could get me a tow. The tow truck driver took his cell phone from his ear and stated, You have to let me tow you. If you don't, I can take your bike in and you'll have to pay for storage, 'cuz we can't have an abandoned motorcycle on the freeway.
Officer Geers, to the tow truck driver, said, Gimme your phone. And he talked to, I guess, the CHP dispatcher. Then to me he said, Can AMA get you a tow? If yes, we'll wait with you until one shows up.
So we're sitting in the CHP cruiser again, enjoying the warmth, when Officer Thomas said, Denny's is just down the way from here. What if I walk your bike to there?
Man, there went my free CHP ride. :cry
OK, I said. And I know you guys have to be "working [the freeway]." :cry
So with Officer Thomas trailing us, pushing my bike, Officer Geers backed the patrol car down towards the Powell St. onramp.
Hey, you're doing a great job, Officer! I offered.
Oops, almost hit the guardrail there, he said.
We both laughed.
Finally within a few feet of Powell St., Officer Thomas stopped Officer Geers, told him he'd stop oncoming traffic at the onramp so Officer Geers could maneuver the cruiser safely, told him to make a U-turn up at the frontage road (near the gas station), and to park at Denny's. Where I thanked and shook their hands twice before they drove off again.
All in all, Officers Thomas and Geers made my near awful night of danger very bearable.
Thank you, CHP. Thank you, Officers Thomas and Gears. :applause