Odd incident on Kaloli Drive this evening

[PaulW]

We need more police, or less guns.

Well done, Tom. I like to think I would have asked the fellow what he was doing but I'm sure you had a good reason to keep your distance.

[TomK]

Paul - as I said in my original post, I just didn't feel safe doing so. If it had been some obvious drunk or a kid not thinking I might have tried to stop and tell them they're putting their life at risk and would try to help in some way. This guy, however, just kept on going in a straight line and seemed completely unaware of the cars swerving around him - he didn't try to get out of the way as you might expect a drunk to attempt, for instance. It was like he had a death wish. I don't feel competent enough to deal with someone like that on a dark street with no immediate help available - hence the call to the professionals.

It was a judgment call I made at the time. It might have been the wrong one, I'll grant you that, but as Opihikao mentioned, there's just a little more tension around these days after the recent shootings and this guy just didn't seem particularly normal to me.

Tom
http://apacificview.blogspot.com/

[TomK]

cwoods61:

quote:

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One night last week, I was driving on 130 uphill between Kalapana and Pahoa around 9:00 PM. Some guy was skateboarding down the hill wearing dark clothing and no lighting whatsoever. I nearly hit him. And he had just passed a house with dogs that chase anything that moves. Luckily they left him alone.

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That's common in HPP and probably all subdivisions unfortunately - absolutely crazy someone is doing it on the highway though.

Please excuse a little rant here, just think this is a good time for it. A few days ago I was driving home, in daylight, on Kaloli in HPP. I caught up with a cyclist and as I was trained to do many years ago, planned to pass him when I could give him a whole lane's width of space between my car and him. I let an oncoming car go by then overtook in the other lane only to see that the cyclist, a teenager, had his arms crossed with no control of the bike. Just before passing him his bike swerved a couple of inches but it was enough to take him off the road and into the grass verge. He was skilled enough to recover (hell, as I kid I rode hands-off all the time - wouldn't do it now though) but he could have easily fallen off the bike into the road. If that had happened, and I hadn't given him some room, there'd be a dead teenager right now.

I'm also stunned by the number of people walking along the main roads in HPP who have their back turned to oncoming traffic. As kids it was drummed into us time and time again that if you are walking on a road without a path/sidewalk, then you walk at the side of the lane that has oncoming traffic. That way you can see (and hear) what's coming and get out of the way if you have to. I have never forgotten that but I see so many people here walk along a busy road, sometimes with headphones on, with their back to oncoming traffic.

I sort of understand people hitch-hiking might want to do that, but you really have to be aware of what's going on around you, so take off the headphones. Parents and teachers - please educate your kids to walk along a road so that they can see when danger is approaching. And keep on educating them until it's second nature to them.

OK, rant over!

Tom
http://apacificview.blogspot.com/

[opihikao]

Tom, you made the right choice. Period. Always go with your gut. You did. We were not there, and from your description, this person did not care about anything. Nothing. You made the right choice.

I also admire your concern for someone who may have hit/killed him. It would have been a lifelong burden to bear, albeit no fault of the innocent driver.

taropatch, the incident at SacNSave in Puainako was separate. That was Hilo cops, not Puna, responding. They also had shotguns drawn and flooded the shopping center to no avail (my daughter was in lock down for over an hour in one of the stores). The jerk with a gun in the store caught a ride to PAHOA. Still searching for him today, at least have an ID at this point. (Good Lord! Puna,again! UGH!)

afwjam, seriously? Well, (I have no words except...) enjoy. (SMH, don't understand, at all, sorry)


(*disclaimer: Husband is a 25 year veteran of HCPD; not always a good thing; different mind set, and along with that comes my opinion of these incidents.)

JMO.

ETA: Tom: Totally agree with the "go against the flow of traffic". Rant appreciated (only because I hear you! [])

[TomK]

quote:

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The jerk with a gun in the store caught a ride to PAHOA

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For those genuine hitch-hikers out there I don't know personally, this is the reason I no longer stop for you. Sorry, it's nothing personal, but I simply have no way of knowing if you're a really nice person who just needs a ride to get to work, family or perhaps a job interview, or a dangerous armed nutcase.

Tom
http://apacificview.blogspot.com/

[PaulW]

Tom, just to be clear, I am not questioning your judgement. Great that you called the police, most people would (and did) just continue on.

I also would never pick up a hitchhiker. Yet another downside for a society where guns are all too easily available.

[TomK]

Paul - I know you weren't questioning my judgment, don't worry about that, but also know I hadn't made it clear in the first place how weird this guy was acting so replied to your post to clarify things. And yes, it seems most people just swerved and carried on, at least to my knowledge although I don't know if there were any other calls to the police.

PS. Opihikao - thank you for your kind words!

Tom
http://apacificview.blogspot.com/

[pahoated]

quote:

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Originally posted by terracore
What you witnessed was irrefutable proof that evolution exists.

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Sounds more like empirical evidence of devolution accelerating. Never know if the guy is just totally messed up on alcohol and mostly harmless, or has a death wish, or planning to carjack anybody that stopped or whatever else that passes for homo sapien rational thinking these days.

"It was a majority decision to descend into the Dark Ages. Don't worry, be happy, bang on da drum all day!"

[Bullwinkle]

Couple of years ago some one clipped and killed a pedestrian on Kulani.... I never did hear of the vehicle and driver being found - the cops had paint samples and a few bits of car body - seemed to be close to having a handle on make and model as well - never heard anything since...

[EightFingers]

He was walking out there for one of maybe three reasons:
1: Protesting the fact HPP has no sidewalks;
2: Hoping to get hit so he can sue and grab some easy(?)money;
or 3: Suicidal.