Cycling, trails, and tailpipes

[William]

I’m in the middle of watching my son’s little league game yesterday when I get a phone call from one of my students. This is one of my guys who I turned onto cycling and helped him pick out a Gunnar Crosshair last year. He and a buddy decided to go riding trails in Arcadia State park. As they were finishing up their ride and heading back to the trail head to the car, they came around a corner of the trail (about a ¼ mile or so from the trail head) to find a car pulled off the trail . Obviously a kind of “***” moment. As they pass the idling car they can see a guy sitting inside smoking a cigarette. Then they spot the aluminum foil dryer hose running from the tail pipe up to the back window with duct tape holding it in place and covering the open portions of the window. They continue past in shocked disbelief. One moment enjoying a beautiful ride in the woods on a sunny warm day, the next moment confronted with a person trying to kill themselves. They continued on to the car and called the police on their cell phone. There is a State police barracks not too far from where they are and a few minutes later they see a cruiser coming up the road and try to flag the officer down. Mistaking their gestures, he waves back at them and continues on his way down the road. Another couple minutes go by and then another cruiser comes racing in. They tell him what they saw and his first response was a calm, "Is he dead?" They tell him that the guy was just sitting there smoking. He quickly takes down their ID information and asks if he can get his car up there. They explained that there are some soft sand spots but he should be able to get in…the other car did. A moment or two after the officers car disappears over the crest of the trail, the officer that waved to them came racing back down the road. He gets the low down and heads up the trail. My friend and his buddy are finishing loading up the car and talking about the incident when all of a sudden they hear two quick “Bangs” in succession echoing through the woods. He said he wasn’t sure if it was a gunshot or maybe a car bottoming out on the trail but he figured since the officer already had their contact info it was time to get the heck out of there. On the way up the road they get passed by an unmarked police car and ambulance with lights flashing heading back toward the trail.

He was pretty calm about it all but I’m sure it’s got to rattle you a bit at some level. Especially with the unexpected shift from beautiful ride to life threatening situation. I wasn’t able to watch the news last night to see if there was a mention of it but I’ll keep an eye out today.

Man, always expect the unexpected.


William

[Blue Jays]

It's crazy the things that are encountered out there. That's a wild scene to have stumbled upon.

[BumbleBeeDave]

. . . . is it possible the bangs were gunshots?

BBD

[csm]

did you hear anything more on this?

[William]

did you hear anything more on this?

No. State Police press releases go to 5-14 right now. I'll look to see if something is posted later.


. . . is it possible the bangs were gunshots?

he said he wasn’t sure if it was a gunshot or maybe a car bottoming out on the trail


William

[Kevan]

the breaking of glass, maybe using a gunshot.

[flickwet]

Talk about a total buzz kill that sucks for the end of a ride but what a story they now have and stories are what make gettin older more interesting, and they wouldn't have the story if you hadn't turned them on to cycling and maybe they saved the guys life, ultimately and hopefully good karma all the way around. We all gotta know though how it turns out, thanks!

[Blue Jays]

A police officer wouldn't discharge his/her service weapon simply to break automobile windows of a car out in the woods.
They would pick-up a big rock or apply PR-24 to the glass.

[Kevan]

A police officer wouldn't discharge his/her service weapon simply to break automobile windows of a car out in the woods.
They would pick-up a big rock or apply PR-24 to the glass.

but whatever was used likely made those windows explode.

[csm]

that police officer in POLICE ACADEMY used his pistol to get the kid out of the car.

[Chad Engle]

After reading that my first thought is would I have done the same... Or after realizing what he was trying to do, would I have went back and tried to stop it somehow. :confused:

I would feel terrible if in the time it took to get the authorities there the person was successful. At the same time, if they are willing to take their own life they may be pretty desperate and willing to hurt me in the process.

What a bad deal, too bad they happened upon it. I hope it turns out ok.

[thejen12]

My husband works in a park and told me that parks are a favorite place for suicides, unfortunately.

Jenn

[flickwet]

c'mon William any news?

[beungood]

I think they did the right thing making an observation and then exiting the woods to report the incident to the Police. No telling what the guy may have done had they interrupted his plans. Could have well been that he would have killed them to have the Police hunt him down and then provoked a suicide by cop scenario.

A few weeks ago a co-worker was parked in a cruiser when a male bumped his rear bumper. The young cop pulled his cruiser to the rear and before he could exit the male operator exited his vehicle and made a motion to his waist band area that he had a weapon. At the same time he charged forward and yelled I have a gun and I am going to kill you. The Officer drew his weapon and back pedalled giving verbal commands to show his hands and to get down. He eventually got the male to comply. The cop later stated being new to us from another department he was afraid he would have to shoot the guy and the ramifications. I think the male was lucky, as the cop would have been justified in using deadly force.

As an aside a co-worker and good freind of mine shot himself recently. He would be the last one any of us would have thought would do this and also the who looked out for all us and helped every one. It is a permanent soloution to temporary problem. I salute the riders for doing the right thing!

[toaster]

I'm on the edge of my frik'n seat.

Tell me more.
:banana: