Last month I was driving to East London. I was on the M25 and turned off at junction 27 to turn on to the M11. There is a sharp bend as the road curves around. On this bend, I saw what seemed to be a broken down vehicle. I couldn't see too clearly, but it seemed a light-skinned Pakistani or perhaps Eastern European man and I assumed his family was with him.
He was waving towards the traffic and seemed to be flagging for help. I thought perhaps someone is having a heart attack or perhaps he doesn't have a mobile phone and needs urgent help with ringing emergency services or something. So I decide to pull up on the hard shoulder about 30 yards away from the broken down car. Seeing me slow down, the man ran towards the car.
Having read a few news items about car jackings, I pressed the central locking system so the doors were locked. I then put my window down just enough so I can hear him but not enough for someone to put their arm through the window. The man came right up to the window and said, "Hello Sir! Please help me." I replied, "What help do you need?" He said, "Can you please give me £10. My car has ran out of petrol and I am stuck."
I thought, hold up, how is a £10 note going to get his car going when he has ran out of petrol on the motorway? Thankfully I had my phone on and on display in the car as I was on the phone to another Singh when this was happening. I said, "If you have ran out petrol, you need to get to a petrol station and get petrol - not ask for money on the motorway!... Ring your breakdown people or shall I call the police for you?" He quickly responded, "No, no... no police... just £10. You give me and help me.... I can get home... I have my family... You good man."
Something inside me made me look into my rear mirror, and guess what... he didn't have a family with him. Instead a black guy who was standing to a side (on the hard shoulder of the motorway) got in this car and was about to drive the car towards me (proving the story false that the car had ran out of petrol). I thought this looks like a gang trying to get me to stop and have me pass over money and then have the rest of the gang steal my car. I said "I will call the Police for you now..." He said, "No its okay and ran off." I quickly drove off before they could get close with their car.
It said that criminals are taking advantage of people's good will and more dangerously it is important to say safe and keep your car doors locked when driving.
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