So yesterday a murder suspect fled from the cops, leading them on a two-hour high speed chase. The chase only ended when a semi truck driver intentionally put his truck into the path of the suspect. The small pickup truck drove smack into the semi, damaging both vehicles, ending the chase with no deaths, no guns fired.
Clearly the semi driver is to be applauded here. he stepped up and saved the day. But… technically he drove recklessly, putting his truck into danger. The semi took a substantial hit, probably tens of thousands of dollars in damage. The insurance company, if they are smart and PR savvy, should pick up the tab with a smile and *not* whack his insurance rates. but… how often are such companies actually that smart. Plus, he could be criminally charged, I suppose, if a prosecutor *really* wanted to be an officious dick.
I have little doubt that if the driver here is hit with a massive repair bill that the insurance company refuses to pay, he could take care of it with a crowdfunding effort.
So… what will the damages to this guy be? Could his insurance company and/or employer dangle him over an edge?
—
This incident also potentially illustrates the reality of “doing the right thing.” We’ve all seen videos of people giving to charities or homeless people or the poor or whatever… while filming themselves doing it. Playing the role of “hero” for clout or internet fame or maybe even making money. They are free to do so, and I would not stop such people from doing so, no matter how selfish their motives. But *true* heroics comes with a different motive. Going into a situation with a “How will I turn this to my advantage” mindset is not heroism. “Can I survive what I’m about to do” might well be. If you do something praiseworthy and your thought isn’t “now to profit from this” but “how can I recover from this,” you might well have done “the right thing.” The difference between “behold what I have done” with a smug smile and “I could have done more” while you break down in tears.
You know you’ve done the right thing when you feel broken, I guess.