Good Samaritan gains traction
By Matt Caulder
Published in News on January 31, 2014 1:46 PM
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For many people, trying to get around with ice on the road can be nerve-racking -- trying to stay in one lane, watching out for other cars. Now try managing that on a bicycle with temperatures in the teens.
Most people would probably just keep their heads down and soldier on -- but not Julius Linton.
Linton was traveling down Elm Street on Wednesday morning when he saw a Ford Ranger spinning tires trying to mount the hill from John Street when he did a most unexpected thing.
He pulled his bike to the side, slipped down his ski mask and started pushing the man up the hill.
"I pulled down my ski mask because I didn't want to scare him or nothing," Linton said. "I saw him stuck there for a couple of light changes so I figured I'd push him out, it's a bad spot."
But instead of just helping the man out, pulling his ski mask back up and continuing on his way, Linton stayed put, knowing that patch of ice had not claimed its last victim.
Soon a driver in a Chevrolet truck came along who was thankful for a push from Linton to make the hill as well.
Next, Jennifer Streeter came along in her Pontiac G6, stopped behind the Chevrolet at the light and met the same fate -- except that by stopping farther down, she had farther to go.
As she tried to conquer the hill, she swiftly accelerated, lost traction, and began to slide off to the side of the road.
Seeing the trouble, Ronald Hines pulled over to help Linton right Ms. Streeter's car and send her on her way.
She drove away waving and smiling to her rescuers.
When asked why he pulled over, Hines said, "Because she needed it," and continued down John Street.
The same motivation was true for Linton, who said he was just happy to be able to spend a few minutes helping someone else out.
Shortly after Linton headed off to his destination, the spot was reported to the city Public Works Department and the whole area was plowed, salted and sanded into a passable road again.