[Scan-DC] Unencrypted Radio Traffic Saved My Life (or at least my car)

[Thomas P. Clouse]

I think about this incident every once and a while. Today, while
bouncing up and down Layhill Road, I remembered the part about
unencrypted radio traffic.

Back in the mid 90s, when I pushed a traffic cruiser, I was east-bound
up on the Southeast/Southwest Freeway and came across some sort of
traffic incident - a dead car or minor crash. I stopped a safe
distance behind the vehicle and put my lights on, got out, and started
dealing with the situation. It was about dusk and the visibility was
horrible. At some point, I realized that cars were zipping in between
my car and the other vehicle. I looked back and realized that, at some
point, my car had died and all the warning lights had drained the
battery to nothing. So, here I was, on foot on the freeway with zero
warning power.

In my best John Wayne voice (not), I went across the 1D zone to ask
for assistance with the situation. Less than a minute later, I saw
orange lights pulling on to the freeway from the Seventh Street
entrance, and then pull up behind my car.  Thinking it was a tow
truck, I walked backed with new-found confidence. I then discovered
that it was a Metro Transit bus street supervisor. I thanked him
profusely, and he waited until the tow trucks got there, jumped my
car, and hooked up the other vehicle.

I always regretted not getting that Metro supervisor's name. I always
firmly believed he saved my life.

Remembering back today, I remembered that the bus supervisor said that
he heard the request over the air and came to help. So, he had his
scanner on listening, I suppose, for bus accidents or maybe just
streets being shut down, and was the closest person to help. If that
radio traffic had been encrypted, any help would have arrived later
than that Metro guy.

I have always tried to appreciate Metro bus drivers and supervisors
since that point.