We've lost count of the times we've been driving around only to get stuck behind someone jabbering on their cell phone when they should be focusing on the road. But this is a first. While driving to a final exam, Khushboo Jani's 1996 Honda broke down and she was forced to guide it over the shoulder. Like most of us, one of the first things she did was to call for help. And while many of us might have gotten out to check on the car (though on the Eisenhower Expressway that's a dangerous proposition), I don't think most would have missed the flames coming out from under our own car.
But that's just what Jani did, talking on her cellphone while her car started to burn. Lucky for her, a state snowplow driver happened to be driving by and noticed the flames. He jumped out and started walking towards her car when she got spooked, but before she could lock the door he grabbed her and pulled her to safety. He also stopped her from going back to get her books. We don't know if it's scarier to be stuck in a burning car or have our safety dependent on the competence of an Illinois state employee. [Sun Times]