Time to give thanks to road warriors who help make the drive smoother

Today is turkey day, time for Roadshow’s annual piece on some of the heroes and folks who helped make driving a more pleasant experience. Up first is Mike Healy of San Jose.

Last spring an angry reader vented over an old red Toyota he saw parked outside of Starbucks on Meridian Avenue with 2005 tags — yes, 12 years out of date.

What an outrage, I thought. But when I wrote about this, I couldn’t get upset.

The old car belonged to an elderly gent named Doug. He lived a few blocks away and after a stroke lost his registration. He kept his car parked except for a short trek for coffee.

Mike takes it from there:

“Regulars at Starbucks know exactly who had the 2005 registration and it’s the last valid reg that little Toyota received.

“He had a stroke in 2005 and there went the registration. Being a stubborn fella he never got his license reinstated. He only drove less than 1 mile a day as he lived down the street from Starbucks. He was unstable on his feet so his vehicle was his freedom.”

One day thieves broke into Mike’s vehicle parked near Doug’s car, stealing his laptop. When police arrived, Mike worried that they would spot the 2005 tags and have Doug’s car towed, so Mike stood right behind Doug’s car so as to screen the license plate from the officers.

“I realize that it’s always difficult when it becomes time for a senior to lose their license,” Mike said.

I thought about ways readers and I could help, but Doug died before I could contact him.

Paul the giraffe owner

Paul and his brother erected an 8-foot giraffe named Jeffrey behind a sound wall off the Blossom Hill Road exit from north Highway 85. But a fire at their parents’ home meant Jeffrey had to be taken down, saddening those who loved seeing the giraffe from the freeway.

Reader reactions touched the men and their mother, Margaret Mein.

“It cheered them up,” she said. “It has somewhat revived our faith in humanity which, of late, has been a little shaky.”

Jeffrey was back at his post a few weeks later.

Chain saws in Santa Cruz Mountains

During last winter’s pounding storms, Highway 84 was closed and the only option into Sky Londa was Highway 35 — until fallen trees and mudslides blocked that road.

Out of nowhere appeared nearby residents packing chain saws — Keith Simon and son Will, Lou Birdie, Ron Allen, Joseph White and Mike Dempsey.

“People who live in the mountains know that trees come down and many carry chain saws for just such an occasion,” CHP Sgt. Paul McCarthy said. “But I have never seen this many people step up and help out.”