Why stop to help, when you can just drive around?

I was on my way to my father's house on Monday night, and ran into a bit of a back up, just off the ramp to the Amoskeag Bridge. The cars in front of me were slowly parting, ala the Red Sea, to go around a vehicle stopped dead in the middle of the road.

Nobody seemed to stop or even to roll down their windows to ask the driver if she needed help.

The car had its lights on, and... it was facing the wrong way on a one-way stretch of road.

When I got up to the car, I opened my window to ask if they needed help (as there was also a passenger). "No, I'm fine," said the driver. "I could drive, if the traffic would give me a chance!"

"So," I replied, "you DO need help - you need somebody to get the traffic to stop."

"Oh. Right."

"Well, my car already has one lane blocked. So, hang on a sec." And I popped out, held up the other lane, and watched her do a 3 point turn and drive away with a wave of thanks. I got back in my car and went on my way.
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Apparently, the back-up had been there for 15+ minutes when I got there. Why, oh why, did nobody stop? Why didn't the driver ask her passenger to pause traffic for her? Why...

Just so many different elements of absurdity for words - even before you get to wondering how she got there.