Help in need

You know how you always believe that if need would arise, you would stop and help people in need. But when something actually happens, you're just left thinking what you should do until it's too late.

This morning when I was approaching the roadworks on A34, and cars were slowing down to get into one lane, I saw some smoke ahead. This is not unusual - people burn rubbish so I figured that's what that was about - but when I got closer and closer, the smoke got blacker and blacker, and then I saw cars merging into the outside lane instead of the inside lane that was used with the roadworks. At this point I realised that there had been an accident, and there was most likely a car on fire on the inside lane. And true enough - when I got close there was a single car full ablaze, and man standing next to it talking on his mobile.

This was not some small couple-of-flames type of fire - I really mean it was full ablaze with flames going up several meters. In fact, the trees on the side of the road had cought fire too, and the fire was spreading into the woods - and I kept thinking that maybe I should stop to help this guy, but at the same time thinking that what was it exactly that I thought I could actually do. Then the moment passed as I drove past - and heat was so intense: there was a lane between me and the car, and I had windows closed of course, and I could still feel the extreme heat on my face.

So there's nothing I could have done, right? I mean, the guy was quite obviously calling 999 and getting help - and I'm not equipped to fight even small fires, let alone severe ones like this. Still in situations like this I'm always left thinking that I should have done something.