There follows a few miles of mental gymnastics. My two thoughts stay with me for several miles. Did anyone else see that? Have emergency crews been called? Nothing was moving, so either the person(s) involved is out or already gone and the car is still there. Should I go back and make sure? Should I go back and get a picture?

I pulled off at the next exit and went back.

Fortunately emergency people (a roadside assistance truck and some firefighters) were on the scene, inspecting the car. And again I had a choice to make before I had to pull over or get back on the highway: stop and get pics of the scene? Or go on in to work?

I went to work. And I've been bummed since.

I could have stopped. I have press credentials, I know how to be polite and respect the emergency crews and not get in the way. And it would have been an amazing shot that could have made it into news-journalonline.com or the print edition or both. And my gut instinct was to keep moving, and I'm wondering why.

Part of it, I think, is my long-held habit of not wanting to be in the way, something you have to shed and shed quickly to be a journalist*. But the larger problem is that I can't quite make myself take pictures of what could be someone in pain. A car in the trees, absolutely. A car in the trees with someone hurt inside it?

No.

I was talking to one of our crime reporters a few weeks ago, right after the earthquake in Haiti, and he mentioned he'd love to be there with his camera. I told him I could never do that, I'd drop the camera and start digging right away.

"I can make a wall," he said. "You have to put that wall between you and what you're seeing or you can't report on it."

I don't have a wall. And don't really want one.

I'm still bummed I didn't stop immediately, as soon as I saw the car, to help anyone inside. But I think I'm OK with not hanging around snapping pics. Walls can be handy, but the more you use them they can be tough to put away when you don't want them around.

* I know, you can be a journalist without reporting on people's pain. Work with me, here.