A 25-year-old woman from Bacău endured hours of fear and uncertainty after becoming lost in the forest near the commune of Mărgineni on the evening of November 11, when her car became trapped on an isolated, muddy road with no phone signal.
According to her account, the incident began with a simple act of kindness: she had offered to drive two young women home to ensure they arrived safely. Following the GPS directions, the route initially seemed correct. But on her return, the navigation app redirected her onto what it indicated was a “shorter road” — DJ118B, officially listed as a county road since 2021 but, in reality, a steep and muddy forest track with no mobile coverage.
Around 6 p.m., her car became completely stuck. Repeated attempts to free it only made the situation worse. Cold, alone, and left in total darkness, she hesitated for hours between staying in the vehicle until morning or setting out on foot to seek help.
Eventually, she decided to walk toward the nearest visible light, hoping to find a phone signal. After roughly three kilometers, her phone finally connected to a network, allowing her to call 112. A dispatcher guided her calmly and reassured her until local police officers from Hemeiuș and a nearby forest ranger located her. They later managed to extract her car from the mud, ensuring she arrived home safely.
Unexpectedly, officers also found another vehicle stuck in the same area, driven by a young man facing a similar situation. Police and the forest ranger assisted him as well.
After the story circulated in the media, the young woman chose to publicly clarify what had happened, emphasizing that it was not a reckless adventure but a chain of unfortunate events:
“No sane person willingly drives alone, at night, into an unknown forest. Navigation apps can make mistakes. And without phone signal, you simply cannot call 112, no matter how hard you try.”
She expressed gratitude toward the Romanian Police, the 112 team, and the forest ranger:
“I saw another side of the uniform — calm, empathetic people who acted quickly and wholeheartedly. No criticism, no judgment, just a genuine desire to help.”
Reflecting on the experience, she said it taught her lessons about faith, patience, and gratitude:
“Sometimes, in the darkness of a forest, you learn more about people than you would in a lifetime.”
