Helping others...

[GTR1400]

Hey BCF..

Just wondering what people's experiences are on helping out other people when they're in a sticky situation at the side of the road, or if you've ever been helped?

My bike suddenly decided to cut out and appears as though the battery has died out mid-ride (needs looking at super badly at the moment), and I then had to push my bike 4 miles to a friends house and then pay a pretty steep amount to get it recovered (my own fault, no breakdown cover).

All of this time pushing the bike (with plenty of it uphill) was on the pavement along a relatively busy A road, and just after rush hour, so still quite a bit of traffic about.

I know that personally I'm more likely to stop if I ever see another biker at the side of the road, heck I've seen somebody push their bike past my house whilst I was just getting up, and got dressed super quick to run down the street after him to see if I could help (I live in the middle of nowhere, so he could well have been a long way from home).

There must have been around a dozen bikes go past me, god knows how many cars, vans and lorries. Nothing stopped. Nothing asked if I was ok. I didn't even get anybody shouting and laughing out of their windows. I was invisible.

It seems people would rather make sure they get home in time to watch Emmerdale or some shite, rather than do something genuinely helpful.

Overall a sad day

[kiddakidda]

Way of the world mate
____________________
Suzuki SFV 650 (Gladdy) > Triumph Street Triple R

[bridgedino]

I would stop to offer help if someone's looking stuck, stationary at the side of the road.

Someone pushing a bike along, I would make an assumption that they had figured out there was no quick fix and resigned to heading for home with it.

Sometimes there is only a few moments to choose

[stinkwheel]

I've made a clutch cable for a sidecar outfit and repaired a puncture at the side of the road for people before now.

I've also stood and loitered in a service station carpark, making it clear I have no intention of moving until the owner gave one of my mates a loan of his welder to fix his exhaust (said mate was a skilled welder and was prepared to pay, the guy was just being a dick).
____________________
“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[Casper]

You must be fucking ugly. Wiggle your arse more. The trick is to sit next to the bike with a sad lost face on. Look the bikers in the eye and guilt trip them into stopping.

Anyway. Fuck them for not stopping. Think karma mate. Bastards will get it coming soon enough.

[jjdugen]

Yeah, I stop and help. Must have built up enough Karma to at least get me in the queue at the pearly gates. Gives me a bit of a warm feeling pulling up in the van and offering to help.
Must admit, I usually get them to my little workshop, wave my magic wand and get a little work out of them, so not all altruistic.
____________________
The CBR900RR has been sold. Aprilia Falco worms its way into my heart.
Try Soi 23 on Amazon for a good read.... Self promotion? Moi?

[G]

Good number of years ago had someone stop for me, give me a lift to his mates, who then picked my bike up in his van with a round trip and took me home, refusing anything.

I've stopped for a few people in my van and on the bike - gave a GS1200A with a puncture a lift to a service station so he was out of the weather waiting for the AA (he was going well out of my way and I had enough of a schedules I couldn't be four hours late.)

When I was racing SVs and owned 3, a kid riding one with his dad some on cafe racer one had the SV brakes seize at the bottom of my rode. Got the bike up to my garage, serviced the brakes for him. Also gave him a new pair of calipers 'on tick' for £20 (under half the ebay price at the time), which never came through my door.
A few other incidents here and there - these days generally the answer is "called recovery" - I did help some bloke on a Ducati by getting the details on my smartphone and told him to call me if he didn't get it sorted as I could come back that way later.

[stinkwheel]

[J.M.]

Couple of weeks ago, chain snapped. Guy stopped on a bike, turned out he lived 5 minutes down the road and owned a van. Got a lift home
____________________
2004 R1 & 2018 XSR900

[Casper]

[DottyDuck]

i would of stopped and helped you not that i would of been much good but i am sure i could of gave an extra push! lol

[Kickstart]

Hi

Unless I am stuck for time I will normally stop. Whether just for the loan of a phone, put some petrol in their tank, bodge up a fix or call them an ambulance.

All the best

Keith
____________________
Traxpics, track day and racing photographs - Bimota Forum - Bike performance / thrust graphs for choosing gearing

[G]

[Shinigami]

I'd actually cry if I had to push the hornet 4 miles
____________________
Current: Honda City Fly CLR125 2003 Honda CB600F Hornet 2008 Yamaha FZ6 S2 + 1991 Kawasaki GPZ500
"Once you realize what a joke everything is, being the Comedian is the only thing that makes sense.

[pinkyfloyd]

[willis1337]

Always stop and offer help, even so far as turning around at next junction on motorway to help a fellow biker on other side.

Others also have stopped and helped me.

Bikers - all good
____________________
Current bike: KTM SD1290GT
Previous bike: BMW K1300S

[blurredman]

You get good experiences and bad experiences.


I happened to stop on the side of a residential street, my spark plug had fouled, after a while of fettling, a resident invited me in to both sand the contacts, and pre-heat the plug. Started 2nd kick, and lasted 'till home.


Equally, when I was on the side of the road, waiting for about 3 hours for the AA, only one rider out of all the cars and bikes that went past (was a turn off from an under-dual carriageway roundabout) asked if I needed help.
____________________
CBT: 12/06/10, Theory: 22/09/10, Module 1: 09/11/10, Module 2: 19/01/11
Past: 1991 Honda CG125BR-J, 1992 (1980) Honda XL125S, 1996 Kawasaki GPZ500S, 1979 MZ TS150.
Current: 1973 MZ ES250/2 - 18k, 1979 Suzuki TS185ER - 10k, 1981 Honda CX500B - 91k, 1987 MZ ETZ250 (295cc) - 40k, 1989 MZ ETZ251 - 52k.

[fox]

I broke down on a dual carriageway on the way to work a couple of years ago. I had a half dozen people stop in the 3 hours I was stuck there. Mainly white van men. Its good to know there are still a few good people out there.
I'd always stop to help a fellow biker in need. Treat people how you'd wished to be treated.
____________________
Sold: 2003 satin black Yamaha R6
Current rides: 2006 blue Triumph Sprint ST 1050, 2003 Yamaha WR450F

[P.addy]

Some poor fucker had a blow out on one of the main dual carriageways near me. Saw him pushing it down this hill, absolute mission.

Pulled over in my Astra and had a quick look, could do fuck all but still offered to throw it in the car and drive him home.

He accepted, offered me £20 and some... substances. Nice enough guy, but didn't take anything from him. In hindsight, could have made some money

[R1stu]

I stopped a cpl of weeks ago. Some nipper on a derby sender I think, broke down on the brow of a 3 lane duel carriageway, by the central reservation! I puled up just behind and two the side so peeps could see us and offered to give him a lift or a hand.

He said he was OK and just run out of fuel. I advised him to get the bike across the road onto the verge or into the lay-by 100yrds further on.

Silly thing is he was trying to get it started, yet with no fuel on an upside I don't think he had a chance.
____________________
Carbon closet tart! https://www.bikepics.com/members/r6stuk/02r6/
Stolen bike. 2000 R1: https://www.bikepics.com/members/r6stuk/00r1/
Current bike 1991 Honda ST1100 Pan European, 1986 Honda cb350sg (Finished)

[natefz6]

I ran out of fuel once in central London by the river, that was only a 2 mile walk over the river with the bike to the nearest petrol station, in the rain. Still nearly killed me off though going over the bridges and they are not that steep.

It was only when I was about 300 meters from the petrol station that somebody stopped, by then I was on the down hill so was OK.

I like to think I would help and often point out flat tyres to people who seem to have not noticed them, for instance the Royal Mail van this morning. Its about 70%-30% of the people who are thank full to you, the rest look like they want to tell you to piss off.
____________________
"no I didn't steal it that's just the way I ride"

[alexlawriewoo...]

I broke down a couple of weeks ago, ended up pushing it a mile or two home. A few people in cars stopped to offer petrol, check if I was generally alright, ask for directions (?). A guy on an old Vespa pulled over for a chat. Police checked I was alright/not stealing a bike.

Not to brag, just saying there's a lot of decent people about. That was fairly late in the evening, though, guess no-one was pressed for time.

In karmic return, a couple of months ago I was walking along and a biker pulled up to some lights next to me with oil gushing everywhere, waved and pointed a lot until he got the idea.
____________________
Yamaha RXS100 [returned to mate], 1982 Honda CM125 [stolen], 1982 Suzuki GS850G

[trevor saxe-coburg-gotha]

[Shinigami]

I've not stopped for anyone yet but i've also not passed anyone broken down who didn't already have someone helping,

I did pull up next to a car at some lights to tell him his exaust was hanging off recently though, he looked very confused by the random biker talking at him until what I was telling him clicked

To be fair I generally wouldn't be much help as I don't currently carry any tools on the bike (need to sort out a toolkit) just have some bodgetastic gaffa tape and cable ties under the seat
____________________
Current: Honda City Fly CLR125 2003 Honda CB600F Hornet 2008 Yamaha FZ6 S2 + 1991 Kawasaki GPZ500
"Once you realize what a joke everything is, being the Comedian is the only thing that makes sense.

[Scutter]

I must just be a big, angry-looking, ugly bugger then

Broke down on a dual carriageway, waited for an hour or so for the AA - nobody stopped.

Crashed up in Wales on a Sunday, quite a few bikes went passed - nobody stopped. (Someone else crashed whilst I was there - I helped him.)

Conclusion = its nice to be nice, but I'm not really bothered as I can imagine not everyone would be able to offer any real help. Unless of course the other bikers could smell the fact I also drive a black 3 series BMW
____________________
Current bike: FJR1300
Previous: SS50, GS50, TS50, GP125, NS125, GSX250, GPZ305, GPz550 81 twin shock, GPZ550 UniTrack, GSX550es, 2x GPZ600r, GPZ1000rx, v Strom 650 GT