Do you stop when a fellow rider is on the side of the road?

[joan of arc]

This weekend was out riding with my mate when his bike collapsed in a screaming heap of screwed drive shaft. We were a reasonable distance from home and while he rode my bike back to get the van/trailer I waited on the road side with her. The weather was good initially so I sat and enjoyed the sun, once it got a bit colder did a bit of walking to stay warm and keep the circulation going. About 10 or 12 riders passed in that time with one guy stopping to ask if all was OK. It got me wondering if we assume that everything is fine when a bike is on the side of the road and the rider is obviously not distressed or if we are we simply too busy on our own mission to worry

[xXGIBBOXx]

Always , My mate on my first ride said before we had set out , If you see a biker on the side of the road stop , kama goes round you may need a hand one day

[Gone Burger]

I always stop, especailly if I am passing my my cage. Not a lot I can actually do to help, but sometimes it's just a case of giving them a lift to a gas station to get some petrol and take them back again. Always offer a cell phone to use, and a lift to somewhere if need be. Im a useless biker who doesn't know how to repair anything so a waste of space there. Hope to change that one day with a little training.

[misterO]

Always (full stop).

[98tls]

Always,have a few times had broke bikes on the back of the ute.

[Oakie]

Yeah, I'll stop of there's obviously a problem otherewise slow until I get a thumbs up or they wave me on.

[MIXONE]

Yeah, I'll stop of there's obviously a problem otherewise slow until I get a thumbs up or they wave me on.

Wat e sed.

[Kickaha]

Of course, unless they're on a Harley :whistle:

[Macontour]

Yeah, I'll stop of there's obviously a problem otherewise slow until I get a thumbs up or they wave me on.

Same here. I will even stop for cars if they look like they need it.

[oneofsix]

Wherever possible. Have also used the thumbs signaling.

[scott411]

i broke down in the middle of spagetti junction early this year on a bike on the way to watch speedway at the springs, every bike slowed down and until i gave them the thumbs up (i had already sorted transport) they were prepared to stop, an ex bike shop employee stopped in a car to make sure i was ok as well, as well as another car, I was most impressed,

[98tls]

Of course, unless they're on a Harley :whistle:

Many years ago a mate of mine stopped for a guy with a broke Harley when he was driving over the Pig Route with a trailer,a few years later when in a hurry same mate of mine bumped into said Harley rider who was wearing a uniform and in his work car:niceone:Karmas a wonderful thing.Iawas in the car that day and the guy in uniforms a member on here.

[Kickaha]

Many years ago a mate of mine stopped for a guy with a broke Harley when he was driving over the Pig Route with a trailer,a few years later when in a hurry same mate of mine bumped into said Harley rider who was wearing a uniform and in his work car:niceone:Karmas a wonderful thing.Iawas in the car that day and the guy in uniforms a member on here.

Does he live a bit further South and like running round naked?

[98tls]

Does he live a bit further South and like running round naked?

Worse than that mate,stuck my head outta the tent early Sunday morning a few years back at the Magpie do only to see him walking around in red undies...:facepalm:

[caseye]

Could not ride past a stopped bike, have even stopped for Harleys, you meet the nicest people on the side of the road.
An like ol 98 said karma's a wonderful thing, you Do! never know when it comes around and or when it may be your turn.

[98tls]

Does he live a bit further South and like running round naked?

Heres a clue mate,the pained look on Chrissys face is cause she just got stung by a wasp. http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a92/tlme/Woodstock008Medium.jpg

[caseye]

Do yer fly up there Mr EWE No who! Still got those red undies on I see.
Thank God she'd stopped riding aye. Nasty they are.

[Akzle]

depends where i am and what they look like.
if they look like sh*t's f*cked, then i stop, car or bike.
i carry many useful things with me so can at least try kicking things into shape, elsewise i can go for fuel etc or let them use my phone.

i'm more likely to stop if you're on a road that isn't a main one, or a through road, if you're on your phone i'll leave ya be, if you're kicking the vehicle i'll stop, wave me down i'll stop, if you're in the car with a map looking confused i'll stop...
if you're in auckland i'll point and laugh and toot and wave, if it's a crash and someone ended up parked on their roof i will give a round of applause...

[geoffm]

Always stop - but one problem is seeing the biker in time to stop before it is to late (eg on the motorway).
I have picked up a couple over the years when I was in the van or with the trailer. Their good luck - beats pushing an XJ900 whale from Ramarama to the Drury gas station....
Had a tow in the past from bikes and cars, and a lift home when pushing the scooter after it died (again)

[Madness]

I got a slow puncture after riding through roadworks on Monument Rd out the back of Clevedon a couple of years back, they laid rocks the size of apples all over the road that were sharper than Ginsu knives. A month later I was riding through the same stretch with a nice new rear tyre fitted when I came across a guy standing beside his CBR600 on the side of the road with a massive hole in his tyre. After much discussion and draining my cell battery trying to locate his wife, I rode home and jumped in the cage and hired a trailer from the servo. All up it took about 3 hours to get him somewhere safe and the trailer returned. Expenses covered on the day, a very nice perk job done since and I've got to know a true gentleman biker.

[CookMySock]

I'll stop if there's anything I can actually DO about it, or if I know they have no cellphone coverage.

[Flip]

I always stop. Even if they are on jap bikes, you never know if they need a light!

[gammaguy]

i always stop

unless they are some idiot wearing a reflective vest

or they have a four stroke

or they are wearing shades instead of a visor

or they are a teenager on a bike they dont maintain correctly

or they are an old guy who should be driving a mobility scooter

or if they are a female whos bum looks too big in her leather pants

or they are a guy who looks too poor to afford the bike hes on so he obviously stole it

or someone on a ducati who doesnt have shredded knee sliders

like i said,i always stop<_<

[Gremlin]

Always... never know when the favour might be returned...

[munster]

Nearly always, as long as it's safe to do so and I see them in time. Few flat tyres & out of gas etc

Even jump started a Harley of the the work ute.

[Road kill]

Not if their on a jap sports bike.

[Maha]

No, not my problem if dont have road side assist...
Normally they are just having a piss of a smoke, so I look the other way.

[Berries]

Nah, fuck 'em. I have stopped a couple of times only to be told help wasn't needed. The only tool I carry on the bike is a cell phone, and I would expect the rider to have one anyway. Ran out of petrol in the Manuka Gorge once. Stood at the side of the road and waved down the next rider who gave me a croggy to the nearest petrol station and back.

Could I suggest that if you are out of petrol, broken down or however incapacitated you actually look for others who you can wave down, rather than mope around like an arse expecting people to use their Jedi skills to work out that you stopped in a stupid place for a stretch, a slash and a fag?

What we need is a KB distress wave.

[Maha]

Nah, fuck 'em. I have stopped a couple of times only to be told help wasn't needed. The only tool I carry on the bike is a cell phone, and I would expect the rider to have one anyway. Ran out of petrol in the Manuka Gorge once. Stood at the side of the road and waved down the next rider who gave me a croggy to the nearest petrol station and back.

Could I suggest that if you are out of petrol, broken down or however incapacitated you actually look for others who you can wave down, rather than mope around like an arse expecting people to use their Jedi skills to work out that you stopped in a stupid place for a stretch, a slash and a fag?

What we need is a KB distress wave.

A distress wave?... goes like this..:bye:

[Haggis2]

Always,have a few times had broke BACK on the back of the ute.

Fixed it :lol:

[Haggis2]

Yes will stop if it looks like I may be able to help

[G4L4XY]

Funny this....

I ran out gas on the motorway once, fuel gauge was a bit slow on letting me know it was out of gas. Was a really fine day, heaps of bikes passed me, only like one guy actually signalled to me if I was ok or not. I had to use the emergency phone on the motorway there and wait for someone to deliver me some gas!

[imdying]

Yeah, I'll stop of there's obviously a problem otherewise slow until I get a thumbs up or they wave me on.
Likewise...

[imdying]

What we need is a KB distress wave.I gave a bird the KB wave once and she seemed a bit distressed... does that count? :msn-wink:

[nathanwhite]

I'll stop if I see them in time (not always, corner, hill, motorway traffic etc) and there isn't already someone else there obviously helping them. Only chap I've stopped for was on the north western MW and by the time I had seen him, pulled over, and half turned around on the grass he was giving me the thumbs up so off I went again

[willytheekid]

Always!...its part of being a motorcyclist to look out for each other.

I carry a good range of tools for such events (ex guzzi owner lol) and I always carry a very well stocked 1st aid kit for the worst case situations.

scooter, harley or sports...I will ALWAYS stop to help a fellow biker in strife :niceone:

[neels]

If I see them in time I'll slow down or stop to see if they're ok, usually just get waved on or thumbs up if there's no problem, I'll turn around and head back if they wave frantically like they need help. These days the biggest issue is probably getting to somewhere with cellphone reception to call for help.

Had a guy stop a while back when I had the bike partly dismantled on the side of the road, was on a semi-blind corner so he actually turned around and came back to see if he could help, gave me a hand to get it going again and lent me things from his toolkit that should have been in mine but were left sitting on the garage floor at home :facepalm:

[skippa1]

yep, will stop if someone is in a car and broken down too if they look like they are distressed. Had a guy on a harley stop and help me once, real nice guy and had good skills with spanners.

[blgdave]

I would like to say a big Thanks to the FZR Exup rider that stopped to check on me stopped at the side of the road in Dargaville today. For what ever reason my oil light came on and the bike died on me. I pulled over to the side of the road and within 20 seconds he had pulled alongside me to see if all was well. Top bloke! Got off his bike and stopped with me until I got the bike going again, just in case I needed to arrange for further help!

Dare I also say it, when stood talking my bike decided it would fall over on its own accord! Just as well he was there to help me lift the bike up as I jammed my foot under it to stop damage! No damage was done by the way, very lucky!

So big thanks to you fella, if you are looking in!

I would also do the same for fellow bikers and have done so in the past even when in my car, as if that should make a difference?

Cheers all...

[Old Steve]

Always. Have even ridden on 500 metres to turn around to get back to see if they were OK - out of fuel, ran a couple of Km back to servo and brought them fuel.

I wave bikers on if I'm OK and just waiting on the side of the road. It's a bummer to pull off and have to rejoin the traffic.

[hellokitty]

I always pull over to see if I can help, cos the the times I have broken down and no one has stopped to help me, has been upsetting (teenage boys in cars don't count - they always stop)
I stopped to help a biker on Old North Road once and ended up taking him back to West Auckland on the back of my bike :niceone:

[BurningPlastic]

As long as it's safe to... I keep forgetting to put my tool kit back on the bike, but I've stopped for a few people over the last couple of years.

[Maha]

The only time I have stopped is when I recognised a leather clad helmet carrying figure walking along side the expressway just north of Huntly.
I gave mnkyby a pillion into Manukau.

[Akzle]

scooter, harley or sports...I will ALWAYS stop to help a fellow biker in strife :niceone:

well.. i dont know about a scooter or a harley.. that's a bit much.

[hellokitty]

well.. i dont know about a scooter or a harley.. that's a bit much.

:rolleyes: awww come on! A Harley rider needs help too..... just ask Caseye - he helped me :love:

[Gareth123]

Always. Everytime. Only exception is if people are already there or I get a wave.

Ive gotten oil for a bloke who ran his wagon dry, reattached a vacuum hose for a rider, delivered gas and given lifts. Why? Because I've pushed my bike for 10km heading north to christchurch from just south of Rakaia because I blew up the bikes engine and couldn't raise anyone. Do any of you know how hard it is to run a bike over the rakaia river bridge? And I mean run. On the plus side some uni students waited for me on the north side to give me a beer. Only time a Tui has tasted good!

[Conquiztador]

Only exception is if I get the "thumbs up" as then I conclude that it is sorted without me needed.

Have rebuilt a Duke clutch on side of the road, cleaned and balanced carbies on Triumph, taken wheels for puncture repairs, picked up bikes in my van, gone to fetch fuel etc.

And yes, I carry tools too just in case...

[Flip]

This is the tool kit I carry in the old side car. The one in the HD is a bit smaller but not much smaller.

Does anybody know of a small jack I can find-buy that might fit in also. All ther ones I have found are all too big?

Of all the things I carry the wee tin of nuts and bolts it the most usefull.

[wingnutt]

absolutely,

you meet nice people on the side of the road, although I have never seen it or used it, I read somewhere the
international signal for rider in need of assistance, is a helmet, placed on the ground, on the side of the road.

[Akzle]

:rolleyes: awww come on! A Harley rider needs help too.....
or a H*nda, for that matter =P


Does anybody know of a small jack I can find-buy that might fit in also. All ther ones I have found are all too big?

i have a couple of small bottle jacks (~2T) that stay with the ute. (+jacking plates!) they're good but do require more attention than the old screw-scissor type, which you can soak in diesel and forget for a year.
repco/supercheap sell em, not sure how small tho.

so depends. wind up jacks have gone out of fashion i think? but pick-a-part should have a stack, you could grab one for a sly tenner. weights from 400kg to 800, normally.
forget the handle, use a screw driver/tyre lever/socket-extention bar...

[hellokitty]

or a H*nda, for that matter =P

:bleh: I don't want to tempt fate by saying something smart.... but I would be interested to see if bikers stopped for me if the Honda broke down... cos no bastard does when the Harley has.... and once again, carloads of teenage boys don't count

[DMNTD]

i broke down in the middle of spagetti junction early this year on a bike on the way to watch speedway at the springs, every bike slowed down and until i gave them the thumbs up (i had already sorted transport) they were prepared to stop, an ex bike shop employee stopped in a car to make sure i was ok as well, as well as another car, I was most impressed,

Hey....was that you on the ZX6R? If so, I was the suited up bloke in the car (ex Mt Eden mc).

[Akzle]

...Harley has.... and once again, carloads of teenage boys don't count

they don't know any better :D

i would suggest getting yr tits out... that'll slow traffic down.. maybe even stop some. (or cause an accident, either way, someone will be along shortly) :devil2:

[NighthawkNZ]

Do yer fly up there Mr EWE No who! Still got those red undies on I see.
Thank God she'd stopped riding aye. Nasty they are.

I is a tag on the zipper...

[Phantom Limb]

I was commuting to work a while ago back when I had a 250.
I was lane splitting on the motorway in standstill traffic at 30KPh (3rd gear just crawling), you know, the way you're supposed to do it.

Anyway, this space cadet on a blue Hyofung GT650 comes screaming up the onramp, he's doing around 60KPh whilst splitting, anyway I see him to my left and carry on. Next thing i know I was wearing the bugger! He had seen a gap between two cars and just nailed it through there, going from the RHS of the merging lane to the fast lane in one swoop (eg: his bike was pretty much 90degrees to the road), turns out he didnt see me trundling along and pretty much just shot out in front of me. I slam on the brakes, stop and try to stay upright, but my front wheel was now stuck in his foot peg and over I go!

He says "are you ok?" ... I push my bike off of me and try to get up.... By the time I'm standing, he as fooked right off and the last thing I see is his tail light dissapearing up between the traffic at pretty horrendous speed.

I ended up getting going again and the damage was minimal, but I tell you what! That guy gave bikers a bad name, from then on I have held a burning hate for anyone on a blue Hyosung. :mad:

If he had stopped and at least admitted that hed been riding like a twat, perhaps I'd let it go, but nope, he just hit and ran.

[Paul in NZ]

Well technically he did stop for you when you were on the side of the road. The fact that he put you there does mitigate it a little.

Yes - we usually stop and often have been able to help as my bikes are all ancient and hence I tend to carry tools, tape, cable ties and stuff.

[nudemetalz]

I always stop. Helped a guy with an equivalent V11 once and even got it going again for him to get home. Made me happy.

[PrincessBandit]

Have stopped a couple of times when I've seen one rider over on the berm by themselves; have slowed a few times before getting the thumbs up to carry on past. If there is more than one bike/rider I'd still prepare to stop but a lot depends on what you can read of the situation as you approach. When I get waved on at least the person on the side of the road knows someone was looking out for them.

As for the situation being reversed, I'd always like to think that another rider would be prepared to ask if I was ok (even if my bum does look big in my gear lol). Got rescued on a deserted Clevedon road late at night many many years ago, before the day of cell phones, when my car conked out. I sat on the bonnet looking like a dick until a kind motorist eventually came along and stopped to check if I was ok (or probably wondering waht the hell I was doing). While I waited I tried to think positively (i.e. that the first person to come along was not a serial axe murderer - fertile mind of a horror movie afficionado here...)

While I'd be useless for anything requiring mechanical attention (bike or car), I would always offer the use of cell phone, going for gas, giving a lift, or just keeping them company while awaiting their rescuer.