Stopping for bikers.

[steve_t]

That was a risk I was prepared to take. It is a risk I will continue to take if such situations arise in the future. In part I think a lot of this stuff is like biking - calculated risk, situational awareness, deciding life isn't worth living if we spend all our time completely avoiding all risky situations. I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I didn't intervene at a time like that.

Yeah, fair enough. How crap would you feel just standing there watching some chick get booted in the face? I agree, just keep your wits about you at all times... but still sad that you have to

[BMWST?]

Last rescue was a fellow kb'er , first person that I've actually known.

you must be a scary looking barsteward

[Philip Mc Cavity]

I was stranded on the North Western for over an hour last week when my bike blew up. I pushed the bike behind the armco, retreated to the top of the bank and called for help. Help was going to be a while...

Thing is that while I waited no less than 32 bikes (of all kinds) rode past, some looked others stared straight ahead.

In the space of an hour only two people stopped, a kindly cage driver, and the feds! The feds asked why I was stopped there and I told them why and that help was on the way, and just for fun I was subjected to a rego and license check and 20 questions about how I came to be at that exact spot (most of which I declined to answer)!

I've stopped many times in the past to offer help, but I have to say I was bloody disappointed by my 2 wheeled comrades indifference.

[Blackshear]

I was stranded on the North Western for over an hour last week when my bike blew up. I pushed the bike behind the armco, retreated to the top of the bank and called for help. Help was going to be a while...

Thing is that while I waited no less than 32 bikes (of all kinds) rode past, some looked others stared straight ahead.

In the space of an hour only two people stopped, a kindly cage driver, and the feds! The feds asked why I was stopped there and I told them why and that help was on the way, and just for fun I was subjected to a rego and license check and 20 questions about how I came to be at that exact spot (most of which I declined to answer)!

I've stopped many times in the past to offer help, but I have to say I was bloody disappointed by my 2 wheeled comrades indifference.

Keep on keeping on, brah.
Still help people, hopefully you don't end up helping the ones who never stopped.

Only stopped for 3 people in my years riding, the only 3 I saw.
Some real old codger pushing his equally old Guzzi or sommat on the footpath. Just needed gas, and the petrol station was only 300m down the road, but still.

Some dude on a racing decal sprotsbike, blue with yellow detail. Something muffled about 'friends bike - - - not used to this clutch - - rollstart'

Lastly, some young whippersnapper on a FXR150 whose fuel line had magically detached from his tank halfway around the back of Albany's scenic bush roads. Had an empty V can in my bag, so I pulled off my line and lent him some petrol. He was pretty stoked, 20 minutes of pushing/waiting and noone had even come past. Had to barter him down to a Crunchie bar at the servo!


Incidintally, I have been 'rescued' 3 times on my voyages. I think about 10 people are still owed a glass or two of their chosen beverage!

[TOTO]

What goes round comes round. Tip for novices - if you are broken down, take y' helmet off (you'll want to anyway) , and walk back down the road fifty metres or so (not out of sight of bike though) and put helmet on ground beside road. Biker coming along will see it, know that you've not just stopped for a smoke or a chat, and it also gives him a bit of warning so he can slow down. Especially valid if there's a group of you but y' still need help - otherwise a passing biker may think "Lots of people already stopped , don't need me" he doesn't know you have no toolkit, or no mechanical knowledge or whatever. BTW even in this age of cell phones , STILL STOP. Not every road has signal, you may be able to help by calling through a message once you readh civilisation.

That is cool. We learn something every day I guess Thanks Ixion.

[klingon]

I was stranded on the North Western for over an hour last week when my bike blew up. I pushed the bike behind the armco, retreated to the top of the bank and called for help. Help was going to be a while...

Thing is that while I waited no less than 32 bikes (of all kinds) rode past, some looked others stared straight ahead.

In the space of an hour only two people stopped, a kindly cage driver, and the feds! The feds asked why I was stopped there and I told them why and that help was on the way, and just for fun I was subjected to a rego and license check and 20 questions about how I came to be at that exact spot (most of which I declined to answer)!

I've stopped many times in the past to offer help, but I have to say I was bloody disappointed by my 2 wheeled comrades indifference.

Well, I'm surprised and disappointed!

Were you in a spot that made you hard to see in time to stop? (Ok now I'm looking for excuses - but 32 bikes passed you by?! Something is not right there!)

[saltydog]

Was on the back road Turangi to Tokaroa. I'd been following the 1000 mile challenge crew for a while and we came across shitloads of bikes on a run and a pub on the route. I ended up fanging the yammy and running short of the gas station by about 8km.
As I was coasting to a silent stop a hilux and a elderly couple came into view. They were fixing up thier front gate with a bit of wood and chainsaw.
Not only did the old guy not let me use the shitty gas out of his saw can, he drove me down to his workshop and filled up 5l of good stuff and refused any payment.
Gota love that!

[steve_t]

I guess the trend does seem to be that rural folk are way friendlier and more helpful that city folk... but that's not really a surprise to anyone is it?

[Blackshear]

I guess the trend does seem to be that rural folk are way friendlier and more helpful that city folk... but that's not really a surprise to anyone is it?

The whole 'not my problem' mentality, I guess.

[mowgli]

Always stop to make sure a fellow biker is OK, because some day it may happen to you......

Bloody nice thread. I´m not religious and I don´t believe in fate but I´m a very big believer in karma. Hasn´t let me down yet.

[Conquiztador]

Have stopped more times then I can remember. Once rebuilt a Ducati clutch from scratch on side of the road. Once between Taupo and Napier to rebuild carbies on a Triumph for a patched up guy. Often petrol, a couple of weeks ago for a V-rod. And will keep on doing it.

I blame the commuter mentality for the ones not stopping. They are not really bikers, just ppl who use the bike from A to B as transport.

[HungusMaximist]

Always stop and always will for bikers, and even for cars in trouble.

Just the right thing to do.

Reminds me of a story couple of weeks back about a lady involved in a crash and getting stuck in her car in the middle of the road. People blatantly swerved their cars and avoided her, so she was stuck inside her fucked car for hours.

Just do the right thing and help.

[saltydog]

I blame the commuter mentality for the ones not stopping. They are not really bikers, just ppl who use the bike from A to B as transport.

I totally agree, had I been on a M/way in the city it might have been a different story. They all would be late for work and not see anyway!

[crash harry]

I totally agree, had I been on a M/way in the city it might have been a different story. They all would be late for work and not see anyway!

That's about the only time I won't stop - on the motorway on the way to work.
Because I'm ususally late. Other than that, I've stopped for a lot of folk, cars or bikes, and will continue doing so. Usually there's not much I can do but you never know.

My car went flat on the motorway the other night (it has an interesting electrical fault which I haven't got around to looking into yet) and I needed a jump to get going. Traffic was almost stopped, so I sat on the side of the motorway waving my jumper leads at the traffic and looking pathetic. Some dude stopped after about 10 minutes and helped me out - fucking legend that man - but the number of people that look at you and then quickly look away and pretend they didn't see you is a bit disheartening...

[saltydog]

but the number of people that look at you and then quickly look away and pretend they didn't see you is a bit disheartening...

That is the nail on the head bro. They'd be like, "did he see me?", "cant stop late for work", "hell be right"
Waving jumper leads for 10mins, classic!