turning a blind eye

[badger]

I was thinking this morning how when I crashed on my bike some time ago on a bike path, nobody bothered to stop. Nobody even asked me if I was ok, even though there were people riding past me in both directions (I had an audience when it happened).

I wasn't badly hurt, but I did have a bloody knee and thought I may have busted it. My bike was scratched up a bit, and my handlebar was twisted.

If you see someone who's crashed, would you not at the very least stop to inquire they're ok, rather than turning a blind eye and just going about your business?

[beccaB]

Yes, I would stop. I can't imagine people just going about their business. That is surreal. Like you're not even there. Weird.

[artifactos]

I've even stopped during the bike leg on a triathlon to ask someone if they need help with a flat tire or something. I can't imagine not stopping to see if you're okay and/or if you need help getting moving again.

The bystander effect just sucks.

[Chile Pepper]

Totally would stop. When I crashed, a couple of cars stopped to ask if I needed a lift. I didn't need help (I had called my husband--thank goodness for cell phones, I say), but it was nice of people to stop and ask.

[Lesley_x]

It hasn't happened but I like to think I would stop and help.

[PamNY]

I always check on anybody who goes down, unless there's already a crowd around them. I've never seen anybody fall without someone offering help.

I'm so sorry that happened to you. What sort of situation were you in?

[JennK13]

Wow! That's actually kind of sad. If I see someone on the side of the road/trail off their bike, I always ask if they're okay or need anything - you never know if they fell before you got there and just got up or what.
Like Artifactos, I even stopped and asked a gal if she needed help with her flat at my mtb race Sunday. I guess I believe in karma - so I'm giving it away any time I can.

[badger]

yeah, I though it was sad, too. That not one single rider stopped to see if I was ok or needed help. I guess it's unusual to see anyone helping, because I once saw a cyclist on the side of the road, bent over. I stopped to see if he was ok; his chain broke. CAA (Canadian version of AA) now has bicycle help so I offered him mine, to which he was so grateful but declined. He thanked me profusely, though. Another time, I saw a guy on a skateboard wipe out. I asked if he was ok, and he seemed stunned I asked; he thanked me.

Pam: It was actually a shared pathway (not-so-busy side street that's designated as a bike route). It zig-zags at one point as the road kind of breaks. I was sticking my left arm out to indicate I'm turning, and then there was a narrow pothole that my front tire went into. Obviously with my one arm I couldn't control my bike so I went over the handlebar. Thankfully I wasn't going too fast as I was turning, so damage wasn't too bad.

[Red Rock]

I had to respond...

Once I was changing a tire on what was my new mtb but turned commuter. As I was trying to figure everything out and to start changing things, it seemed to take forever. There were something like five to six cyclists that saw me, were busy talking and enjoying their ride. They passed me on the other side of the road. None of them said anything, not even a "hi how are you doing?" It was like there was this invisble line that they did not cross. Ever since that experience, It have thought twice about it.

When I first started riding about 5-6 years ago, I was on my ride and totally enjoying being free and happy. Then all of a sudden I hear this pop and I look back at my rear tire and its going flat!! I thought oh no, I do not even have the basic tools with me to change any of this. So , thankfully, there was a couple from back East that were on vacation (They have a house here.) They stopped and helped me change my tire, pump me up, and get back on my way. Man, was I so thankful to them.

Between these expereriences, I'll take the second and not the first. I beleieve in at least asking someone if they are ok and then proceeding with my ride.

Red Rock

[pll]

If you see someone who's crashed, would you not at the very least stop to inquire they're ok, rather than turning a blind eye and just going about your business?

Yes, I would and I have. But when I first started riding, I fell on a road and a car that was behind me pulled next to me, the guy looked at me (I was trying to clean the road rash in my knee and lower leg with water) and sped away without saying anything. That bothered me...

[Owlie]

I at least slow down and ask if they need help. People on the trail back home do the same thing. I'll be stopped for no "good" reason (usually to grab a snack) and people ask if I'm okay and need anything.

I once fell on some ice and went over the bars...I think. I was fine, just a little shaken and scraped up. An older guy (turns out he'd just moved up from Texas) stopped, asked if I was okay, and helped me get the chain back on the bike.
Now that I think about it, the only ones who don't at least ask if I need help are the guys about my age who are off in their own little world of speed...Maybe it's a regional thing?

[Desert Tortoise]

Badger, sorry to hear this happened to you.

When I see someone on the side of the road I've stopped to help and once they even took me up on it. Once there was a guy on the side but he had his cell phone out and was talking on it so I didn't ask. Figured he either had to talk on the phone or had some kind of help worked out. Maybe I shouldn't assume that?

Your unfortunate incident did get me thinking about something else too. There were 2 separate instances (both happened to be right in front of our national park entrance) where each was an obvious bad crash. Not only were people standing around but in one police was there and the other a park ranger.

What got me thinking was if an official is not there but people are, maybe I should stop to check anyway. Just because people are around doesn't mean they are doing anything. Or have I watched too much 20/20 What would you do programs?

Not trying to be funny, just thinking.

[spokewench]

If I see a cyclist or even someone else fall or have a mechanical, I always make sure I ask if they need help. I have changed many a man's flat when they did not have the materials needed, nor the mechanical knowledge to fix it either. Although, since I never had Campy it was an experience to try to figure out how to get the brakes to release from their tight position once! Finally figured it out, however. Thank god

I would always check on someone who looks like they might be hurt or I had seen fall.

I figure if I don't do this, then what are the chances that when I need help that I will get help

Hopefully, my karma will work out okay.

Sorry to hear no one stopped for you. People are so self absorbed in this day and age. That the kindest way I can put it

[Aquila]

I've stopped more than once. Once it was important, because the person who crashed had hurt her ankle. My friend walked her and her bike to the nearest road while I rode back as fast as I could and got my car so we could give her a ride.

Other times, folks haven't needed help. But everyone's been friendly and seemed happy to be asked. And I've been happy to be asked, too, on occasion (stopped for water or something).

[Tri Girl]

blind eye turners suck!

I always ask people on the side of the road/trail if they need help with a flat, even if I can see they have the things they need. Just in case.

I once needed help (my CO2 inflator wouldn't work and I couldn't pump my tire). Not one of the dozen or so people who passed me said anything. I eventually walked my bike 5 miles back to my car.

I would most definitely stop if someone had crashed. I stopped once during a tri to help someone who had crashed badly. Screw the race- it's more important to be a human being.