Anyone else have Good Samaritans who stop to help with your bike?

**pardes** · 10-01-2008, 09:47 PM

I can be waiting at a bus stop and people stop and want to help....they think I have a flat tire. Then when I start to put the bike on the bus, several people offer to help. Then you'll hear the bus driver say, "She don't NEED no help, that woman's got it DOWN!"

If I get this reaction at 62, I can just imagine the reaction I'll get at 72.

**SouthernBelle** · 10-02-2008, 05:14 AM

I've frequently received offers of help, esp if I'm in a high traffic area. Once, before I got my CO2 carts, I let a guy help me pump with my mini-pump.

Another time, I decided to walk the bike about a mile home and change the flat as it was extremely hot. I walked by a guy out mowing his yard. He stopped mowing, got his jeep, came and got me and took me home. Bless his heart.

**jobob** · 10-02-2008, 08:53 AM

My husband was riding our local MUT (the Alameda Creek Trail) yesterday. He saw a cyclist stopped on the side of the trail working on her bike so he pulled up and asked something along the lines of "do you have everything you need?"

(which, I might add, is the standard question both he and I ask any cyclist stopped along the side of the road with an apparent mechanical problem).

According to Lee, this woman came unglued on him - "Why would you think I need help just because I'm a woman!!!" (and so forth).

Getting the hint, he gave her a cheery wave and continued on his way.

**Aggie_Ama** · 10-02-2008, 08:59 AM

Good lord JoBob! I do feel sometimes I get the question in a way that sounds patronizing since I am a woman. My standard reply is "Got it under control" or "It's okay, I have plenty of practice".

**jobob** · 10-02-2008, 10:47 AM

I know what you mean Ama, some guys do give off that vibe.

Happily, my husband isn't one of them.

otherwise I'd keel him

**sundial** · 10-02-2008, 01:00 PM

Someone will stop to help me if I'm already fixing something. If I just pulled over and am dying of heat stroke, well, that's another story.

I have the gas can theory. If you are walking with a gas can, someone will come to your aid pretty quick. If you are just bumbling along, you can kiss your chances for assistance good bye.

**Jiffer** · 10-02-2008, 01:07 PM

Originally Posted by jobob

"Why would you think I need help just because I'm a woman!!!" (and so forth).

Oh brother. Some day that lady may actually be stranded, but will have previously chased off all the friendly people who might have, otherwise, offered to help.

My husband called me to bring him a tire pump one time because he had a flat and forgot to replace his C02 cartridge the previous time. Just as I got there, there was a lady driving by who slowed to ask if he needed anything, as she lived around the corner and had "bike stuff" there. A "woman" asking a "guy" if he needed help. It works both ways.

If your husband gets that reaction again from an irate female, he should respond with, "No, I thought you might need help because you're a human being."

**kie_fujo** · 10-02-2008, 01:31 PM

i have had a flat one time. we were way out of town on a highway with a nice big shoulder. it was my first day on my brand new bike. and of course we didn't have a pump!! my husband took off to get the car and i just began walking to get as far as i could. a few minutes after he left there was a cyclist on the other side of the road. i wasn't going to yell across the highway to him but i couldn't help but think "he probably has a pump". a few minutes later i hear "ding, ding" behind me. he had come around and offered help. i had a tube and tools...just no pump. so he helped me change it and by the time i got a few pedal strokes down the road my husband showed up!! i made sure i got a pump after that! the last time we went riding my husband got a flat and i got to change it for him!!!

**tab123** · 10-02-2008, 02:09 PM

Early on in my biking career (before I knew to carry some basics with me), I had a flat about 10 miles from home on the Chicago lakefront path. Normally not a big deal, except it was February and about 30 degrees out with a NE wind off the lake. I started walking home and began shivering in minutes. Another cyclist stopped, gave me his extra tube (in exchange for mine), fixed my flat, and gave me good tips on fixing a flat. After that heartening experience, I always ask if someone needs help. (Men are almost always shocked that I have tools, a mini-pump, etc.)

**crazycanuck** · 10-02-2008, 04:06 PM

If someone stopped, asked me if i needed help but I didn't want it i'd just say " Nope, i'm coolio thanks!"

**Jiffer** · 10-02-2008, 07:10 PM

Originally Posted by tab123

Early on in my biking career (before I knew to carry some basics with me), I had a flat about 10 miles from home on the Chicago lakefront path. Normally not a big deal, except it was February and about 30 degrees out with a NE wind off the lake. I started walking home and began shivering in minutes. Another cyclist stopped, gave me his extra tube (in exchange for mine), fixed my flat, and gave me good tips on fixing a flat. After that heartening experience, I always ask if someone needs help. (Men are almost always shocked that I have tools, a mini-pump, etc.)

My husband is sort of the overseer of the bike bag with tools in our world. When he realized my friend didn't have a big bag and was, apparently, never going to bother to get one ... he took his off his bike and put it on hers.

When my OTHER friend bought her first bike and was having "sticker shock" with the cost of, not only the beautiful Ruby bike, but all the add ons (helmet, shoes, etc) ... she just couldn't bring herself to spend one more penny to get the bike bag and tools. So, hubby went to the LBS and bought her one with everything she needed and gave it to her as a "welcome to cycling" gift. He gave me a hands on lesson on fixing flats after I got mine. Lucky for me he did, because although it took over a year, I finally needed to do it, and then again and again! (Time for some new tires!)

**melissam** · 10-02-2008, 07:20 PM

Originally Posted by jobob

My husband was riding our local MUT (the Alameda Creek Trail) yesterday. He saw a cyclist stopped on the side of the trail working on her bike so he pulled up and asked something along the lines of "do you have everything you need?"

According to Lee, this woman came unglued on him - "Why would you think I need help just because I'm a woman!!!" (and so forth).

What?!?! Some woman gave LeeBob a hard time? I'll go beat her up!!!

(Although I'm sure LeeBob could defend himself just fine, thankyewveddymuch...)

I could just picture him smiling politely, waving cheerily and heading off into the sunset.

**channlluv** · 10-02-2008, 08:32 PM

Originally Posted by Jiffer

If your husband gets that reaction again from an irate female, he should respond with, "No, I thought you might need help because you're a human being."

Ha! I love that response.

Roxy

**tennisgirl43** · 10-03-2008, 04:10 PM

not really help with my bike, but when I stopped to take a water/stretch break at the top of a particularly tough hill today, this sweet older woman came out of her house across the street (really rural area) and offered to refill my water bottle. I told her thanks, but I had another bottle left and was almost home.

That really made my day to have someone be so kind!!

**Jiffer** · 10-04-2008, 08:10 AM

I had another Good Samaritan experience, this one a little more interesting. First of all, I had a flat again before I ever left for my ride with my friends yesterday. The same tire that was changed on my last ride. We fixed it, but about 7 miles into the ride, going uphill .... thump, thump, thump. It was flat again!!! (Taking my bike to LBS today, by the way. Getting new tires and having them check it out for me.)

Anyways, since we were so close to my friends house, where we started, and it was pretty much all downhill, I had hoped that if I simply put air in the tire, it would get me back.

But the funny part is, right after I stopped and got off my bike, I heard a honk and looked to see my pastor waving to me as he rolled by the opposite direction with a car behind him. I pushed my bike up to where my friend had stopped and, as I suspected, Pastor Danny pulled up behind me shortly thereafter, to see if everything was okay. (He rides, too, by the way ... we even sucked him into trading up his ancient cobweb filled bike for a decent newer one!) I was about to put the air in and must have at least "appeared" to look competent, so he went ahead and left to get to the gym. I laughed and told Dawn, "Another 'guy' stopped to help!" Who'd a thought it would be Pastor Danny?!

Of course, 100 feet down the road, the air was gone and we had to replace the tube ... again. Three guys came zooming by downhill as we changed it and asked if we needed help. I yelled, "We're good!", and waved them on, which I think they were happy to do.

I'm off to the LBS now!!!

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