turning a blind eye

[bmccasland]

I've always offered help to riders I've seen stopped along the levee path, unless they're talking on their cell phones, then I figure they don't need my help. And I've had John Q Public offer me help on a MS training ride when I had mechanical trouble. The gentleman was driving a van, stopped and offered a ride to town or the next rest-stop, and I was leary about getting in the van, but one of our M/C escorts came up and said he's follow us, where-ever went, "to Kansas if necessary." So I felt better, and took up the ride to the next rest-stop where there was mechanical assistance for my troubled bike. I'm not so sure I'd get in the stranger's van, but knowing the M/C rider was back there made me feel safe. The Good Sam was being just that. There are kind strangers, just too bad the creeps have ruined our trust of most strangers.

[Grog]

I will help anyone (unless my gut tells me it's a creep who is setting up a trap - which hasn't happened so far), even ungrateful roadies that went out for a ride with NOTHING to fix a flat tire, on a road without public transit. My husband, if I recall correctly, thought the guy was not worthy of being helped, and mildly annoyed at how long it took for the guy to fix his flat tire (with my kit and pump), but the views from the Shoreline Highway (thanks MaillotPois for the recommended route!), made it okay for me to stop for a while.

[jessmarimba]

I always stop and ask if people are ok. And in my experience on the trails, I haven't ever even stopped to take a picture without someone making sure I'm ok.

I wonder if there's more of a sense of responsibility to ask on the trails, since it could be hours before someone else comes across the same stranded cyclist? I know I'd be more likely to ask a stranded motorist if they needed help (from the safety of my car) if they were in the middle of nowhere vs. the side of the interstate.

[Bike Chick]

Your thread has made me so aware of offering help that I stopped to ask someone in a car with a flat tire if they needed help on my commute this morning. Don't know what I could have done since all I had was a CO2 cartridge and a patch kit but I offered anyway

[limewave]

I am amazed that people often ignore situations around them. It's so easy to just ask if someone needs help. Even if you think you might not be able to be of assistance, sometimes just having an extra set of hands is needed.

A few weeks ago I was riding with both of my kids with the trail-a-bike and burly. We were on a long, steep hill and I dropped a chain. I think 5-7 cyclists rode right past us. I'm an experienced rider, fixing a dropped chain is no biggie. But I was surprised that no one offered to help being that I obviously had a mechanical issue and two small children with me.

[Crankin]

I ask anyone who is by the side of the road, unless they are obviously fixing something themselves or on the phone. Not that I could help with much, but I do have basic flat changing stuff and extra tubes.
Last fall I was riding with one friend; I came to a stop sign and made a left. After I turned, I stopped to wait for my friend. At the intersection there was one of those New England type triangle intersections, with a small "green" in the middle. Two guys, around my age were lying/sitting on the grass, with their bikes laying on their sides. I asked if they needed help, they waved me off, without even a thank you. After my friend got there, and I was taking off some layers, I noticed one of the guys' wives driving up in a Cadillac Escalade, and putting their bikes in the car. I think they just were tired of the hills around here!

[nscrbug]

I will always slowdown and ask if help is needed...usually I get a "thumbs up" and continue on my way. Was on a ride with a friend not too long ago. Two guys on tri bikes pulled out from a side road and were in front of us...about 100 or so meters up ahead. Suddenly, I see the guy in front violently thrash his bike from side to side, before slamming into the street. I just screamed out loud "Oh my God, that guy just went down". Nearly 2 seconds later, the guy behind him rode right into him, and also went down. My friend and I stopped and jumped off our bikes to help. The 2 guys were hurt pretty badly...lots of road rash and one of them was holding his collarbone, which I presumed was broken. Lucky for them, they crashed right in front of a local fire department...so the EMT's literally just ran down the driveway to get to them. I was so freaked out by the whole incident, that my hands were shaking and I actually had trouble steering my bike for awhile. Turned out that the first guy went down because a bee flew into his shirt and he was trying to swat it away.

I crashed my own bike and went down on the street in front of some busineses, and several people came rushing over to help. One offered bandages and a first aid kit. Aside from a few scrapes, I was okay and my DH was with me at the time. But it was nice to get the offers of help.

[badger]

I'm so happy that caring for the fellow man is alive and well here.

And I'm shocked that I didn't think of this horrible story just until now:

I work for the fire department, and almost 2 years ago, one of our female firefighters was vacationing in India by motorcycle. She was in Goa, and was hit by a bus. She was hurt very badly, but NOBODY helped her. They essentially left her for dead by the side of the road.

It was made worse by the fact she was dark complected and female.

Who knows how long she was on the road, but finally someone stopped to help her - a British woman on vacation. She managed to flag a taxi and took the firefighter to 3, yes, THREE different hospitals before one would accept her. The firefighter apparently wasn't carrying any cash so they were reluctant to admit her.

Long and short, the firefighter sustained catastrophic head injury and passed away two days later. The woman who helped her was flown to Vancouver and was given a special commendation during the firefighter's funeral.

[shootingstar]

It was made worse by the fact she was dark complected and female.

Who knows how long she was on the road, but finally someone stopped to help her - a British woman on vacation. She managed to flag a taxi and took the firefighter to 3, yes, THREE different hospitals before one would accept her. The firefighter apparently wasn't carrying any cash so they were reluctant to admit her.

Long and short, the firefighter sustained catastrophic head injury and passed away two days later. The woman who helped her was flown to Vancouver and was given a special commendation during the firefighter's funeral.

You mean she was dark complexioned and female, which made it worse?

Anyway, this is horrific and sad.

[badger]

You mean she was dark complexioned and female, which made it worse?

Anyway, this is horrific and sad.

well, she was in India where women generally aren't treated very well. If she was blonde, or more visibily a "tourist", she may have stood a better chance of being helped.

[Owlie]

You mean she was dark complexioned and female, which made it worse?

Anyway, this is horrific and sad.

Someone with a half-Goan background here...
Yes. Indians in general are very--shall we say--color-conscious. It's an indicator of, among other things, social class. And even though Goa is culturally somewhat different from much of the rest of India, that still holds. And yes, this goes for medical treatment. If you don't obviously have money--ie, being relatively light-skinned or looking like a tourist, you're going to have trouble getting medical care.

I know that I've posted a picture of myself here. I'd probably have difficulty getting medical treatment there unless they saw my passport.
This fact probably would have saddened my Goan grandmother (who was a doctor), but this has probably become more prevalent as the demographics of the state have changed.

/tangent