turning a blind eye

[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.

[loopybunny]

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?

Sorry to hear that! Regardless if you were badly hurt, you'd think someone would ask. Heck, I've stopped to take a picture of something or remove arm warmers and had people ask if I was okay or needed help.

That being said, I always ask if a person needs help when I see them on the side of the road. Crash or no crash. I've even been known to do this while driving my car. It just seems like the right thing to do.

[smilingcat]

Even if you can't give actual assistance to fix mechanical problem, flats, or first aid, it would be a very nice to stop and ask. If you carry a cell phone, you could call the distressed rider's SO... And I'm always grateful when people stop to ask.

My first major crash where I shattered my right collar bone (Clavicle to you doctor types), crushed and shattered my helmet, I really appreciated all those who went and called the paramedics, and those who helped me get my bottle of water. It was a blistering hot day. And with shattered collar bone I really couldn't move around without the blinding pain and those who got my bottle of water and poured water into my mouth I am ever so grateful.

And I have vivid memories of EMTs grousing about how the drivers were not slowing down when they drove by the ambulance. I was afraid for the EMT's and me to get hit by one of the cars whizzing by us. It would be very nice if cars would slow down around an ambulance.

So thank you to all those who regularly stop and ask.

damsel in distress (not now )

[Aggie_Ama]

Yes, in a heart beat and I ask if I see someone with a flat if they have everything they need. One day I had three flats, another cyclist gave me a CO2 AND a tube. I consider any help I provide paying it forward.

Some make you feel better stories locally:

1. Just last week the former president of the local road cycling club collapsed on a ride with a heart attack. A motorist stopped and administered CPR, the cyclist is recovering the hospital not in a coffin. He has a long way to go (I think he was in a coma) but he is alive because someone stopped.

2. One of my husband's teammates wrecked hard last year racing in the Cat 1/Pro Category. Another cyclist gave up his race because the guy who wrecked was bleeding and injured. He checked on the racer, helped him out of a trail then rode to alert a course marshal. Turned out he had broke a bone (I think) and had a concussion. Sorry no race is worth the possibility that a rider is seriously injured.

3. Years back (2004?) my husband wrecked commuting home from school. He was really out of it and some girl walking by asked if he needed her to call anyone. Campus medics were already on the way but she called me so I could meet him at the hospital. She was late to class but the really sweet thing, she called me that night to check on him. Nice, genuine person.

No matter what I am riding for (commuting, racing, pleasure) I would check on someone. They don't have to be bleeding, if they are down it takes 5 seconds to ask "are you okay?" I think it really stinks that people passed you by. Glad to see it is not regional, I believe most people would ask.

[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