What to do.... A guy broken down along the road...

Stereo · Post by **Stereo** » Fri Mar 17, 2006 12:44 pm

So there I was, riding along burke road.... and there is this guy with a red ZX6R broken down on a traffic island, seat off the bike....

He looked up as I stopped at the lights....

I thought about seeing if i could help him, but then I remembered:

1. I have no pillion seat, so I cant give him a ride
2. I have no cellphone, so I cant lend that to him
3. I know nothing about fixing bikes, so I cant help him there

So I kept on riding...

I had to go feed the parents in law dog (they are away on holiday)... and I usually take him for a walk and stuff.... and there was a good program on TV so I watched that too... Said bye bye to Cobbie and was on my way home when i noticed this guy STILL on the same island with his broken down Kwaka....

The same 3 things still applied.... So I rode on...

In hindsight I wish I would have at least stopped to talk to him.... but then again, I couldnt help him......

Now I feel guilty....

am i a bad person?

MickLC · Post by **MickLC** » Fri Mar 17, 2006 12:55 pm

I stopped our group for a bloke on the way to the GP year before last. He was stuck in the middle of nowhere, dodgy phone reception, our bikes were loaded up so we couldn't give him a lift, and the problem was so huge we couldn't fix it.
Luckily he already had something organised, but I still stopped to make sure he was right.

It's always your choice though, you don't have to stop.

Barrabob · Post by **Barrabob** » Fri Mar 17, 2006 12:58 pm

Yes stereo you are very bad and the cosmic karma squirrel will attack you in the dead of night, might have been able to ring him a cab or something when you got to the inlaws or his misus or a mechanic to go and pick him up.

Then again he may be starting a new life in the middle of a trafic island.

Dont know if you have ever done the broken down on the side of the road thing but it can seem like you are waiting a eternity even if it is only a couple of hours...may have had his own cell phone.

As pointed out in a previous thread ultracare or something like that can work out cheap if your riding a long way from home.

Smitty · Post by **Smitty** » Fri Mar 17, 2006 1:18 pm

I always stop
('cept for Hardly Dangerous things

)

and even if the problem can't be fixed or the rider
has phoned ahead and arranged help or whatever
it simply sez I am supporting a fellow rider
its a bit like the wave/nod..just do it

coz
one day it might be you stuck......

my 2c

cheers

Glen · Post by **Glen** » Fri Mar 17, 2006 1:20 pm

Don't go beating yourself up too much Stereo.

I would stop and ask if there was anyhting I could do. Even if there's nothing you can do it gives the poor bugger a feeling that at least he's not all alone and helps the feeling of community amongst motorcyclists (puts us a rung above cage drivers too).

On the other hand he could've been a serial killer with his accomplice waiting in the bushes and we could've been reading about a good samaritan getting knifed in the back. Who knows.

chameleon · Post by **chameleon** » Fri Mar 17, 2006 1:38 pm

Stereo wrote:
In hindsight I wish I would have at least stopped to talk to him.... but then again, I couldnt help him......

Now I feel guilty....

am i a bad person?

I saw a story about a guy stranded on a traffic island. his wife had just left him nad he'd been sacked from his job. But to top it all off the finance company was about to re-possess his bike. He was at his limit and if he could have talked to someone he might have come back from the brink.

He walked out in front of a truck, and ended his life.

WHAT HAVE DONE STEREO ? WHAT HAVE YOU DONE.

wazza1234 · Post by **wazza1234** » Fri Mar 17, 2006 1:48 pm

chameleon wrote: He walked out in front of a truck, and ended his life.

WHAT HAVE DONE STEREO ? WHAT HAVE YOU DONE.

lol...you are a bastard.

Unlikely story, if you had your bike and were going to end it all wouldnt you do it on the bike so the finance co. got nothing?

z900/zx9 · Post by **z900/zx9** » Fri Mar 17, 2006 2:22 pm

Naughty stereo

bad boy

go and find a corner to stand in and dont come out until you are told

photomike666 · Post by **photomike666** » Fri Mar 17, 2006 2:51 pm

z900/zx9 wrote:Naughty stereo bad boy go and find a corner to stand in and dont come out until you are old

That's a bit harsh

In some parts of the world thay would steal your bike if you stopped, and my bike has never stranded me so I couldn't tell you what it's like standing there. I stopped for a Harley dude once, many moons ago, he's stopped for a rest

Rossi · Post by **Rossi** » Fri Mar 17, 2006 3:54 pm

Back in the UK the rule was if you had broken down and wanted another bike to help ,,,you would place your helmet at the front wheel
If you'd just stopped for a rest/smoke/piss then the helmet went on the seat/bars or anywhere but on the ground at the front of the bike

Made life so much easier

Strika · Post by **Strika** » Fri Mar 17, 2006 4:02 pm

I have been riding for a little while (20+) and have noticed a change in a few things this one included over the years.

When I first started riding, it was almost mandatory to stop and make sure a rider who was stopped was OK.

At worst a wave and a thumbs up signal as a question, was required, and if needed, you stopped to help. This was in the days of questionable engine and electrics reliability!!!

But it was just what everyone did....

Back then also we used to acknowledge an oncoming or pssing rider too....not so common these days. Not that it bothers me.

But it was nice back then to know, that if something did go wrong, at least you could rely on another rider to offer some assistance. Old habits die hard, and those who ride with me will often see me Questioning via a gesture to make sure a stopped rider is OK. But I don't get all bitter n twisted about those who don't. I just reckon the more we do it, the more it will become an unwritten law!!!

Naturally all bets are off it's a Harley!!!!

circlework · Post by **circlework** » Fri Mar 17, 2006 4:29 pm

Strika wrote:

At worst a wave and a thumbs up signal as a question, was required, and if needed, you stopped to help. This was in the days of questionable engine and electrics reliability!!! But it was just what everyone did....

Naturally all bets are off it's a Harley!!!!

The thumbs up signal is ssooo easy you'd feel guilty if you didnt do it

Post by **icebreaker** » Fri Mar 17, 2006 5:29 pm

Talk about Team Bully....

He might have only needed a hand pushing the bike to the side of the road...

esie · Post by **esie** » Fri Mar 17, 2006 5:37 pm

We were heading down the Bruce H'way on the FZ1, ran over a nail and had an immediate tyre blow out about 12kms north of Moby Vics. The mobile phone was out of service area (thanks to Vodaphone

) so Jeff decided to walk about 2kms back to the emergency phone, while I stayed with the bike. It was a great feeling to see that almost every biker & bikie stopped to see if I & the bike was ok and if there was anything they could do.

Stereo · Post by **Stereo** » Fri Mar 17, 2006 5:43 pm

Dan wrote:Talk about Team Bully....

He might have only needed a hand pushing the bike to the side of the road...

Kawasaki Sportsbike Riders Club - Australia - Online Forum

What to do.... A guy broken down along the road...

What to do.... A guy broken down along the road...

Re: What to do.... A guy broken down along the road...

Re: What to do.... A guy broken down along the road...