Do you help stranded motorists?

[Fly320s]

Yes, I do help stranded motorists.

Just two weeks ago my wife and I were driving up to Oak Ridge for a IPSC shoot. As two older ladies in a Ford passed us on, I noticed that the right rear tire was quite low. We attracted the ladies' attention and I yelled at them that their tire was flat.

We pulled in behind them to fix their flat because we thought the ladies might have a tough time considering their age and physical size.

As we were changing the tire another truck pulled in behind mine to offer his assistance. The scene was like a Nascar pit-stop. We had three people working as an asembly line to change the tire.

After we were finished, the ladies remarked how they were nervous that we stopped to help because we were in a small town. My thought was that I would be more nervous to stop in a large city.

So, yes, I will stop to help some motorists. But I probably wouldn't stop to help a carload of large men because I assume they can change their own tire.

 

[tc300mag1]

Nope i usually wont stop anymore to many weirdo's out there but since i carry my phone all the time and have to have my work for 95% of time i will call the police to tell um someone is stranded .. the police here encourage you to call them instead of stopping

 

[Stevie-Ray]

In the Detroit area, I generally don't stop for anybody, unless I can see they are seniors or ladies, sometimes others as evaluated on the spot. Most are talking already on their cellphones as I go by. If I do stop, I first ask them from my car if they would like me to call anybody. I've done that with one lady, and she said: NO!!! :banghead:

 

[Autolite]

I've always stopped to help, ...

but after reading the previous posts, I think I will re-evaluate my 'Good Samaritan' mind set. I never really looked at the potential dangers before and I live in a part of the world were carry is illegal. Everyone I know has a cell phone anyway ...

 

[Beetle Bailey]

I've only ever stopped to help in broad daylight and with plenty of traffic, so I always felt safe from an ambush (yeah, I'm kinda counting on someone else to stop if I get attacked ). When I first started driving, my father warned me about the old "woman at the side of the road with two guys hiding ready to ambush" trick, but who's gonna do that during rush-hour? FWIW, in the instances where I've helped people, oncoming traffic was my number one fear. Maybe it's a matter of time, but I personally never saw someone in need of help at night so I can't say how I would react, other than depends on situation. BTW, even if you are armed, you are pretty vulnerable to attack when you are changing a tire .

 

[clubsoda22]

i will stop at car accidents occasionally. As far as aiding motorists, i'll ask if they want me to call a tow truck for them, but i'm not sticking around. At most i might help someone push if they break down in a bad place.

 

[Amish_Bill]

I've done just about everything from stopping to talk to somebody and get them in touch with help to picking up a guy at night in the rain in SC and dropping him in WV. It just happenned that his house was not 100 yards from my route.

I'll admit that I am more likely to stop in less than ideal conditions if I'm armed.

 

[Jim March]

I stop and help all the time. *Especially* other bikers, as pretty much nobody else will. But "cagers" too.

Never had a problem. Well, not violence anyways .

One dude was trying to clean the fuel filter on an old truck, which on that model plugs into the carb. So as I walk up, he gets the plug out, spills gas on the hot motor, and it bursts into flames.

Ah.

Fortunately, I was on a long-haul trip in an old VW (Baja Bug). As bugs tend to burn once in a while, I had a fire extinguisher.

I don't fully recall each step I used to get to the extinguisher, bring it to bear and use it. But I did so with such speed, no real damage resulted from the flames. We managed to get that thing back together and I followed him into the next town . He said he'd never seen somebody as big as me move that fast .

What else...one time, I pull up beside a guy who's got his head shoved way under the hood of yet another old pickup. I roll my window down, say "hi, need a hand?"...and he ignores me completely. Huh? Then I glance back and see his wife in the cab, and she's signing at me like crazy . They're both stone deaf. Ohhhhkay. I grabbed a pen and sheet of paper and we "discussed" the issue in writing. I was able to get to a phone and call a cousin of his with an order for certain tools and some extra wire, plus his location.

I could go on. I've also BEEN helped out a time or two.

I don't see myself changing that policy, unless I had kids with me. THAT, I can understand.

 

[olyAR73]

Yes. Here in the Interior Alaska a break-down could potentially cost someone life or limb. So there is an obligation to stop. Im always suprised to see the amount of people who will turn a blinds eye to a stranded motorist on the side of a frozen highway.

 

[clange]

I'll stop for accidents, fires, etc. I seem to remember recieving a letter in the mail with thanks and a $20 after helping an older man but for the life of me i cant remember exactly what the situation was. As it stands it would be very rare indeed for me to stop for someone stranded on the side of the highway or something. If/when MO gets CCW i'd be more willing to though.

 

[Kharn]

If I had a CCW permit, I'd be more inclined to stop, but since I dont, I call the police (stopping if there's threat to life or limb).

Kharn

 

[jsalcedo]

Yes. Here in the Interior Alaska a break-down could potentially cost someone life or limb.

When I went to visit friends living in the mountains near Teluride CO they informed me that it is mandatory to pick up hitchhikers and help folks with
messed up vehicles.

A lady poked a hole in her oil pan on the dirt mountain road leading to our campsite. I gave her 4 quarts out of my trunk to get her back to town.

I saw an affluent couple in their 80's driving a new caddy give a ride to 3
really really scraggly looking dudes. So I figured when in Rome.......

As son as I got back to "so called" civilization it was back to trust no one.

 

[Bigjake]

depends, usualy i'll pull over and ask if they are ok from the truck, see if they need to use the phone. if they ask for help, and my gut instinct isnt going off the hook, i'll usualy jump out and lend a hand.

 

[R127]

I used to. Now they have cell phones and help is always already on the way.

 

[clubsoda22]

Talk about immediate care.

I was driving up to state college, PA with a guy who's a probie at my firehouse. We're heading down the road when a suburban slightly down the road goes head on with a mercedes. 4 geriatrics in the mercedes and unrestrained children in the suburban. Good thing the mercedes had just pulled out from the side street and the suburban was breaking so the overall impact speed wasn't more than 25mph. Still, injuries all around. 5 transports out of 7 people. Right when i saw the hit and saw radiator fluid dump and a puff of airbag i flipped on the blue lights an pulled up a distance behind them. I see a bluelighter pull up to my left (fire police) and a semi stops and the trucker jumps out with a portable radio. He happened to be an officer at one of the local fire stations.

So, yeah, people still do stop for stuff. Within 10 seconds of the accident there were 4 emergency services workers there. 40 seconds later a state trooper shows up, within 2 minutes the local fire chief shows up in his personal vehicle in which he had a well equipped med pack. Vollies are there withing 5 minutes, all in the middle of nowhere PA. These people definately wrecked at the right place at the right time.

Conversely, i've seen accidents happen right near the city and no one stops at all. People stranded there for 20 minutes in a car with airbags deployed. everyone slows down and looks, i was the first person to stop. Good thing the guy wasn't hurt. So i called the police. took the state police over an hour to get there. Maybe it's just a city thing.

 

[mountainclmbr]

I do at times, but only if carrying. I would never consider it if unarmed...Never, never unless it was my mom.

 

[JohnKSa]

I gave a guy a ride once.

He was already walking (from his obviously broken down car), had a long way to go, and most importantly was wearing a badge from the company where I work.

I will stop, crack the window and offer to make a phone call if the people look like they're in a bad way or have a long way to walk (out on the interstate.)

I will not stop for someone obviously hitch-hiking.

I've gotten real careful about helping people. Once I returned a box of checks that I found on the road and had the people virtually accuse me of stealing them.

The guy pushing the car didn't die because you didn't stop. He died because was walking in traffic.

Anyway, my "Depends" vote is really heavily weighted towards the "I won't stop" side.

 

[gunsmith]

biker angels

I was stranded in Okeechobee Nat Forest in FL,
the chain on my motorcycle had fallen off, I hadn't realized
it and had coasted for quite awhile before coming to a stop.
after standing around for an hour with no one but the strange big animal
making noises in the bushes for company (& no gun with me).
A pick up with 2 long haired tough looking guys pulled up looked at me
and smiled "I bet this belongs to you" they said holding up my chain!
They told me they fix harleys for a living but would help me out anyway
(even though I was riding a Honda)
They wouldn't even accept a donation for a beer of their choice!
Bikers Rule Dude's!

 

[Psssniper]

I have always helped people whenever I am able. There are some wierd stories but this one is really strange. It's 1975 and I'm 17. I used to deliver the LA Times in South Laguna Beach. On the way home one day at about 0545 I saw a guy hitchhiking, he had a briefcase and was dressed kinda like a guy who bought his stuff at a thrift store. I stopped and he jumped in ('67 VW panel van) I asked "where ya headed?" "San Clemente" he replied. Not much conversation followed. As we got into San Clemente, which is where i lived and still do, I asked where exactly he was going, as I'd be happy to drop him off. "You know where the gate to Nixons place is?" he asked "Sure, but you can't get in there they have guards." He didn't reply. Great!! a nutcase trying to get into Nixons place! I drove right up to the gate thinking that we'd get in trouble but what the heck could they do to me? I stopped and he got out of the van, walked right up to the gate where the guard SALUTED him and he walked in. I don't know who he was and I can't remember the face but dang!!! that was really strange.

 

[S_O_Laban]

It depends, I've found my gut instinct hasn't let me down yet. With a cell phone even if you don't stop then and there at least you can get offical help on the way.

 

[Bill Hook]

My dad broke down once a few years ago (he's pushing 70) and some guy pulled over and offered to give him a ride to a c-store or something like that a few miles down the road, all in the city on the circle freeway going around town during midday. The guy then started demanding some "gas money, " so my dad gave hime $5 and was close enough to a gas station that the guy didn't push it further.

I'm not so sure I'd want anyone to stop for me, unless I had a wreck or it was extremely cold out.

I'd just offer to make a call for them, unless they were elderly. Sorry babes, but I don't even trust women.

 

[4v50 Gary]

About 2 years ago my uncle & I were in Bowling Green, KY when some women unknown to us came up and asked for a ride 1 mile down the road. We accommodated her.

Generally we don't play boyscouts.

 

[Edward429451]

Depends. Usually its just the damsel in distress thing but I only stop for the men if I'm way out somewhere or in weather extremes. If they have their head under the hood I usually assume they have a handle on it and cruise on by, if they're sitting on the trunk or something to indicate that they don't have a handle on it, I stop.

I was broke down on 115 at night once, nighttime, pitch black with just me & my wife who was in the cab. I had my head under the hood so intently that I didn't see a guy walk up from out of nowhere, and he spoke. I unconsciously jerked around to face him and my hand went to the butt but I didn't pull it. We stared at each other for about a second (which seemed longer) and he took two steps back, turned and continued on his way. He suprised me and really caused a goodly jolt of adreneline. He scared me and I know I scared him. He walked off without a word. Now then what was I doing? Sounds comical now, and no I didn't hit my head on the hood.

Late night working, stopped at a 7-11 for some coffee and a younger questionable type approaches me as I come out and starts asking for money. I start with the brush off and he starts telling me how he needs money for a fan belt cause he's broke down and has to get on the road again to go home and to work tomorrow. No place to get a belt this late even if I gave him money so I told him I just spent my last change for coffee. He immediately heads off and I wonder if I just left a guy stranded that I could've helped. I work on furnaces so keep belts stocked on the truck and whipped three out and called him back and let him pick a belt that he thought would fit from the three. You should'a seen that guys face. He was so happy. I hope he got back on the road ok.

If you've ever been helped on the road, I think it's right to pass the favor along to others, given reasonable circumstances of course.

 

[PawDaddy]

I am disabled, so I would not be good at changing a tire. But, I would stop and offer to call someone or wait with them if they had already called someone. But, I will not stop for just anyone. I do have my phone at all times while on the road, so I will always call the trooper station if the folks are in a remote area. If they are close to an exit or populated area, I will keep going. I hate to pass people by, so by at least calling the troopers, I feel that I have helped someone and at the same time, kept my family from any harm in case it is a set-up.

I did stop a couple of years ago on I-65 for a guy who had his hood up. He said that he needed someone to jump him off. My son was driving and we tried to turn around on the shoulder, but there was too much traffic and I really didn't feel safe with all those 18-wheelers zipping by. The guy kept going back to the drivers side of the car and he acted kind of suspicious. I finally told him that we could not turn around and that I would call someone to help him. He seemed agitated at that, but I got into the truck and we left. I called the trooper post and told them where he was and gave them a description of the car. There was a town a couple of miles down the road and we stopped at Wal-Mart. When we came out of Wal-Mart, a storm was coming up and I called the trooper post back to see if they had made contact with the guy. He was gone when the trooper got there. I don't know, but I kind of believe that he was up to something. The strange thing is, he had a tag from the county that I live in. That's one reason that I stopped. And he said that he was from Greenville, the same town in which I live.

A buddy of mine picked up a guy a few years ago. When the guy started demanding money from my friend, he stopped and told the guy to get out. He picked up a screwdriver off the floor of my buddy's truck and tried to attack him with it. My friend, who is a big guy, was able to take the screwdriver away from the guy and threatened him with it. He jumped out and ran into the woods and was never caught. My friend doesn't pick folks up anymore!

 

[Jim March]

I ran into that problem with a battery jump situation once. I got good vibes off the guy, he had a really small car (Geo 3-banger, I was in a bug with a good battery) so I pulled my battery out, carried it back, and as it was a permanently sealed type, I just flipped it upside down contacts to contacts and told him to hit it .

He looked at me kinda funny but danged if it didn't work.

One time, a guy on a Harley had run out of gas. I had just tanked up, but we didn't have a hose between us. I unbolted my tank, turned the petcock off and disconnected the fuel line, carried the tank to his bike, held it over his tank and turned the petcock back on . We dribbled about a pint in, I slapped my bike back together, convoyed with him to a gas station to make sure he made it.

Got a guy home once whose headlight had died late at night - we were both on bikes. I questioned him on just how experienced he was on two wheels, he was OK and wasn't addled on anything, so we went 40 miles through a desert in tight formation with him working off of my lights right next to me.