One nice vs. two not-so-nice things happened yesterday...

The nice one: I bought my self Tourmaster Draft Air 2 jacket, on sale. I know it's not exactly fall/winter kinda jacket, but if I have meshed part under my winter jacket I would be still well protected. And I would have nice jacket next spring/summer.

First not-so-nice one: I dropped my bike. My wife and I went for a short ride (and to test my new jacket). On our way back home we stopped once again, for nice scenery. Then, while standing and waiting for the best moment to go back on the road I lost a balance and the bike slowly went down. No harm done. Not even scratch. I never picked up ST before so let's see if it was worth watching the YouTube videos where small women would pick up GoldWings. Yup, paid off. After third or fourth try I had it up again.

Second not-so-nice one: While checking if everything is ok with wife and looking at my bike on the ground, and trying to pick up it up - at least four bikers passed me. Quick look at me/bike and, without slowing down, they would go off. Not the single one would stop and offer the hand or... I was REALLY disappointed. More than that I dropped the bike... I really hope this is unique case...

"bikers" . . . . were they riding Harleys? That might explain it.

Did they have a safe way off stopping or were they already past you when they saw you?
If they just blew you off they're owners not riders.

Bush said:

"bikers" . . . . were they riding Harleys? That might explain it.

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That's why I didn't mention their bikes because it shouldn't be the reason. I'm disappointed in the riders not their "rides"...

It is something I WOULD expect from that group of riders who quite often can't even lift a finger to respond to a wave, unless it is for others of their ilk. They are mostly a different mindset IMO.

st1300r said:

Did they have a safe way off stopping or were they already past you when they saw you?
If they just blew you off they're owners not riders.

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It's slow 35mph road in Des Moines suburbia, with several exists left and right to lake and other attractions. Stopping would not cause any problem to the "traffic". Although, I would definitely turn around and come back to ask if I can help. And many bikers would do the same - I believe so... I want to believe so.

Yep.. I few times I have pulled off the road for a text or to take a picture and it's amazing how many times another bike just rides right by. Now I'm usually not looking to desperate so I can't blame all of them for not stopping.

But it is a nice feeling when you are parked roadside and typing a text to hear a bike rolling up on the shoulder behind you. I usually try and get turned to give them a thumbs up so as to minimize their wasted time. On the trip back from WeSToc I stopped to take a picture roadside. Before I had the camera out of my sidecase there was a horse-trailer towing pickup pulling onto the shoulder behind me. I grabbed the camera and gave them a thumbs up and he continued one.

Just two days before I stopped and did a u-turn while cruising Hwy 14 in the desolate section of eastern California. Some kid was sitting in the shadow of his CB750 along the side of the road. Didn't really see him and register that I needed to stop till I was past him, I just thought the bike was abandoned for the moment. Luckily traffic was light and I could just do a u-turn and ride back on the shoulder.

The ambient temperature was around 100 and the sun was bright. He said 4 cars drove by before he could wave one of them down to ask to borrow a working cell-phone and call for help. Now if you haven't ever rode in that part of the state before... it is in the middle of nowhere, a desolate dry arid desert. I was running it making my way to the Death Valley to give you and idea of where this is. But can you imaging driving past a kid waving at you on the side of the road in the middle of a freaking desert???

Afan said:

It's slow 35mph road in Des Moines suburbia, with several exists left and right to lake and other attractions. Stopping would not cause any problem to the "traffic". Although, I would definitely turn around and come back to ask if I can help. And many bikers would do the same - I believe so... I want to believe so.

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Std? helmet on seat I'm taking a break. Helmet on ground require assistance. A bike taking a nap is a pretty frigg'n clear indicator of need assistance. Shame on em.
I try a thumbs up and look for a response if I can't stop safely. If there's no traffic a simple 10 second stop don't cost noth'n in any event. Even a group stopped staring at one bike warrants a stop, might not be carrying tools.

.02 any wasted stop might just encourage them to do the right thing when they come across something next time.

fnmag said:

... You need to update your drop count...

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Done!

On saturday I took another epic journey on my 50cc honda metropolitan scooter....all the way to the coast, over the hill and along skyline blvd.
Where I happened to stop for four riders on old haley's and an original indian. They scoffed and laughed at a grown man on a scooter.
I asked if I could assist them.....more laughs.....they were trying to figure out why the 52 PAN lost forward momentum....I pointed out that all the bolts that attach the rear hub to the sprcket were missing....I chuckled.....they couldn't figure out how to get the bike up the ramp wihout the ramp falling off the rescue truck....I used a tiedown and four of us pickex up the bike and loaded it in he truck. I wished them well then puttered off.
As the remaining three passed me...the last guy...on the indian said thanks for stopping.
Some of us will stop no matter what you ride or drive.

I have been in places where there are good smaritan laws if you see someone on the road side you are required to stop and offer assistance. Not that a law should be needed but the climate there is extreme and it is nice to know help will be there if ou need it.

I have, and always will stop for any biker who looks like they might need help, regardless of what they ride. It's just the right thing to do. The only exception would be if they are already with several others. Odds are that someone will have a phone...

My wife and I were stopped on the side of the road with a flat rear tire this summer and innumerable bikes rode by without stopping to see if we needed assistance during the three plus hours we waited for the tow truck. There was no particular bike brand to blame for bad attitudes as there were Goldwings and various brands of cruisers in the passers by.

Three motorists did stop to offer us an hand and/or water. It was back home here in Canada and interestingly, two of them were American tourists, God bless them.

Great stories to remind us to stop when it is safe to do so.:salute1:

During our trip to Scotland a few weeks back my friend Andy pulled into a layby to wait for me.He said he hadn,t got the side stand down when a camper van passed,did a Uturn and came back to ask if he was ok.It was in keeping with the hospitality we met everywhere while in Scotland.

Well glad it payed off for you on how to pickup your ST. I always try to see if someone needs some help if they are on the side of the road.

Last week, heading back towards Canada from Lake Placid, I saw a bike parked up in the middle of nowhere, with two lady riders standing nearby. I went through the motions of stopping alongside, in case they needed help - and both waved cameras and thumbs-up at me as they saw I was stopping. Taking pictures of the awesome view... but I felt honour-bound to check they were OK...

Awww crap! Hate to here that. That's one of the few things we usually brag about.... Iowa Nice.

8-BALL said:

Awww crap! Hate to here that. That's one of the few things we usually brag about.... Iowa Nice.

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It's still nice!