Who did you rescue today?

[w00hoo_kent]

Crikey again. Good work w00hoo.

In my head, anyone would have done the same, some people did just walk past but then we were there for 40 odd minutes and only 15 of those were without uniform there and they could have seen other people were dealing with it so you can't blame them for not stopping. When I stopped there was only one other guy there and he was calling it in to the police, not engaging with her. So I went to try and talk with her.

I don't think she wanted to jump, I think she was confused (and rather pissed) and it was a cry for help/attention, although without that she might have gone, or just stumbled over the parapet as there wasn't much room to walk there and she was agitated. Fourth person on scene was an off duty copper and he did all the hard work, including convincing her to allow herself to be dragged back over the barrier in return for the smoke she'd asked for. Also a woman turned up after me who did a lot of the talking and was able to get close to the jumper, and that made a huge difference.

It made a change anyway.

 

[John the Monkey]

One thing I always feel a bit uneasy about is pointing out stuff that's wrong with other people's bikes.

I told one lad his mudguard stay wasn't attached to the dropout (and offered a ziptie to secure it temporarily). While he thanked me (and turned down the ziptie), he's never fixed it.

I offered someone else use of a spanner to take out a nutted rear wheel (which had got a bungee caught, and wrapped in it) and was told, fairly angrily, that the bike's owner was "fine" dealing with it without tools.

I often wonder about telling people about dangerous filtering, poorly fitted helmets (too far back on the head, usually) but generally bottle doing so.

OTOH, one lady I told about undone pannier straps (which looked like they were about to go into her rear wheel's spokes at any minute) was very grateful to have it pointed out, and stopped to fasten them straightaway.

 

[Ganymede]

One thing I always feel a bit uneasy about is pointing out stuff that's wrong with other people's bikes.

I told one lad his mudguard stay wasn't attached to the dropout (and offered a ziptie to secure it temporarily). While he thanked me (and turned down the ziptie), he's never fixed it.

I offered someone else use of a spanner to take out a nutted rear wheel (which had got a bungee caught, and wrapped in it) and was told, fairly angrily, that the bike's owner was "fine" dealing with it without tools.

I often wonder about telling people about dangerous filtering, poorly fitted helmets (too far back on the head, usually) but generally bottle doing so.

OTOH, one lady I told about undone pannier straps (which looked like they were about to go into her rear wheel's spokes at any minute) was very grateful to have it pointed out, and stopped to fasten them straightaway.

People can be funny like this - they take it as criticism, like you're pointing them out as incompetent. I was skiing once with my instructor and one of those middle-aged city blokes with small children was having trouble getting his kids down the mountain - the little girl was just too scared and tbf he had misjudged it as the route was narrow and crowded. Pascal offered to take one kid down on his skis if the bloke took the other and he shouted at us - he'd got so wound up and was so upset with his inability to cope. So we left him to it, reluctantly (felt sorry for the kids). I suspect he came from that kind of background where men are not supposed to show any weakness. Pascal was bemused, I think a Frenchman in the same hole would have accepted help!

 

[confusedcyclist]

I did once see a bloke attacking his crank with a hammer at the bottom of my road. I decided not to get involved. Anyone prepared to attack an innocent bike like that is probably not to be trusted.

Who carries a hammer in their saddle bag?

 

[Freds Dad]

Who carries a hammer in their saddle bag?

Peter Sutcliffe?

 

[Big_Dave]

Peter Sutcliffe?

That was in a kind of way

 

[w00hoo_kent]

That was in a kind of way

It was a 'too soon?' moment from me, but then I am a huge Mongrels fan so unlikely to be upset :-)

 

[Big_Dave]

I rescued a bike from Halfrauds a couple of months ago, does that count

 

[jagman.2003]

Whilst stopping at a nice Cotswold town for a break I loaned my pump to a family to inflate their pushchair tyres.
I got several very nice chocolates for my generosity...bargain!

 

[September]

I told someone their shoe lace was undone. Saved their life.

 

[.stu]

I once rescued a very large spider from our bathroom, took it downstairs and popped it outside the front door, felling very pleased with myself, I then witnessed a bird fly down and eat it! Talk about guilt ridden!

Oh no!! Poor Mr Skinnylegs!

 

[MisterStan]

Oh no!! Poor Mr Skinnylegs!

Nice Peppa reference! 10 points!

 

[Scoosh]

I came across an attractive young lady (possibly Polish) who was pushing her bike along the cycle path today. Upon enquiring the matter, she had a rear tyre puncture but no spare tube - nor pump as it turned out. I had a repair kit, so showed her how to remove wheel, tyre and tube, fixed puncture, replaced tube, tyre and flagged down a passing cyclist who had a suitable pump**. We replaced the wheel and sent her on her way, feeling satisfied with my Good Deed for the Year Day.

She said where she had punctured and I reckon there must have been loads of commuter-cyclists who went past her as she pushed her bike along a main-artery cycle path in this here Edinburgh. I felt ashamed of some Edinburgh commuters ...

She had called her husband but they don't have a car, so all he could advise was "Don't ride it ".


**the pump was a very nice small dual-action thing which the guy said cost only a few ££ from Tesco in one of their sales: I'll certainly keep an eye for one, because it was a wee cracker !

 

[buggi]

the clue is in my title which was bestowed upon me by Shaun

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

I did a U-turn in the car today to see if the...er, mature roadie pushing his bike up the hill with a flat rear tyre wanted a lift. But he only lived just up the way. I had the back seat down already as well. Oh well, let's see what tomorrow brings.....