Helping broken down motorist

[ASC1951]

in this day and age i would never stop and volunteer help unless i had a witness with me , i know its not the done thing but how many times do we see people getting accused of doing wrong , when they were trying to do good

That's depressing. Life is much better if you assume that most people are honest - because they are.

 

[ianrauk]

That's depressing. Life is much better if you assume that most people are honest - because they are.

It is depressing to hear that people actually feel they they won't help for those reasons.

"Sorry tearful looking lady with the broken down car. I can't push it to the side as you might sue me for what ever reason"


Sod that, I will carry on helping people who look like they need help.

 

[Jezston]

I fainted on a really packed and humid train a couple of years ago, and collapsed on the floor. Only time I've ever fainted in my life so it was kinda scary. I remember some guy saying "excuse me" to me and sort of coming round. He wanted me to get out of the way.

 

[ianrauk]

I fainted on a really packed and humid train a couple of years ago, and collapsed on the floor. Only time I've ever fainted in my life so it was kinda scary. I remember some guy saying "excuse me" to me and sort of coming round. He wanted me to get out of the way.

I would have given you a kick as I got past..

 

[ianrauk]

In all seriousness Jezston, that's not uncommon in London on the trains and tube. Especially in the summer due to stifling tunnel/train heat.
Over the years I have seen a good few of the same scenario.

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

This is going to sound really REALLY bad and I feel guilty about this now, but:

A few years back I was out walking the dog and was on the High Street. Suddenly, a guy covered in blood burst out of one of the Pubs with another guy chasing him with a baseball bat. Now I was one of several people seeing this as they ran off, and it was more than likely caught on camera.
The thing about it was that it was a middle aged guy, and who I assume was his wife was there pleading him to stop.

I didn't have my mobile on me at the time as I was going to phone the Police, so I went to the phone boxes nearby but didn't have any change. Just then, the Police appeared and went after them.

Anyway, a few days later, there was an appeal for witnesses in the local paper and I was going to phone, but for some odd reason, I forgot about it, and when I did again remember, I assumed it was too late, considering plenty of people had seen it and surely someone had said SOMETHING.

I often wonder what happened.

I am not proud of it, but if I ever witnessed anything else like that then yes, I WOULD now phone the Police - lesson learned.

 

[BrumJim]

I've been in this situation myself. I had a flat tyre outside a pub in Cannock and the pub was full of people. The people in the pub sat and watched me jack up the car, take the tyre off (which took a while as the wheel nuts were really tight), put the spare on, do up the wheel nuts again, un-jack the car and put the knackered tyre in the boot. I'd never had to do that before. Just after I'd finished, I walked into the pub to ask to wash my hands, as I was covered in dirt, when some bloke walked up to me and asked me if I needed any help, having watched me do the whole thing. If nobody had asked I wouldn't have minded, but it's the fact that he asked just having watched me change a tyre which was annoying.

In a reverse of the above, I was in the company car park, busy changing a tyre on my car when two of the loveliest ladies (working in HR) were walking past, and offered to help. Being an engineer rather than a well-adjusted member of society, I'd like to think that it was the practicalities of how you get a couple of well groomed women to help on a fairly mucky job when you are half-way through, that led me to turn their offer down, rather than male pride and a sexist attitude.

 

[Spinney]

In a reverse of the above, I was in the company car park, busy changing a tyre on my car when two of the loveliest ladies (working in HR) were walking past, and offered to help. Being an engineer rather than a well-adjusted member of society, I'd like to think that it was the practicalities of how you get a couple of well groomed women to help on a fairly mucky job when you are half-way through, that led me to turn their offer down, rather than male pride and a sexist attitude.

Slightly off topic - was trying to change the wheel of my car in company car park, and couldn't undo the bolts. So went indoors and asked if someone from facilities management could help. Young lad came out, and you could just see from his body languae that he would have no trouble getting the wheel off for this poor, feeble woman.

I was quite pleased when he couldn't either

In the end the RAC had to come, pumped up the tyre (slow puncture) enough to get to the local quick fit, where they had to take the air tools to it. I insisted I tried the bolts on all the wheels after they fitted the new wheel, to make sure I could now undo them myself.

 

[Chromatic]

A couple of years ago I was going home from work and saw in the distance a couple of cars on the side of the road, as I got closer a bloke was pushing one of the cars and I got off my bike to help. A young couple in a foreign registered car that wouldn't start needed a push so me and the bloke said we'd help push to try and start it. I was expecting the male of the couple to help us push while the female got in the driving seat but they both got in the car as we pushed, as it started they drove off, didn't stop to say thanks and didn't even wave a thanks out of the window as they disappeared into the distance. Me and the bloke that pushed just looked at each other incredulously. Anyway he thanked me for stopping to help and after a little chat we both went on our way.

Slightly off topic - was trying to change the wheel of my car in company car park, and couldn't undo the bolts. So went indoors and asked if someone from facilities management could help. Young lad came out, and you could just see from his body languae that he would have no trouble getting the wheel off for this poor, feeble woman.

I was quite pleased when he couldn't either

In the end the RAC had to come, pumped up the tyre (slow puncture) enough to get to the local quick fit, where they had to take the air tools to it. I insisted I tried the bolts on all the wheels after they fitted the new wheel, to make sure I could now undo them myself.

Also had a similar experience to this. The brake pads needing changing on my wife's car and I said I'd do it one evening at work. Previous to this the father in law had had the car to do some work on it and he said to me the wheel nuts 'might be a bit tight'. Well he wasn't kidding, when I come to undo the nuts I had to use a length of scaffolding pole on the wrench to undo them, and not just a short piece either, it was about 8ft long and I had to use all the length to get enough leverage to undo them. At the time he worked in the local bus depot and I can only assume he had used the air tools used for dealing with the bus wheel nuts, I'm surprised the threads weren't stripped when they were done up they were so tight. It would have been impossible to change a wheel on the side of the road.

 

[Fnaar]

Just remembered a couple I helped on new Year's Eve... Harwood Forest, Northumberland, near the Gibbet, if anyone knows it. They had one rear wheel hanging over a ditch, and (it was snowing, and ground was icy) couldn't get any grip on other tyres. I think they'd sort of reversed accidentally into this position, while turning car round to head off. The bloke was in the ditch trying to push the car. I was going past on my bike (sort of thinking it was getting too icy to cycle, so heading home_). Saw them getting nowhere, also spotted they weren't really dressed for a prolonged spell outdoors... they were REALLY grateful for my help, and I was glad I stopped... you don't get many people up there at the best of times, and they could have been there for a while...

 

[Crackle]

Well done Ian, thank Gawd there are still people willing to help. I'd rather take my chances with people's goodwill and help than presume the worst and not.

I often stop and help, lost dogs, stuck cars etc... even lent my bike to someone once. The most bizarre occasion was cycling home and as I was stopped at the lights I could plainly see a blind bloke at a crossing waiting for help (it was a big junction). I crossed the junction and got off my bike and asked if he needed help. He did and instucted me what to do and then told me where he wanted to cross to. Well, there followed a bizarre five minutes in which he described in minute detail what I should be looking for and I stood there and scanned the area and told him I couldn't see it. Then he described it again and again with rising frustration while I desperately scanned the far side for any sight of these landmarks or any sign of someone else to help me. Finally, at maximum desperation levels what he was describing fell into place and I was able to escort him across, phew!

 

[661-Pete]

Especially in cities or large towns.

I agree: this may sound a bit snobbish but I think there's definitely a 'Town vs. Country' divide here. Out in the wilds you're far more likely to get someone stopping. Look at where our 'episode' of last year occurred. Look at Fnaar's story!

 

[661-Pete]

Slightly off topic - was trying to change the wheel of my car in company car park, and couldn't undo the bolts. So went indoors and asked if someone from facilities management could help. Young lad came out, and you could just see from his body languae that he would have no trouble getting the wheel off for this poor, feeble woman.

Funny thing this: I had an entirely different problem with getting a wheel off recently. I'd damaged the wheel going over a pothole; I managed to take it off and put the spare on, no problem. Obviously I tightened up the nuts myself, using just the hand wrench. Damaged wheel to the garage and ordered a replacement, then when it came, I tried to get the spare off. Getting the nuts undone: easy. Pulling the wheel off the hub - no way! Something was jamming it on by the central hole. In the end I had to go back to the garage. Their mechanic just delivered a well-aimed kick at the wheel and off it came.

 

[benb]

In a reverse of the above, I was in the company car park, busy changing a tyre on my car when two of the loveliest ladies (working in HR) were walking past, and offered to help. Being an engineer rather than a well-adjusted member of society, I'd like to think that it was the practicalities of how you get a couple of well groomed women to help on a fairly mucky job when you are half-way through, that led me to turn their offer down, rather than male pride and a sexist attitude.

You should have said "no thanks, you've already tightened my nuts enough for one day".