in praise of.....

[Night Train]

So....CCers, here's the question. You've sustained a puncture. It's pouring with rain. A car, bicycle, whatever, stops to offer assistance. Who would you most want to be in that car, or riding that bicycle?

The Traffic Police.

At that point in time I reckon the protection of a big 4x4 jam sandwich, with flashing lights on top, would be most welcome while I finished changing my wheel or shifting the car to a place of safety.

 

[asterix]

As a cyclist I passed this broken down car, it was going the other way and blocking all the traffic. The driver, middle-aged female, was trying to push it onto the pavement.

None of the motorists she was holding up were getting out of their cars to help so I nipped over the road to give a hand. After accepting my offer the stranded drivergot into her car and locked all the doors while I pushed her car off the road. Not a word of thanks I bet she'd have thanked me if I had been a celeb instead of a scary cyclist.

 

[Night Train]

Many years ago I was once stuck on a steep up hill road, in the middle of road works where the road was divided into narrow lanes with huge timbers. It was rush hour, in London, raining, and the cam belt broke leaving me blocking the road.

I tried pushing but it was a bit difficult up hill and not being able to hold the car while I let the handbrake off. After struggling to the tuneful accompaniment of horns and having moved the car about two feet a motor bike stopped on the other side of the road and the rider helped me push it to the end of the road works so the traffic could get past.

I thanked him profusely and I was really grateful as none of the drivers in the stuck traffic offered to help. Some even shouted abuse at me as they finally drove past.

 

[Arch]

The Traffic Police.

At that point in time I reckon the protection of a big 4x4 jam sandwich, with flashing lights on top, would be most welcome while I finished changing my wheel or shifting the car to a place of safety.

Nah, even better... a fire engine! Bigger, and full of firemen!

There are some right sods out there - I suspect it was always so. I'm imagining a cohort of Roman soldiers yelling latin abuse at the driver of an ox-cart with a wonky wheel...

 

[Night Train]

Nah, even better... a fire engine! Bigger, and full of firemen!

Nah, I'm a bloke (Arch is a woman for those who didn't know).
If a fire engine came to help they would cut the roof off my car just for laughs to try and hurry me along a bit.

 

[Night Train]

I saw the opposite a few weeks ago. After being stuck in a traffic jam for ages, we found the reason for the hold-up - a broken-down car in the right-hand lane at some traffic lights, with two very fit young men leaning on it chatting, waiting for the breakdown truck I suppose. It was only a puny little Fiat, on a dead flat road, so why they didn't just push it out of the way is anyone's guess.

They don't make men like they used to. Can't pose and push at the same time.

And that brings us back to the OP. Beckham could have just posed but he pushed so good on him for doing that.

 

[Arch]

They don't make men like they used to.

I dunno, there's one or two decent specimens left....

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

[QUOTE 1308617"]
Why does that make them [slebs] any more special than a nobody who helps out?...Is Beckham now a little like us because he pushed a car?

[/quote]


Because the real nobodies were the people who just drove past and yes, though I can't say it makes him more like us, it certainly makes him more like me - I've never played football at anywhere near his level but I have pushed people in broken-down cars.

 

[buggi]

Nah, even better... a fire engine! Bigger, and full of firemen!

There are some right sods out there - I suspect it was always so. I'm imagining a cohort of Roman soldiers yelling latin abuse at the driver of an ox-cart with a wonky wheel...

+1

or Steve Backshall

 

[buggi]

I saw the opposite a few weeks ago. After being stuck in a traffic jam for ages, we found the reason for the hold-up - a broken-down car in the right-hand lane at some traffic lights, with two very fit young men leaning on it chatting, waiting for the breakdown truck I suppose. It was only a puny little Fiat, on a dead flat road, so why they didn't just push it out of the way is anyone's guess.

and it wouldn't dawn on their tiny minds that their breakdown truck was also stuck in the queue.

The other day, while i was fighting an unplanned deflation, a bloke stopped in a car, looked at me and said "Sorry luv, thought you were someone i knew" and then drove off. cheers mate, your help was greatly appreciated.

I met my favourite cycling friend Clive, coz he stopped his car to help me with my first ever unplanned deflation. Bless, Been buddies ever since.

and just to tip the balance, thanks to the retired couple who did stop to help me when i fell off when i was 23. They left my bike at the local travel inn for safe keeping and they took me home in their nice jag with cream seats!!! bless. I was covered in mud and they didn't care.

 

[sheddy]

I've done this before, but only if I can park up behind the broken down car in order to afford some protection when pushing.
I don't want to be crushed by the Smidsy who cannot stop..

I guess the best thing is for both drivers to sit safely inside and allow the broken down car to be pushed along bumper to bumper...