Knights in shining armour

[Kev L]

Having had a rear wheel puncture on Sunday afternoon at about 5pm in the afternoon, on a bright sunny day, and being rescued by a genuine knight in shining armour (if you can describe a transit van like that) I wondered how many folk on here stop to check on the well being of other bikers?
I had a biker in an Astra pull over to ask if he could help and a guy on a Ducati street tracker styled bike, stop. However about 15 other bikes rode past, some nodding, some making sure they didn't make eye contact, and one fat knacker on a Harley wearing a vest of his expansive belly who drew the attention of his passenger to my predicament and laughed! Although he could just have been sharing a moment with his substantive other half.
I always pull over to offer assistance but have only been able to help a couple of times due to the problem being terminal.

[Watty]

I've offered to help bikers numerous times and will ALWAYS stop to offer assistance! Mrs Watty will also always stop to offer herself! I mean help Teal and Blue always priority of course

[agentpineapple]

happens all the time around London, sadly a sign of modern times, where everyone's in a rush and it's all about me. glad to hear someone helped you tho Kev, they must have been impressed with the blue paintwork, mind you those that didn't stop weren't impressed with the colour....

[Jazzscot]

I always stop to help out when I see a fellow biker in pearl.

Even when Im in he car I stop and ask if there is anything I can do for them.


Mostly though they have things in hand as we all carry mobile phones now.

[alanfjones1411]

I had an off today(see got off lightly)two cars and the only bike i saw all stopped to help with one car driver going off to find the bloke that knocked me off

[TheGingerBeardMan]

As Jazz has said, most folk on bikes carry mobile phones, and have it covered. But there are still the odd few that need help.

In all my biking career, I've only had someone stop once, at the end of 1999. An old man pulled in behind me, and kept his hazards on as I adjusted me chain, protecting me from traffic. Job done, we shook hands, and he drove off (he was an ex bike rider)

In the past month and a bit, with the half decent weather, I've passed 3 folk on bikes at the side of the road, and turned myself around and went back to see if there was anything I could do, or if they were ok.

One Harley rider ran out of fuel by putting the tap the wrong way (onto reserve) before he went for his ride, but he called his wife, who was on her way out with a can of petrol. He appreciated me stopping, we had a good craic and I left him to it.

2nd guy, again on a Harley (1200 sportster), was standing over his bike looking a bit puzzled. Turned out he was a born again biking man of about 70 years old. Split new leathers, split new bike and it was only firing on one cylinder. Got it fired up on 2 so he could get home.

3rd couple (man and wife) on a Jap custom thingy not even a week ago, both standing off the bike at the side of the road, wife not looking happy. When I asked if everything was ok, the bloke said "yup, the wife's just wanting to stretch her legs and get a rest for a bit" - so I took off again. He was quite surprised that I turned round and rode back to them (Sometimes you just can't stop on a sixpence if there is traffic behind you)

I carry a decent tool roll for myself when I'm out and about, and have used it on a few other peoples bikes in the past, either on the road, or at a bike rally. Cable ties, insulating tape, fuses, and the odd bulb sacrificed, spanners and sockets used. I used to carry low amp jump leads on the FJ1200, and used them to help someone on a CG125. That young guy was over the moon that I helped him out.

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It also amazes me the amount of folk riding bikes, that have no clue how to even change a headlight bulb, or know where their fuses are.

Anything internal I can't help with at the roadside, but most things can be botched, Duct Taped, wired together etc.

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In me travels, I've taken folk pillion to a petrol station to buy a fuel can, fill it, and then took them back to the bike, and one guy back to his car (was carrying a spare helmet and persuaded him to come with me - as he didn't trust me with his money, to ride away, promise to buy fuel and then return!)

I've made a few phone calls for folk that forgot their phone. And I have stopped only once for a pair of elderly car drivers (2 women) in a morris minor, who went through a massive puddle in front of me, and the car came to a stop. I pulled in, offered me services, took out me Damp Start and screwdrivers, removed a few bits and clarted everything I could get at. 15 mins later, with the heat drying out the engine and the DS taking effect, off they went. With no thanks what-so-ever.

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But I don't (and can't) afford to stop and turn back to every bike I see with the rider at the side of the road, or else I'd never get to where I was going. I mean, some are just standing having a smoke break. Some stop for a pee. Some stop to make a phone call cos it vibrated in their pocket.

You can sort of tell by the way they stand, or act when you pass, that shows they have a problem.


My rule of thumb when I DO stop for folk, is say to them: "pass it on". I stopped for them, so they must make sure they stop for someone else....and try and continue that chain. It doesn't matter if they can't physically help, but the fact that they stop and offer or wait with them till something is sorted is all part of the biking Brotherhood.

[Furrybiker]

I will always stop if possible. The craziest one was a long tailback on the M6 in a contraflow. I filtered to the front of the tailback only to find a car had popped its bonnet and that had folded over the windscreen. All the drivers behind just sat there like dummies, the owner didn't know what to do. I got off the bike pulled the bonnet down and secured it as best I could, ok I sat on it until it clicked! Profuse thanks and away

[turbo_billy]

I`ll always pull over if I see someone in definite need of assistance and always gesture to the ones parked up, but not obviously broken down, just in case.

[Flatline]

+1on that tb

[StormingHonda]

I always pull over to try and help someone on a motorcycle, even on my Harley.

If they aren't far away from my home I always offer to go home and get tools if the problem can be fixed, or if not to use my phone or to grab them some grub whilst they wait for the AA/RAC.

[lumpyv]

I always wear a pullover ?

[Kev L]

Always a good idea for someone of your advancing years Lumpy! Maybe consider a smashing cardigan or a stripey tanktop in the 70's style to remind you of your 40's!!!

[lumpyv]

my forties did,nt start till Y2K .

I do recall a craze for the tanktop and the starsky and hutch giant cardigan though.





my mum knitted me hutch style cardi but it took so long for her to do it was about 18months out of fashion

[kev64]

I was cycling home from work one day last winter , when I heard a loud smash.
I realised a bloke on a Harley had hit a women in a car coming out of a T junction,
quite bad if I remember. Anyway several people were giving assistance (thank god as the guy was quite shook up and broken some bones)
By this time the ambulance could be heard arriving.
As I had an orange Hi Viz on I decided to direct traffic round the accident scene
I was ok at it !!
Probably about the only use I could have been.
A few minutes later the Police turned up and my work was done

[bigtwinthing]

yep i always stop. Most times its a tow away job isn't it, last guy had a snapped chain on a VFR750 and the other one in this summer was shock linkage had snapped at the bottom "Y" piece an a TDM850. couldn't really help much. always have tools in the van but not enough to get a bike in.

i have squeezed a female biker in and taken her to a train station after locking her bike up with a chain and giving her the key etc. UM still waiting for it back!!! i was swayed by the boobs!!!