Total Motorcycle Community Forums

Just the other day I was out for a ride and a guy on a big Harley and his girlfriend (I'm guessing) on a second smaller bike were pulled over at a less the perfect spot for stopping. As I approached I hit my hazards and slowed to the side, but there was not a good place to pull behind them, so I tried for some eye contact with the dude. He saw me slowing and I gave him a thumbs up, sort of in questions, and he replied with a thumbs up and a wave. I moved on satisfied I didn't leave another rider hanging.

In my first several years as a rider I have stopped every time and at least checked to see if any help could be lent. A phone, a ride, a message relayed, or whatever. I have also seen other guys ride right by without even a look. I think we here are of a higher class anyway at TMW, as I think we are above average in our interest in safety and care for the image of riders, but wondered what others have encountered. In the 10 or so times I've stopped everyone was so happy that someone cared and I also have never needed to render any help, but I will still check. Hope you all will too. You and I may count on it that one time.

From what I've seen in the past what, few months I've been here, the people on here (with the exception of MotoF150) are some classy cool dudes. When my truck broke down I had 4 people stop and make sure everything was cool, and one dude even came out of his house to check on me and offered tools, a drink, phone, whatever I needed that he had to offer. It's nice to know that there are people out there that care for your well-being whether you ride a Harley, a Triumph, a Honda, or you drive an old truck, or some Japanese rice-mobile.

Just whatever you do, don't let MotoF150 near a broke-down Harley, he may try to kick it over on you.

I was walking along the road from the dealer one day....the bus stop is over a mile away....carrying my helmet...and a fellow on a Valkyrie road by. He glanced my way and kept going, but at the next street he did a u-turn and came back to see if I was ok.

He said he had seen the helmet and wanted to make sure my bike hadn't broke down.
I thought that was very nice of him....but it sure would have been great if he's offered me a ride to the bus stop....

I like Valkyrie's.

Funny you should start this thread as I had a situation just yesterday where I was stranded on the side of the road with a flat tyre. I sat there next to my bike comfortably seated up against a fence post for over two hours. In all the time I was there between 30 and 60 bikes went past and not a single one pulled over or even made a move to. I was surprised as I had and obviously out of commission motorcycle and was a fair way from anywhere.

In the past I have been broken down sitting on the side of the road and on each occasion another motorcyclist has stopped to see if I have needed any assistance one even giving me some tie-down straps for my runaway bellypan and another put my bike in his van with his trailbike and kindly drove me home.
I have also made it a point to stop for other riders that seem in trouble and even encountered a poor guy that had just come off moments before and simply needed some friendly words to get himself together before he rode on.

I must say that I was surprised and a little disappointed in the lack of interest from other riders yesterday but I must have looked just too comfortable up against that fence post to warrant them stopping.

Mintbread wrote: I must say that I was surprised and a little disappointed in the lack of interest from other riders yesterday but I must have looked just too comfortable up against that fence post to warrant them stopping.

Quite probably. That's the "Help is on the way" position. When you're still in need of help, you have to stand beside the bike and look at it while scratching your head or chin. That's the proper "Something's broke" maneuver.

My very first bike "broke down" once (actually it ran out of gas... I had no knowledge of reserve tank at that time ). I pushed it behind a tree and started walking. I'd only gone 20 feet or so when a pickup truck pulled over and gave me a ride all the way back to my house. Turns out she runs a small chopper business from her house down just down the street!

It really is a good feeling when you know you can rely on fellow riders like they're a good friend even if you just met them.


On a totally unrelated note, has anyone else been getting an unusual amount of pop-ups visiting this site? I get 3 now, and I used to get 0... please PM me cause threadjackers suck.

In my short time as a rider I did come across one biker that was stranded off the side of the highway. But this being a decent sized city where safety is a concern I didn't have any strong inclination to stop and help. However, If I can tell that a person is clearly injured and then I'll do anything I can to help. But with that in mind I would never expect anyone to stop and help me out if I'm broken down either and hopefully my cellphone will always be nearby in situations where I have the capacity to use it.

you guys ever hear the term: "Nice Guys Finish Last" ?? Ur putting ur life in danger stopping along the side of a road, as people pass you in cars and trucks they will look and stare at you at the same time they will steer in ur direction and if you do stop to help another biker when his bike is broken down there isn't much you can do to help him, say he's outta gas, you don't carry a gas can, or if he has a flat tire, you don't carry an air pump, so why even bother stopping?

ever hear of Karma...its also the third law of thermodynamics.... every action has an equal and opposite reaction...keep driving by, you wont do me any harm. (btw) i live in a good sized crime ridden city and stop for stranded cars, bikes and the occasional hitchhiker in whatever weather they are stuck in....been on the side of the road in all those situations and it sucks. Pay it forward, pay in advance and dont worry so much about overpaying.

One time I was hauling my ATV in my truck and I stopped to help 2 old ladies along the road cause they were outta gas, I had 2 gallons of gas with me for my ATV. These ladies stayed in the car and they opened their window just enough so they could talk to me, I guess they were afraid of me, I don't know, so i poured in about a gallon, told her to start it, so she turns the engine over for 3 seconds and then she yelled and complained to me it won't start, I don't need this! I got angry and maybe called her a name, I told her,, her car has an electric fuel pump, and instructed her to turn the key on and leave the key on so the pump has time to pump and charge the fuel lines, then start it, she did what I told her and it started, as soon as it started she pulled out and left me without even saying thank you or offering me money to pay for the gas i used. I did expect a thank you, thats why I will never help anybody else.