Commuting - Just pushed homeless man in wheelchair across the street

Yea..I'm taking a longer than usual commute home..decided to go to company picnic via bike and not ride wiht the crowd.

So I am exhausted pushing home 16 miles. I am about 2 miles from home sweating bullets, trying to keep my breathing under control. I'm catching a breath coming up to a stop sign and a homeless guy in a wheelchair says "Please..please..can you push me across the street?"

I'm in a shady part of town and I really did not want to get off my bike...lol But, I wanted to help.

I just said Lord you know my heart protect my bike.

I unclipped..leaned my bike up against the bars ratty fence. Took hold of the wheelchair which was pretty dirty and smelled like urine and clipped cliapped across two cross walks..in full lycra outfit..helmet..camelback gear with clipless.

Yes All EYES were on me.

Well done. :) :thumb:

Good karma. Now you won't come back as a cockroach.

By the way, did anybody mess with your bike?

Yes All EYES were on me.

You should have waited for the light to turn green for you :roflmao2:

Yup, good karma for you. You'd have to be a real heel to rob a good samaritan.

Good karma. Now you won't come back as a cockroach.

By the way, did anybody mess with your bike?

Nope my bike was still there. I wasn't even worried about Karma..it's my duty to help folks. I just posted about it because it was so WEIRD! Ya know..really unusual...and funny how folks in car were starring ..haha.

Nope my bike was still there. I wasn't even worried about Karma..it's my duty to help folks. I just posted about it because it was so WEIRD! Ya know..really unusual...and funny how folks in car were starring ..haha.

That's an awesome attitude. I wish we were all a little more like that.

Nice job. You're braver than I am.

Reminds me a little bit of a newspaper story I read here - during the Houston marathon a wheelchair competitor got a flat. Everyone just kept on running by, but a road cyclist stopped and fixed his tire. I thought that was cool.

That beats some of the turtle rescue stories I've read here before.

yeah, cool anecdote. Also kind've demonstrates how you're more a part of your enviornment when you're on your bike than when your in your car.

Yea..I'm taking a longer than usual commute home..decided to go to company picnic via bike and not ride wiht the crowd.

So I am exhausted pushing home 16 miles. I am about 2 miles from home sweating bullets, trying to keep my breathing under control. I'm catching a breath coming up to a stop sign and a homeless guy in a wheelchair says "Please..please..can you push me across the street?"

I'm in a shady part of town and I really did not want to get off my bike...lol But, I wanted to help.

I just said Lord you know my heart protect my bike.

I unclipped..leaned my bike up against the bars ratty fence. Took hold of the wheelchair which was pretty dirty and smelled like urine and clipped cliapped across two cross walks..in full lycra outfit..helmet..camelback gear with clipless.

Yes All EYES were on me.

Now, were you doing it for him or yourself...? As far as the urine smell goes, somebody must have peed there, where you parked your bike...possibly the homeless guy, right before you came along.

Yes All EYES were on me.

It was the Camelback.:D


:thumb::thumb::thumb: Good on you, not many people are willing to help those in need these days.

Now, were you doing it for him or yourself...? As far as the urine smell goes, somebody must have peed there, where you parked your bike...possibly the homeless guy, right before you came along.

No this guys wheel chair smelled like urine. Ugh..am I a freak? Because I probably was doing it for myself. I get so excited about helping people. I will sometimes buy a large pizza and take a slice for me and than give the rest away to the homeless people in my neighborhood. No this is no mother Theresa type stuff and doesn't even compare to the stuff people do on large scales (which is my purpose in life at some point in time). But, it is the little things I can do in my DAILY life. Ugh...yea...I am freak.

But it is probably two fold. I did it for the guy..he needed help. I wouldn't have offered because it didn't look like he needed assistance...but when he asked I was more than happy (actually excited) to help.

I like doing good deeds..it's fun.

No this guys wheel chair smelled like urine. Ugh..am I a freak? Because I probably was doing it for myself. I get so excited about helping people. I will sometimes buy a large pizza and take a slice for me and than give the rest away to the homeless people in my neighborhood. No this is no mother Theresa type stuff and doesn't even compare to the stuff people do on large scales (which is my purpose in life at some point in time). But, it is the little things I can do in my DAILY life. Ugh...yea...I am freak.

But it is probably two fold. I did it for the guy..he needed help. I wouldn't have offered because it didn't look like he needed assistance...but when he asked I was more than happy (actually excited) to help.

I like doing good deeds..it's fun.

Aww, man...I was just messing with you. You sound like a good guy/gal...keep it up...:thumb:

Aww, man...I was just messing with you. You sound like a good guy...keep it up...:thumb:

Maybe I need to start putting hearts and stuff in my post. :love: BF doesn't really have a lot of girlie stuff..but yea..I am alll WO MAN! lol

Yea, I just hope for more opportunities like that...instead of people askng me for money while sitting outside the liquor store..with one bottle already in their hands. Ugh..no.:twitchy:

Screw karma. To many people get caught up in that karma crap which is based on fear and people only do things so they won't come back as a maggot, total crap. What ever happened to helping out people out of being human?
KUDOS to the OP and way to lead by example.

Great job.
When it really counts is when NO eyes are on you!

On the Northwest forum, there is a post from someone giving their observations on the Seattle to Portland ride a few weeks back.
He reported observing something like 4 crashes, with 2 of them being rather nasty. In each case, he just went on his way!

:thumb:

Thanks for RAoK !!! :D

Me and a little Mexican kid picked on old guy up that drove his Hoverround
off the kerb and it tipped over. He was 'walking' a dog so the kid caught the
dog and we uprighted the zillion pound hoveround. The little basket on it was
filled with beer cans and when it tipped cans went all over the street and some
of the one that was open juiced up the whole area :eek: Really reaked :eek:
One of my first realizations that Florida is a subhuman kulture. Not one person
stopped to even see if we needed a phone or anything. :mad:

nice job, now the question is... would still of helped the dude even if people where'nt watching... but either way nice of you to help out the homeless... personally if i can't finish my lunch i usually pass it off to a homeless person...

That was very well done :) A kind act from the heart is always a blessing.

I like doing good deeds..it's fun.

Nothin' wrong with that. There's no rule that says you have to hate doing good.

Nope my bike was still there. I wasn't even worried about Karma..it's my duty to help folks. I just posted about it because it was so WEIRD! Ya know..really unusual...and funny how folks in car were starring ..haha.

Good for you.

One of my first realizations that Florida is a subhuman kulture. Not one person stopped to even see if we needed a phone or anything. :mad:

I think that's a result of Florida being the prime emigration destination for the rest of the country's ******bags.

Way to go Boy Scout! Nice one!

I'm sure everybody body staring was thinking "Right on! That gay super hero is helping that guy out!". (sorry, couldn't resist - and apologies if you missed the thread I'm referencing and have no idea what I'm talking about!) ;)

Absolutely no reason at all to feel bad about feeling good about helping someone in need. That's the great thing about doing stuff like that - it helps you both.

Chris

Ugh..am I a freak? Because I probably was doing it for myself.

This reminds me of an episode of Friends where Phoebe stopped doing nice stuff for people because she was worried she was really doing it for herself :lol:

I agree though, doing nice things for other people does make you feel good. But there's nothing wrong with that, it's just the human spirit knowing that it's done the right thing.

Kudos to you for also being an example of a good cyclist. While a lot of people look down on cyclists for getting in the way, I bet it changed the minds of those people that were watching you at least a little bit when you helped that guy out.

nice job, now the question is... would still of helped the dude even if people where'nt watching... but either way nice of you to help out the homeless... personally if i can't finish my lunch i usually pass it off to a homeless person...

Ahhh heck NAW! Those are fighting words. lol :roflmao2:

Not towards you specifically but anyone who questions my good deeds or my motives. I didn't push that guy across the street because people were watching..I looked like a fool all types of crazy doing it. I didn't even notice the stares until I got halfway back across one street and noticed folks starring at me (Maybe they were starring at my gear?).

My eyes were on my BIKE! I was sooo scarred someone was going to try to jack my bike. I kept looking across the street as I pushed him and looking back at my bike. Lol. So Wrong wrong I know.
These weren't even the same cars necessarily. And they don't know me..my name..or where I am from. You get no accolades(sp) if people don't know you. I was some random chick in the street with bicycle gear on. That's all they know..and that wasn't going to benefit me one bit..in the shady part of town!


I do good because that is what I am suppose to do...not because of karma. I don't believe in re-incarnation. So ooohhh well you might not have done that if people werent' watching...stuff just isn't true. Good question..I understand why it is ask of people..but in MY cases it's not true.

I honestly don't think anyone would have rolled down their window for the man and pulled over to help him. Now that I think about it..I saw him asking some folks for help who were getting in their cars....(He was talking to these people so I only assume he was asking for help). They got in their car and pulled off. And we were right by train tracks..so I understood why he would neeed the help.

And I mentioned earlier up in the post about Lazarus and the Richman. Lazarus was a poor man who ask for change outside the temple...he was sick too. Richman walked passed him everyday. They both died Lazarus went to heaven...richman went to hell. He begged Abramham to let Lazarus dip his finger in water to put a drop on the tip of his tongue to cool his thirst. Abraham said..why? When Lazarus needed help...you walked passed him...and we couldn't help you if we wanted too there is a gulf between us that we can't cross to come to your side and you can come to our side. (If you aren't religious or a heaven and hell believer..just take this part as a wise saying by Confucius or an African Proverb)

So I guess the better quesiton is..did you do this so God could see you do it? Are you trying to get cool points with Jesus? Ughh... maybe, but that doesn't negate the fact that I have ALOT OF FUN DOING IT!

Well maybe they were staring at the donkey-back hahahaha:roflmao2::lol:
JK don't hit me.

:thumb:
Yea..I'm taking a longer than usual commute home..decided to go to company picnic via bike and not ride wiht the crowd.

So I am exhausted pushing home 16 miles. I am about 2 miles from home sweating bullets, trying to keep my breathing under control. I'm catching a breath coming up to a stop sign and a homeless guy in a wheelchair says "Please..please..can you push me across the street?"

I'm in a shady part of town and I really did not want to get off my bike...lol But, I wanted to help.

I just said Lord you know my heart protect my bike.

I unclipped..leaned my bike up against the bars ratty fence. Took hold of the wheelchair which was pretty dirty and smelled like urine and clipped cliapped across two cross walks..in full lycra outfit..helmet..camelback gear with clipless.

Yes All EYES were on me.

SAD UPDATE.....BREAKING NEWS

7:30am this morning I am crossing that same intersection, but a block up the street from where I helped the homeless across the intersection. Guess who I see coming? Homeless guy..with a bottle of BEER Old English 40oz in his hands. He is in his wheelchair.

He is looking at me like he knows me. And guess what he says next? "Can you help me move my foot?"

I look at him crazy...like this fool...didn't need help getting across the intersection he just didn't want to do it. He got across it this morning to get that liquor and now he is going back across it to his living space. He is a USER!

So I tell him yes...I can help you move your foot come here...and he kept moving and didn't stop. So I just shrug and kept moving.

I was slightly upset. I hate being taken by people. It ruins the feeling of doing something good Like when you give money to someone and they use it for drugs or something like that.

I wish I would have chased him down, moved his foot and than talked about him later. lol Because now I feel bad for not going afterhim....This doing good thing is a double edge sword.

Aw, don't feel bad. You didn't know.

And I know you don't want to feed anyone's addiction, but the guy most likely IS an alcoholic. He's sick. He can't live without the booze. You helped him cross the street. That's all there is to it. Does it matter that you helped him cross the street because he had to get a beer fix? Would he be more worthy of help without the beer? Your post implies that, but I would argue the guy is like anyone else with a serious illness.

In the end, you help who you want to help, but I wouldn't feel bad about it. He may not be trying to "play" you, he's just a sick old man who probably appreciates some assistance now and then.

Good on yer.

But why didn't you just wheel the bike along? Could've had the dude hold onto it while you pushed the chair.

Aw, don't feel bad. You didn't know.

And I know you don't want to feed anyone's addiction, but the guy most likely IS an alcoholic. He's sick. He can't live without the booze. You helped him cross the street. That's all there is to it. Does it matter that you helped him cross the street because he had to get a beer fix? Would he be more worthy of help without the beer? Your post implies that, but I would argue the guy is like anyone else with a serious illness.

In the end, you help who you want to help, but I wouldn't feel bad about it. He may not be trying to "play" you, he's just a sick old man who probably appreciates some assistance now and then.

The part that gets me is that he didn't really need help! He could have done it himself. He did it to get the liquor store...so I know he coud have done it himself. Folks aren't walking where I helped him across the street...so he made it on his own. That is the part that is grrr!

And yes it does matter to me that if by helping someone I am contributing to their addictions. I know about addictions..have a family full of ADDICTS.

However, that wasn't my point....I just added that part of the story...which made it more frustrating that this guy could help himself to get what he wanted..but decided to use people along the way to do stuff he didn't FEEL like doing.

Thanks for RAoK !!! :D

Me and a little Mexican kid picked on old guy up that drove his Hoverround
off the kerb and it tipped over. He was 'walking' a dog so the kid caught the
dog and we uprighted the zillion pound hoveround. The little basket on it was
filled with beer cans and when it tipped cans went all over the street and some
of the one that was open juiced up the whole area :eek: Really reaked :eek:
One of my first realizations that Florida is a subhuman kulture. Not one person
stopped to even see if we needed a phone or anything. :mad:

I was ringing the bell for the Salvation Army one year in front of a grocery store when this guy meandered up in one of those motorized wheelchair/scooter things and starts talking to me. I couldn't understand what he was saying, and he went over by one of the doors and started waiting Eventually I figured out he wanted to get inside and charge the battery up enough so he could make it home, so I opened the door and he sat inside while the battery charged. He rode off after a while, and one of the checkers told me he's done that before.

You'd have to be a real heel to rob a good samaritan.

Call me cynical, but I would have suspected a setup. I would have helped, but kept my eyes on the bike the entire time. There are a lot of distract/steal scams going.

Ironically, much of my cynicism comes from having lived in Oakland.

Example:

Once, in San Francisco, I gave a few bucks to a guy who said he needed bus fare back to San Jose. A week later I saw the same guy, in the same area, running the same scam.

Call me cynical, but I would have suspected a setup. I would have helped, but kept my eyes on the bike the entire time. There are a lot of distract/steal scams going.

Ironically, much of my cynicism comes from having lived in Oakland.

Example:

Once, in San Francisco, I gave a few bucks to a guy who said he needed bus fare back to San Jose. A week later I saw the same guy, in the same area, running the same scam.

Yea, I did. That is why I kept looking back at my bike. And you are right much of my grr comes from living in the big city because tons of folks are without and tons of folks are running scams. I've been taking ac couple times. So I am trying to use discernment about when to help and when it's a scam.

Guy asked me for a quarter to get on bart..I gave it to him and he went to the machine to get ticket..but just fiddled with it and when I walked off he went right back on to asking someone else.

Because he needed one quarter to complete his fair to get his ticket...can u just help me out please? Who wouldn't give up a quarter? To even a stranger who didn't look homeless or like they were on drugs...no one. But he played all of us.

It's why I wear my *****hole armor so much.

Once, in San Francisco, I gave a few bucks to a guy who said he needed bus fare back to San Jose. A week later I saw the same guy, in the same area, running the same scam.

The same thing happened to me in Philly except in Philly nobody just says hey I need a dollar for the train. The always have some long story about what happened and why they need bus fare. So this one time this guy told me this whole story about how he was working at the Tweeter Center and he was tring to get home but he lost his transpass anyway I gave him a token for the bus because he was wearing a tweeter center shirt. A week later same guy starts to tell me the same story. I said, "You already told me this story.", and I kept walking.

Yea..I'm taking a longer than usual commute home..decided to go to company picnic via bike and not ride wiht the crowd.

So I am exhausted pushing home 16 miles. I am about 2 miles from home sweating bullets, trying to keep my breathing under control. I'm catching a breath coming up to a stop sign and a homeless guy in a wheelchair says "Please..please..can you push me across the street?"

I'm in a shady part of town and I really did not want to get off my bike...lol But, I wanted to help.

I just said Lord you know my heart protect my bike.

I unclipped..leaned my bike up against the bars ratty fence. Took hold of the wheelchair which was pretty dirty and smelled like urine and clipped cliapped across two cross walks..in full lycra outfit..helmet..camelback gear with clipless.

Yes All EYES were on me.

You did what you had to do. Humanity is like that, sometimes. Once a guy who was on a cane trying to climb up the curb just reached out and held his hand out to me without saying anything and I helped him pull himself up on to the curb. Neither of us said anything, no wonderous "connection" moment, just two people being human, you just do what you have to do.

It's better to err on the side of compassion. I wish there were more people in the world who would stop and help someone without question (as long as they were keeping themselves safe) instead of turning a blind eye to someone who might really need help because it might be a scam.

A week later same guy starts to tell me the same story. I said, "You already told me this story.", and I kept walking.

I was pretty pissed when I realized I'd been had, and this is what I did: I went up to the guy and asked him what was up. He didn't recognize me; I heard his story again, and said, "Hey, I understand. I've been in that situation before. I'd give you money, but I've got no cash. Walk with me to the bus station, where my wife is waiting, and I'll give you what you need." He followed along, and I walked until I saw some cops, and filled them in. They said they couldn't do anything, but I could make a citizen's arrest, which I did. Don't know what finally happened. But it was somewhat satisfying to scam a scammer.

There are very few times when you can actually feel good about yourself. Like your wedding, birth of children, saving another life!

That was one of them - good job!

Good on ya mate! Don't worry about what he did the next day...you did right the first time and thats all that counts.

No this guys wheel chair smelled like urine. Ugh..am I a freak? Because I probably was doing it for myself. I get so excited about helping people. I will sometimes buy a large pizza and take a slice for me and than give the rest away to the homeless people in my neighborhood. No this is no mother Theresa type stuff and doesn't even compare to the stuff people do on large scales (which is my purpose in life at some point in time). But, it is the little things I can do in my DAILY life. Ugh...yea...I am freak.

But it is probably two fold. I did it for the guy..he needed help. I wouldn't have offered because it didn't look like he needed assistance...but when he asked I was more than happy (actually excited) to help.

I like doing good deeds..it's fun.

hey nice job. whether you're a christian, muslum or atheist, there's alot to be said for doing someone a good turn! and you're not a freak for wanting to help. just don't try to convert anybody! :p

SAD UPDATE.....BREAKING NEWS

7:30am this morning I am crossing that same intersection, but a block up the street from where I helped the homeless across the intersection. Guess who I see coming? Homeless guy..with a bottle of BEER Old English 40oz in his hands. He is in his wheelchair.

He is looking at me like he knows me. And guess what he says next? "Can you help me move my foot?"

I look at him crazy...like this fool...didn't need help getting across the intersection he just didn't want to do it. He got across it this morning to get that liquor and now he is going back across it to his living space. He is a USER!

So I tell him yes...I can help you move your foot come here...and he kept moving and didn't stop. So I just shrug and kept moving.

I was slightly upset. I hate being taken by people. It ruins the feeling of doing something good Like when you give money to someone and they use it for drugs or something like that.

I wish I would have chased him down, moved his foot and than talked about him later. lol Because now I feel bad for not going afterhim....This doing good thing is a double edge sword.

Sister; Matthew. 18 v21-22. Just a very gentle reminder :)

The topic really could go both ways... you could have maliciously pushed a homeless man across a busy street against the light...

Anyway, it's nice to hear people doing good things, it makes me feel not alone (I tend to stop if I see someone moving slowly with a confused look on their face, it makes their day when someone gives them directions (what they usually need) )

Sister; Matthew. 18 v21-22. Just a very gentle reminder :)

True true. You're right. :o Imagine all the times I've done the same thing against our Father. And he did Matt 18 for me.

I agree though, doing nice things for other people does make you feel good. But there's nothing wrong with that, it's just the human spirit knowing that it's done the right thing.
Darn right; Who wouldn't feel real good helping an old lady in her wheelchair?

Darn right; Who wouldn't feel real good helping an old lady in her wheelchair?
http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa276/Sianelleofavelorn/YouFail.jpg?t=1219367122

;)