Bikeforums.net is a forum about nothing but bikes. Our community can help you find information about hard-to-find and localized information like bicycle tours, specialties like where in your area to have your recumbent bike serviced, or what are the best bicycle tires and seats for the activities you use your bike for.1955
02-14-09, 12:51 PM
This morning, about 10:15, while making my way home from a ride with my buddies I witnessed a feat of bravery by a fellow cyclist. I had just left the water fountain after saying “hey” to Beans and Gina and was heading south; while passing under the 17th street under crossing I saw a commotion in the rough water of the riverbed. Going up the other side a cyclist was dismounting alongside another lone bike. He ran ahead to be along side the commotion in the water and I said I’d watch the bikes and call 911.
Out in the middle of the river were a couple of people and two dogs…struggling! The water was moving at maybe ten mph and I could see what at the time I thought were a young girl and someone in a blue jersey with mostly just their heads above the water. The water may be only a couple of feet deep, but the current was moving pretty fast and it’s only a concrete bottom with no place to get any grip. While I was on the line with the 911 operator they managed to get out of the water maybe 500 yards downstream. It was very confusing, because while I was talking with the operator I then only saw the bike rider and the dog and thought that I had only seen a dog all along…I was wrong. When they finally made their way to where I was, it was a grown woman with her two dogs, running around with NO LEASHES!
The biker’s name is Roger and he lives in HB. Turns out that this woman, who I’ll refer to from now on as the Moron, was letting her dogs “play” in the water!!! Now, dogs being dogs, they got caught out in the fast moving stream and she was apparently yelling for help, so Roger drops his bike on the trail and runs down to help, all the while yelling at her that he would get the dogs and to stay out of the water…at which point, she runs in after the dogs. Now Roger has to jump in to save all three of them. He helped the Moron and one of the dogs to get out and then had to really struggle with a 110 pound lab that just wanted to get back in the water and play. When they finally made it back to the bike where I was waiting, she walks by, kind of in a state of shock and soaking wet, and not having the slightest clue of what she had done. Her dogs are still running all over the place and she just makes her way back to where ever her car is parked. While talking to Roger and the other biker who had stopped I get a call from the Santa Ana Police Dept. and talk to them for awhile, they want to talk to the Moron and I tell them where I last saw her headed…I know they won’t, but I really wish they would cite her for her dogs and, if I’m not mistaken, also for being in the riverbed, which is against the law.
I stayed for just another minute talking to Roger while he wrung out his stuff, he had just started on a nice long ride, but said he was just going to try and dry off and head back home. It wasn’t until I had left him that I realized all I had just witnessed; I’ve lived near the SART for my whole life, 53 years and I’ve never understood how in the world adults get caught in that water…now I know, they’re stupid!!! I really don’t have any idea if the Moron was really in trouble or not, but it sure looked like it from where I was standing, but there is one thing I am sure of…Roger didn’t think twice, he just jumped in to help them.
The more I think about it, the more I realize that Roger is a HERO. All he thought about was helping someone in distress out, and he did! So, I don’t know if Roger frequents this forum, but if you do…I’m in awe of you and proud to have shaken your hand. I just wish I’d have gotten your last name, because I would have called The Register and told them this story instead of printing it here at BF.
Ralph
Out in the middle of the river were a couple of people and two dogs…struggling! The water was moving at maybe ten mph and I could see what at the time I thought were a young girl and someone in a blue jersey with mostly just their heads above the water. The water may be only a couple of feet deep, but the current was moving pretty fast and it’s only a concrete bottom with no place to get any grip. While I was on the line with the 911 operator they managed to get out of the water maybe 500 yards downstream. It was very confusing, because while I was talking with the operator I then only saw the bike rider and the dog and thought that I had only seen a dog all along…I was wrong. When they finally made their way to where I was, it was a grown woman with her two dogs, running around with NO LEASHES!
The biker’s name is Roger and he lives in HB. Turns out that this woman, who I’ll refer to from now on as the Moron, was letting her dogs “play” in the water!!! Now, dogs being dogs, they got caught out in the fast moving stream and she was apparently yelling for help, so Roger drops his bike on the trail and runs down to help, all the while yelling at her that he would get the dogs and to stay out of the water…at which point, she runs in after the dogs. Now Roger has to jump in to save all three of them. He helped the Moron and one of the dogs to get out and then had to really struggle with a 110 pound lab that just wanted to get back in the water and play. When they finally made it back to the bike where I was waiting, she walks by, kind of in a state of shock and soaking wet, and not having the slightest clue of what she had done. Her dogs are still running all over the place and she just makes her way back to where ever her car is parked. While talking to Roger and the other biker who had stopped I get a call from the Santa Ana Police Dept. and talk to them for awhile, they want to talk to the Moron and I tell them where I last saw her headed…I know they won’t, but I really wish they would cite her for her dogs and, if I’m not mistaken, also for being in the riverbed, which is against the law.
I stayed for just another minute talking to Roger while he wrung out his stuff, he had just started on a nice long ride, but said he was just going to try and dry off and head back home. It wasn’t until I had left him that I realized all I had just witnessed; I’ve lived near the SART for my whole life, 53 years and I’ve never understood how in the world adults get caught in that water…now I know, they’re stupid!!! I really don’t have any idea if the Moron was really in trouble or not, but it sure looked like it from where I was standing, but there is one thing I am sure of…Roger didn’t think twice, he just jumped in to help them.
The more I think about it, the more I realize that Roger is a HERO. All he thought about was helping someone in distress out, and he did! So, I don’t know if Roger frequents this forum, but if you do…I’m in awe of you and proud to have shaken your hand. I just wish I’d have gotten your last name, because I would have called The Register and told them this story instead of printing it here at BF.
Ralph