ajwray

On my way home today came across a fellow Roadie who was stopped on the side of the road hunched over the bike. Stopped, rolled down the window and asked if he needed tools or help since I live around the corner. Pretty much got a MYOB response with nary a thank you. It was very sunny out and in a very public area so I don't think it could be due to fear of a stranger.

Just hoping that some day if I get in trouble somebody else will help out.

Sorry just needed to vent.

wild animals

Well, since he didn't, I'll say it:
Thank you!

Someone helped my sister and me awhile back when my pump wouldn't work with the valve on her tube. If he hadn't lent us his pump, it would have been a real drag getting home. That roadie you saw might not appreciate it, but other people do!

CACycling

There are way too many people out there that won't appreciate your offer of help. But that one person who really needs a hand will have a much better day because you were willing to help. Don't let the ungrateful win, keep doing the right thing.

WantaBetterLife

I started riding on a long stretch of road frequented by a lot of cyclists. On the very first day while huffing and puffing through my first 3 or 4 miles, everybody that passed me said Hey, or keep it up, good going, you'll get better. Whenever I stopped to gasp a breath or 2, everybody and I mean everybody who passed asked if I was ok.

One morning I broke my pedal (it was'nt put on properly) and my riding partner went back for my van. Every rider who passed asked if I was ok, and if I needed help. Two riders who had their spouses driving behind them offered me a lift back to my van.

All the cyclists that I have met so far have all been very pleasant and helpful.

I have no doubt that there might be one or two creeps out there, but I havent met any yet.

Mr. Beanz

I keep my rack on the truck so I've SAG'd a couple of troubled riders that I've encountered. I think they were pretty happy to see the Beaner!

rumblebelly

A lady offered me help the other day when I was replacing a flat on a major road, I told her that I thought I could get it myself, thanked her several times for her assistance and let her go. I didn't want to inconvenience her when I thought I could fix it myself (which turned out not to be the case, but my friend lives around the corner so it worked out semi-good). But if he was anything like me he was probably holding back the rage and had blood boiling.

You never know what's happened to a person on the side of the road, for me, it was the second flat on the same road in 2 days (perfectly flat, minor pebbles caused both flats [seemed to be pebbles!]) and I was in the boiling sun with 20 people per minute passing me. The embarrassment doesn't bother me as much as patching a flat only to have it not work correctly, or having a valve stem break in half on your only spare and RELYING on someone to pick up their cell. I can't walk home from where I was at, and I had class in an hour. I was supposed to be home by the time I got through with someone on the phone.

So remember, if they seem disgruntled, they probably are and don't take it personally bad things happen in pairs usually, in that situation it's hard to blame them for being short. My personality lets me be smiley faced despite personal issues, and I don't blow off people, but not everyone can be a pushover like me.

bautieri

He could have been embarrassed but I don't think that justifies a MYOB attitude.

I always ask if someone needs help, sometimes they do and sometimes they don't. I'm not going to point fingers at any particular group of riders but in my encounters 99% of the people I have met stranded and without proper tools were...shall I say....of the weight weenie variety. Heck I've even changed a car tire for some young high school girl when riding by.

Help somebody when you can, when it's your hour of need perhaps someone will lend you a hand.

DieselDan

Some people don't want to been seen talking to fat guys.

IAmCosmo

I always ask people if they need help. Most of the time I get pretty much the same response. One time I saw a guy with a flat and asked if he needed help. He sort of laughed and said "not much you can do to help me buddy". I wanted to just drive off, but I had my tool box (with spare tubes) and my floor pump in the car, so I stopped and helped. I actually changed the tube for him while he held his bike up and watched me. I guess his precious titanium bike is too good to lay in the grass. After I put the wheel back in, he said "thanks" and got on his bike and rode off. No offer to pay me for the tube (not that I would have accepted it) or even any show of gratitude, but I felt better doing it, and that's all that matters. Now I see that same guy at least once a week. He must live near me or something. I still wave at him and I'd still stop and help him if he needed it, but he's probably still a prick. He doesn't wave back, by the way...

ibebikin

this is hilarious

jonestr

Reminds me of the time where when we helped fish a ******bag off the side of a really steep hill after crashed. It was really hard to get to him and we had to form a human ladder to get him out. The whole time he was just yelling at us. Once he peeled off from the group we just talked about how we should have left him to his own devices.

twentysixtwo

You did the right thing....

Just yesterday I spotted a roadie walking his bicycle. It didn't look like he had a flat. I still slammed the brakes to slow enough to ask "Got what you need?"

He waved me off quickly so I hammered it back up. I had been on my aero bars in a good rhythm and flying (~26 mph) so slowing down was a real bummer.

But I feel a certain obligation to help where it's needed and welcome - I've had my hiney saved from a lot of walking more than once by the kindness of fellow cyclists.

BTW - if he had been in the process of fixing a flat or working on his bike I wouldn't have even given him a glance - my assumption would have been that he was self sufficient.

Old'N'Slow

To the original OP - don't let it get you down. You did the right thing by asking the question.

Early in my riding experience, I split a side wall on my rear tire. Completely unprepared for that type of equipment failure, I found myself walking the better part of 5 miles home. About a quarter of a mile into my walk, a VERY kind gentleman offered to help and provide a ride home. As he dropped me off at my place, I offered multiple times to pay for his time, effort and gas. He politely declined and asked me to do a similar type of good dead in the future.

To this day, if I see someone on the side of the road, I ask if they need anything. I don't recall ever getting a negative response, but even if I did, it wouldn't deter me from attempting to offer assistance. It just seems like the proper thing to do...

ECB1

We always stop when someone is down. My son was on a century ride and saw a man alone going up a steep section and was seeming to be having a dificult time, he stopped and the rider said he was fine. He continued the whole ride with this man and what comes around goes around. This man ended up being on the board of directors for the college my son wants to attend.

Condorita

I have even started carrying a roadie-spare on my hybrid, just in case I can do something to help another rider.

nkfrench 

I have been offered a sag or assistance in several situations. One was when I was bleeding profusely from a dog attack; another I was very lost out in the country (ended up having a seizure triggered by the stress and physical fatigue); another was a surprise severe t-storm resulting in flooded streets, nearby lightning, high winds, and sheeting rain. Another was just a simple flat 2 miles from my car. While I had a spare tire/CO2/irons, my hands were so road-buzzed I wasn't sure I could complete the fix in the few minutes of remaining daylight especially given my lack of experience. I accepted the sag the day I had the seizure, and I accepted help with the flat. I was too proud to ask for help, but I was extremely grateful for ALL of the offers. I *try* to be self-sufficient just because simple discomfort isn't a reason to inconvenience people. I think the people who helped me out enjoyed being able to do something kind. And the guy who changed my flat tire ... OK, he was quite handsome and very nice. I really could have just walked the bike back to the car and fixed the flat at my house, but I got weak.

iluvfreebeer

That guy was a ******. I think you did the right thing. I usually keep a bike pump and a good patch kit and tire irons in the back of my trunk for times like that (along with a basic tool kit). I've stopped and helped a few cyclists with pumping their tires (let them save their CO2 or not use the minipump)
If someone gave me the MYOB I'd just blow them off and move on. It's their problem.

wirehead

Probably suffering from "damnit, the bead just isn't going in easy today"-itis. I get *****y when that happens.

No excuse. You did the right thing.

eshvanu

Good job on asking if he needed help. Sad to hear he was such a tard.