I've had several very positive interactions with total strangers. I am hard-pressed to list the nicest one.

One ride I was in a very rural area and missed my turn (the street sign had been knocked down). It was a hilly route and when I realized my mistake, I was off my map and already physically drained. I was quite novice and was only planning to ride 20 miles. I decided to wing a shortcut on a frontage road, but then realized the frontage road was going to end. So I turned into a residential area, but couldn't find a way back onto my map. I stopped to ask directions from a lady working in her yard and she could tell that I was in bad shape. Her husband put my bike into his Honda and gave me a ride back to where I had missed my turn AND drove me up the first hills on my return route. He offered to drive me back to my car but I declined and gave him my profuse thanks for his help. I had my first epileptic seizure after a couple of miles riding after that but after that resolved I got some more water in me, got my energy levels back up with a powerbar, and was able to ride the last part of my route.

Another ride I was bitten in my calf by a loose dog. It was over 100F that afternoon and I was overheated and tired. The bite was on a 8% grade section of road. I got light-headed and had to lie down. Several drivers stopped to see if I needed a ride to the ER, if they could phone somebody, if I wanted a ride home (with my bike on their bikerack). A nurse had a first-aid kit and cleaned and bandaged the bite. I was able to ride home after a bit of time in the shade drinking water regaining my composure, but I really appreciated the help and the offers.

Another hot day on a 57-mile solo ride, I bonked AND ran out of water. A friend just happened to drive by while I was sitting on the curb eating a power bar. He took my empty water bottles to his house and refilled them with ice cold sports beverage (Cytomax?). It was just 12 miles back to my house so I declined a ride home, but I was having to stop every mile and sit on the curb to lower my heartrate. I couldn't get it under 145 resting, and my face was twitching and I was worried of having another seizure event. I finished my ride, but was dehydrated and electrolytes were out of whack.

The time I was hit by a car (DUI driver ran a red light and left-hooked me), several people offered to call the cops, drive me to the hospital, be a witness if I called the cops, or otherwise help. I was just a little scuffed up, my bike was OK, and I was too dumb and young to report the driver to the police. Cellphones hadn't been invented, so a phonecall would have required somebody to find a payphone or get a sympathetic business to allow use of their phone.

I can't count the times I've had help with flat tires. Yeah, I can change them on my own but it takes forever and it usually happens when sunset is approaching fast or when I'm on a group ride with people waiting until I am ready to roll again.

I've also had people offer gels or electrolytes when I forgot/ran out and was in need.

I've also had a few pushes up hills when I couldn't keep up with the group ...

I've had offers to SAG me home when it started raining or when there were weather alerts (hail, tornado).

If I see somebody who seems to be in trouble, I try to pass these favors forward. If I see cyclists stopped roadside, I always check to see if they are OK whether I'm on my bike or in my car. I'm willing to give out a spare tube or CO2, drive to a c-store to get food or drink, SAG to their vehicle or a bike shop or home or work. What goes around comes around.