banerjek

I rarely encounter bike commuters, particularly in the winter. However, once in a long while, I run into someone who needs help. I travel well-equipped, and my standard practice is to assist however I can with parts, tools, know how, and a cell phone.

Two nights ago, I almost ran over this guy on a MTB in the dark and the rain. He had no lights and was about 6 miles from the next town. He was wearing a dark leather jacket, blue jeans, and a full face motorcycle helmet (black). Although he was rolling towards town, I thought this guy could really use my help lighting the way and also making him more visible, though the shoulder was adequate.

I was already 15 minutes late going home but just looking at him, I doubted I could light his way without making myself late by another 15 minutes or so because it was clear he had neither the bike nor the conditioning to move anywhere near my normal cruising speed.

I left him behind with the lame logic that it's not my problem if someone insists on being an idiot. However, had he been a "regular" cyclist with a flat, I would have thought nothing about stopping and mounting one of my spare tubes even though I think people should be prepared for common problems.

Just wondering, what do other cyclists do when they encounter someone with a problem who needs help? I'm feeling a little guilty about not being more useful, particularly since I probably would have been happy to light his way if he could move at a pace that I didn't consider painfully slow.