mac

As I was out cross-training tonight running a nice 10K, I severely rolled my ankle on a pine cone in the sidewalk and was just screaming out in pain for a couple of minutes. As I lay on the ground for about 10 minutes, a nice young college girl and her mother came out to me and offered a phone, ice, water, and a ride home. Wow. I'm shocked. I'm a rather jaded individual and always assume I'm out on my own. I rarely ask for help - just suck it up and crawl home if I need to. I'm just really surprised that some people actually care about their fellow man. As I didn't want to inconvenience them too much, I declined the ride home and called up my old man to pick me up. So... should I send a thank-you card (I'm not sure of their exact address or last name) or just chalk it up to human kindness and make sure that I do the same in the future to someone less fortunate? Thanks.

Dougmt

You should move.. errrrrrrr wait, VISIT, yeah that's it, visit Montana and you'd be surprised how many people will stop to help.. except those that have moved here from the state you are currently located :-)
Doug

futuresealsnipe

Wouldn't expect that. I wouldn't do it for anybody else (unless they were dying or something) so I don't expect it myself.
Chalk it up.

HereNT

Spread it on by helping out others. The more people that do, the less jaded people become, and the more likely that people are to help eachother. Change starts small.

PinkFloyd

You'd have all sort of folks stopping to help you if that happened in this part of Texas.

Example, last friday some of the guys at our church put out a request for volunteers to go through Red Cross training (a really boring two hours worth of videos) and work at the third Katrina shelter that was being activated in our town of 100,000.

Within two days, around 700-800 new volunteers (including some members of our local cycling club) went through the training at the church and are helping out. At times, the volunteers present outnumber the evacuees housed at that shelter.

chrisvu05

You know you saw the college girl and her mom walking down the road and when you got 10 minutes ahead of them you fell on purpose to get them to help out....great plan!! I'm gonna try that one sometime.

Must have been a pretty bad sprain if you sat there and screamed for 10 minutes. My freshmen year of college I broke my foot while playing basketball (landed on someone else's foot and my foot rolled to the outside tearing pieces of bones of the top of the foot) I got up with a few minutes and walked 20 minutes back to my dorm that was over a mile and a half away so I could get the RA to take me to the hospital.

bernmart

Actually, I live in the LA area, and have found people to be very helpful. Once when I was stopped by the side of the road trying to figure out my route, two cars stopped to ask if I was OK. Maybe it's because I'm older, but I seem to elicit pity.

Gurgus

Should'a went home with the nice college girl and her mom.

eubi

Hahaha. Funny how people that don't live in LA know the most about what it's like.

I'm with bernmart on this one.

Crazy Cyclist

forget about her mother, I would take the college girl to her house and I would be her teacher.

Tec-9

Yeah, you missed out on some hot mother/daughter three way action.

mac

Man, some of you guys are pathetic. What are you, 16? See, that's why I'm jaded. I'm asking whether a thank-you card is nice or unnecessary, and all some can offer is a teenage sexual fantasy. Then I wonder why people are hesistant to help others. If people thought the injured they are helping would be like some of you, I don't think they'd bother.

SandySwimmer

Mac - a thank you card would be really nice. They would appreciate that. They aren't expecting it . . . and no one writes notes through the post anymore, so it's extra thoughtful.

Sandy

Mxu

After my crash an old lady came by and gave me alcohol pads and bandaids for my elbow road rash. Something I really didn't expect in NYC but I guess its different in Queens. In Manhattan though... Man some of these cyclists and people and just really everyone/anyone can be a real @hole.

Keith99

Don't see how you can send a thank-you note without an address. Ignoring the cheap sexual fantasies, they do sound like the kind of people that are worth getting to know, nice people make good friends.

BTW I've had cars stop for me on two different accasions in the L.A. area when I had problems on the bike. Rather surprising as I am a bigger than average guy with a beard. No Charley Manson, but still scarry enough to make folks hesitate. Guess there are more decent folks out there than many people seem to think.

timmhaan

in brooklyn i had in accident and 6 people ran over to help. one guy even called my GF and left her a message telling her what happened. and other people called 911. still others made sure i was okay and that i didn't move until the ambluence came. yep - new yorkers aren't ALL bad. some are downright nice people.

Litespeed

If you know where they live, take them some cookies or fruit or something like that. I'm sure they would appreciate anything. Even though they really didn't help that much it's nice that they stopped and wanted to help you.

Eatadonut

Texas is where it's at. I've been helped so many times just with the little things, I've even had people stop and ask if they could give me a ride home when i've been taking a break by the side of the road.

One time, I was lost, cruised into this barbecue party just looking for directions, and almost ended up with a plateful of food and a cupful of margarita!

It's infectious, too. Being raised in Texas, it doesn't even occur to me to ride past someone who looks like they might need help.

God bless Texas!

Paniolo

Why not do both is possible ... if you can find them a thank you is always appriciated. And help someone else out if the opportunity arises.

Re Texas: I was riding outside Austin and got a flat. I had everything I needed, but this old guy in a big p/u with a big ol air compressor went by, saw us on the side and pulled a u-turn to come back and ask if we needed air. Told him it was OK ... he pulled away, but I guess he thought we didn't realize he had air in his bed and he backed up to ask again. I could tell he was really confused that I politely declined ... didn't want to get into that he probably didn't have the psi I needed, or a presta fitting and if he actually did then his volume would just blow my tube. It was the thought that counted

Alloy Addict

mac,
A thank you card would be a very nice thing to do. I've helped people before and would have been impressed to get a card.