That's why I quit stopping. Unless, you're frantically flagging me down, I ain't stopping. Besides, if you're stranded on an interstate, me quickly reducing speed from 75 mph doesn't' always work out good...

 

Not sure exactly where you are located, but I could swear this must have happened in Utah. I've had a couple similar experiences here. There are a few times when I haven't stopped to at least check on a fellow biker, like when they are on the other side of the freeway or something. The times I have stopped, I can't necessarily help them, but we have a good chat and I get to make a new friend.

 

Just returned from a 14,237 mile ride to Alaska on a KTM (The Harleys stayed home this trip). Had a lot of tire, wheel and chain issues so on side of road a lot working on bike. Harley riders, whether on a bike or in a vehicle, stopped just about every time and offered assistance. Not so much for BMW and other riders. Very impressed and thankful for fellow HD riders.

 

It's as simple as slowing way down and gesturing thumbs up or down, or pulling up and asking if they are cool.That's what 99% of my encounters are and it's usually less than 5 seconds of my time. So I'll stop every time.

But you do get disappointed at the lack of "compassion" for lack of a better word, and it's not just bikes.
On Friday we were headed north the interstate in the cage, and came across a car in the south lanes that had obviously been on fire, with just a pickup behind it with 4-ways on, NO other vehicles in the SB lanes, and we're like wtf?? So cresting the hill about a 1/4 mile later, there's a 3 way accident in the SB lanes with all kinds of emergency services, so we then figured out it was an accident where someone didn't see the stopped traffic for the firefighters working on the burning car. OK.
We can see about a 1/2 mile of stopped cars waiting to be shunted off or the accident to be cleared, and figured we'd see cars being detoured a few miles up at the next exit, and sure enough that's what we saw. Well, shortly after passing the exit, now our lanes slow to a crawl, too, and we come upon an accident that has just happened where a young lady in the SB lanes must not have seen the traffic being detoured and plowed into the back of an SUV and ended up in the median, nearly in our lane. No EMS on scene yet. Now the folks in our lane just witnessed all the EMS tied up at the other scene, and no one is pulling over! So we pulled over along with another car or two (which luckily contained an EMT and a nurse), and helped out as best we could until the police and FD pulled up a few minutes later.
The family in the SUV were shaken up, but the young lady was stuck in her car with a broken leg. Once the pros were on the scene, we got out of the way, so I hope it turned out ok for her.
Just bugged me a bit, I guess. I have trouble passing something like that without seeing if I can help, if the pros aren't on scene.

 

It's not just bikes or cars on the side of the road, it's everywhere. People are either too self-absorbed in their little 'personal space' or too scared to approach a stranger to help. And it's not for just road problems, it's little things. I've watched a guy walk right past a woman who dropped a sack of groceries in the Publix parking lot- he wasn't even on a phone or anything, he just ignored it and walked by while I went over to help her retrieve her stuff. I don't know how many boxes I've carried, or helped load into cars at Wal-Mart, or how many doors I've held open for people- men and women- or any number of things. I'm not a role model for helping out, but damn- some people just need to open their eyes and be polite at least.

I'm leery of stopping on the road, to be honest, but I'll do it, especially if I see it's a family with kids that's stranded. Admittedly I'm not a very good mechanic (I know my limitations) but sometimes it just takes a second set of eyes to see a problem, and sometimes just being there can calm folks down.

 

I find that riders, metric or HD, always give the hands on the helmet signal when Five-O is ahead. Got two such signals today. At least their is unity in the us v. them category.

So helping a "brother" system may be broke, but it's not gone.

 

Confucius say: " When seeking a helping hand, one should look no further than at the end of ones own arm"

 

Same here. Last one I stopped for the PD was already there, rider was forced off the road in a blind curve by a pickup that did not bother to stop or go back. Most likely due to the curves never knew the rider had gone off the shoulder and laid it down. When I stopped PD was directing traffic and I still went to the downed rider and his buddy and asked if they needed anything. Ambulance was on the way to get the rider who had from my guess a pretty screwed up ankle (ended up broken and had surgery). Bike was not bad with just some scratches, bent bars, broken signal light, and the PD had stood it up. They were trying to call friends with trailers or a tow that would pick up the bike, with no luck so far. I was only a few miles from my home and offered to go back home get my truck and trailer and help them out. They took me up on my offer, you never know when someone may need your help even if PD or others are there. I always stop and will continue, in the back of my mind hoping others will return the favor

 

I try to stop....
Earlier this year I helped a guy get to my place (get off the road) until he could get a trailer to haul it home.
I didn't stop (on my first trip by) this last Saturday (I had a load of land scape blocks).
On my way back (for more blocks) he was being loaded on to a flatbed tow truck so I kept going.
I am normally on the bike, but I stop anyway to see if I can help.

 

....... i'd never thought about how you spell that .... thx