Helping Strangers
Discussion
Just thought i'd share a story with you,
I was driving to Ikea on the weekend in a large removal van, pulled up at a roundabout just outside the carpark and it died. The engine was completely dead, no response from the ignition and I was blocking the roundabout. I quickly swapped seats with my girlfriend and ran around back to push. I couldnt move it an inch, the sense of embarrasment was kicking in, I was mortified.
I kept trying, starting to tire i felt I was losing faith and i may have to admit defeat. I could hear cars beeping a few hundreds yards behind, they obviously could see the reason for the traffic jam. My muscles were tiring, why wasnt anybody coming to help, im sure I would help if I seen somebody having trouble.
My arms were tired, my legs were jelly. It had been 2 minutes but had felt like an hour. I was pushing while looking down at the ground desperate to see the back of the truck move even an inch.
All of a sudden, 'thud'
I looked up to my right, nothing. I looked to the left....
....some MASSIVE bloke, looked like a f
kin wrestler and just took a running start and started pushing, like the steam train hitting the deloreon from Back to the Future III.
...."THUD"..... I looked right again, another huge bloke, same as the first, instantly the van slowly started to move.
..."THUD, THUD" 2 MORE!!! WHERE THE fkING HELL ARE ALL THESE WRESTLERS COMING FROM!!! 4 OF THEM!!!
A sudden wave of motivation come over me, my strength returned. It was wierd, one of those really inspiring moments, I could imagine the song "Your The Best, Around...nothings ever gonna keep you down" kicking in. I was thankin these strange men while pushing this stupid fking van around a roundabout.. The van was going fast now, I hoped the gf hadnt fallen asleep from the first few boring minutes.
We turned into the car park, and parked up. I said my thank you's and shook their hands, they were all very friendly. It turns out they were all brothers, and felt sorry for me. I walked back to my car and noticed all 4 of them getting into an old micra with some woman driving, watching 3 of them squeeze into the back was painfull.
What a great bunch of blokes, Has anybody experianced this, it reinforces my faith in the general public.
When was the last time you went out of your way to help a stranger?
I was driving to Ikea on the weekend in a large removal van, pulled up at a roundabout just outside the carpark and it died. The engine was completely dead, no response from the ignition and I was blocking the roundabout. I quickly swapped seats with my girlfriend and ran around back to push. I couldnt move it an inch, the sense of embarrasment was kicking in, I was mortified.
I kept trying, starting to tire i felt I was losing faith and i may have to admit defeat. I could hear cars beeping a few hundreds yards behind, they obviously could see the reason for the traffic jam. My muscles were tiring, why wasnt anybody coming to help, im sure I would help if I seen somebody having trouble.
My arms were tired, my legs were jelly. It had been 2 minutes but had felt like an hour. I was pushing while looking down at the ground desperate to see the back of the truck move even an inch.
All of a sudden, 'thud'
I looked up to my right, nothing. I looked to the left....
....some MASSIVE bloke, looked like a f
kin wrestler and just took a running start and started pushing, like the steam train hitting the deloreon from Back to the Future III....."THUD"..... I looked right again, another huge bloke, same as the first, instantly the van slowly started to move.
..."THUD, THUD" 2 MORE!!! WHERE THE f
kING HELL ARE ALL THESE WRESTLERS COMING FROM!!! 4 OF THEM!!!A sudden wave of motivation come over me, my strength returned. It was wierd, one of those really inspiring moments, I could imagine the song "Your The Best, Around...nothings ever gonna keep you down" kicking in. I was thankin these strange men while pushing this stupid f
king van around a roundabout.. The van was going fast now, I hoped the gf hadnt fallen asleep from the first few boring minutes.We turned into the car park, and parked up. I said my thank you's and shook their hands, they were all very friendly. It turns out they were all brothers, and felt sorry for me. I walked back to my car and noticed all 4 of them getting into an old micra with some woman driving, watching 3 of them squeeze into the back was painfull.
What a great bunch of blokes, Has anybody experianced this, it reinforces my faith in the general public.
When was the last time you went out of your way to help a stranger?
Aah, reminds me of a time when I was walking down my road and passed an old bod and his wife trying to bump start their car.
I stopped and offered my help with the push. they were most grateful and I began the push, which was on a slight uphill gradient. Well, after 4/5 pushes with no luck and me out of breath, arms hurting and sweating very heavily I asked him to open the bonnet.
I discovered that the stupid fool hadn't reconnected the battery after he had been playing around with it before! I gave out one of those laughs behind gritted teeth, secretly wishing great pain on him!!
I stopped and offered my help with the push. they were most grateful and I began the push, which was on a slight uphill gradient. Well, after 4/5 pushes with no luck and me out of breath, arms hurting and sweating very heavily I asked him to open the bonnet.
I discovered that the stupid fool hadn't reconnected the battery after he had been playing around with it before! I gave out one of those laughs behind gritted teeth, secretly wishing great pain on him!!
Sat here at work a chap pulls onto the forecourt with a massive scraping sound..
I look out the window over at them and go out to see whats happened, they're Polish and apologising for being on our forecourt and saying they'll move off right away. A quick look underneath their undertray has fallen down, and they've just bought the car so didn't realise it.
Most of the screws were missing, so found some cable ties and I'm not a tech, but was lay on the floor under the car re-attaching it for them so it wasn't in the way and putting a few more under there to make sure it didn't come loose again on the way home, gave them a few cable ties too just incase.
Their rear tyre was pretty flat too so took it round and gave all the tyres some air so they'd get it to somewhere to get it fixed.
Tried offering a tenner but I was just happy to have helped them get home.
I would stop for more people on the side of the road, but you never know what type they'll be, and usually by the time I've noticed I'm doing 70mph so no time to pull over for them.
I look out the window over at them and go out to see whats happened, they're Polish and apologising for being on our forecourt and saying they'll move off right away. A quick look underneath their undertray has fallen down, and they've just bought the car so didn't realise it.
Most of the screws were missing, so found some cable ties and I'm not a tech, but was lay on the floor under the car re-attaching it for them so it wasn't in the way and putting a few more under there to make sure it didn't come loose again on the way home, gave them a few cable ties too just incase.
Their rear tyre was pretty flat too so took it round and gave all the tyres some air so they'd get it to somewhere to get it fixed.
Tried offering a tenner but I was just happy to have helped them get home.
I would stop for more people on the side of the road, but you never know what type they'll be, and usually by the time I've noticed I'm doing 70mph so no time to pull over for them.
Friday afternoon, I took my gran to the supermarket. As we were walking to thhe front door, a man was pushing a trolley full of beer (10 slabs x 24) towards a disabled space. I help him to load up his car and jokingly say "that'll last you a good while"... every 2 days he's there for the same, he said!
I tend to grab women's luggage to help them up or down the stairs with it. The initial shock reaction ont heir face when looking up at me is quite amusing too, as I don't tend to explain my intentions beforehand because I want to catch my train too. 
Once was walking from a train station and saw a an old lady carrying a not particularly heavy but awkward to hold item (cant even remember what it was) I just remember the excruciating pain in my upper body and arms by the time i was finished about 500yards down... That put me off helping willy nilly
Once was walking from a train station and saw a an old lady carrying a not particularly heavy but awkward to hold item (cant even remember what it was) I just remember the excruciating pain in my upper body and arms by the time i was finished about 500yards down... That put me off helping willy nilly
I always stop when someone has broken down.
Ever since I dropped a core plug in my old Westfield and a chap in a Caterham not only stopped, but also drove ne to the motor spares place, helped me fit them, then went to get water, and followed mr 3 miles home to make sure it was ok. Turns out he was best friends with a bloke I was at school with over a pint to say thanks.
Since then, I have pushed, pulled, directed traffic, offered my phone, gone and collected drinks, or just sat with people in the car keeping warm.
Most recently was a chap and his wife from yorkshire, who had put petrol in a diesel.
Found a recovery place for them, they used my phone etc, got a nice text for helping later when they were back underway.
It's good to hear people still make an effort to check- mrs emsman broke down with jnr in the car and not one person offered any assistance at all.
Ever since I dropped a core plug in my old Westfield and a chap in a Caterham not only stopped, but also drove ne to the motor spares place, helped me fit them, then went to get water, and followed mr 3 miles home to make sure it was ok. Turns out he was best friends with a bloke I was at school with over a pint to say thanks.
Since then, I have pushed, pulled, directed traffic, offered my phone, gone and collected drinks, or just sat with people in the car keeping warm.
Most recently was a chap and his wife from yorkshire, who had put petrol in a diesel.
Found a recovery place for them, they used my phone etc, got a nice text for helping later when they were back underway.
It's good to hear people still make an effort to check- mrs emsman broke down with jnr in the car and not one person offered any assistance at all.
Scott330ci said:
There was an old lady at a cash machine in front of me recently, partially blind. She asked me if I would check her balance for her. So I pushed her over. Good deed done.
on topic: I'm always one of the first to go and help, I find it cringeworthy to see how few people come and help.
It makes me dread the day I'll ever need a push (which I will, considering I drive an Alfa
)ZesPak said:
Scott330ci said:
There was an old lady at a cash machine in front of me recently, partially blind. She asked me if I would check her balance for her. So I pushed her over. Good deed done.
on topic: I'm always one of the first to go and help, I find it cringeworthy to see how few people come and help.
It makes me dread the day I'll ever need a push (which I will, considering I drive an Alfa
)
I was waiting in a layby for Mrs Arese to come and pick me up, and notice this Honda Jazz pull slowly into the layby a bit further down. I was watching carefully because the driver hit the kerb a couple of times whilst parking up. He then sat there, rubbed his eyes, put his head in his hands and generally looked quite upset.
When Mrs Arese turned up I told her and she went to make sure he was ok, whilst I sat in our car. Turns out he'd had a minor accident that morning and his confidence was shattered, his son-in-law had died suddenly the week previous, and everything was just getting on top of him. He was 85 and didn't want to lose his license and independence.
So whilst I was the one that was initially concerned, Mrs Arese spent 20 minutes talking to him whilst I sat impatiently in the car just wanting to get home. Apparently he was very grateful and said she was an angel.
When Mrs Arese turned up I told her and she went to make sure he was ok, whilst I sat in our car. Turns out he'd had a minor accident that morning and his confidence was shattered, his son-in-law had died suddenly the week previous, and everything was just getting on top of him. He was 85 and didn't want to lose his license and independence.
So whilst I was the one that was initially concerned, Mrs Arese spent 20 minutes talking to him whilst I sat impatiently in the car just wanting to get home. Apparently he was very grateful and said she was an angel.
Arese said:
I was waiting in a layby for Mrs Arese to come and pick me up, and notice this Honda Jazz pull slowly into the layby a bit further down. I was watching carefully because the driver hit the kerb a couple of times whilst parking up. He then sat there, rubbed his eyes, put his head in his hands and generally looked quite upset.
When Mrs Arese turned up I told her and she went to make sure he was ok, whilst I sat in our car. Turns out he'd had a minor accident that morning and his confidence was shattered, his son-in-law had died suddenly the week previous, and everything was just getting on top of him. He was 85 and didn't want to lose his license and independence.
So whilst I was the one that was initially concerned, Mrs Arese spent 20 minutes talking to him whilst I sat impatiently in the car just wanting to get home. Apparently he was very grateful and said she was an angel.
You let your wife go up to a stranger's car in a laybay?When Mrs Arese turned up I told her and she went to make sure he was ok, whilst I sat in our car. Turns out he'd had a minor accident that morning and his confidence was shattered, his son-in-law had died suddenly the week previous, and everything was just getting on top of him. He was 85 and didn't want to lose his license and independence.
So whilst I was the one that was initially concerned, Mrs Arese spent 20 minutes talking to him whilst I sat impatiently in the car just wanting to get home. Apparently he was very grateful and said she was an angel.
Who said chivalry was dead?
Emsman said:
It's good to hear people still make an effort to check- mrs emsman broke down with jnr in the car and not one person offered any assistance at all.
I don't stop because other than offering the use of a mobile, or a lift, I'm fairly useless in breakdown scenarios. I figure if they're at the stage where they really need a lift or a phone, they would be flagging people down (at which point I would stop).I've had a few people help me out when I've conked out before now, and I've stopped to help people where I can (including one where I was out and offering my mobile and booster pack to an old lady who it turned out was sat by the side of the road with her hazards on just waiting for her husband to wander up the road to get in the car).
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