No good deed goes unpunished.

[RobM77]

Shakermaker said:

RobM77 said:

It doesn't matter whose fault it is, I don't want to have an accident and I will take steps to avoid one. Operating my own lights isn't exactly onerous.

The lights could have turned on in that circumstance, yes, because it was getting dark; that's all that matters here - they could do.

My point is very simple: it's not a good idea to have no control over when your lights come on, because lights are commonly used as a method of communication between drivers. Think of motorways: you're overtaking a lot of the time and a flash can mean "please pull out".

Edited by RobM77 on Thursday 10th October 17:10

I'd have to take the opposite view. Whilst I do agree it isn't difficult at all to put your lights on, the number of cars that we still see on the roads without lights is a greater issue where auto lights would help them and us out, whilst the situation you describe above is minutely smaller in comparison. Having had my lights in my main cars set to auto for 5 years now, I've never once had them come on at exactly the same time as someone waiting at a side road. But I still see many cars without their lights, as per threads like this.

That's a fair point; yes, people driving without lights is a far bigger problem than the issue I highlighted. I highlighted it for me, a conscientious driver who always uses headlights where appropriate. Mind you, just having auto lights on a car must help a lot, as I should imagine most of the numpties you're describing will take the easy way out and leave the lights on 'auto' all the time.

[Johnnytheboy]

STOP TALKING ABOUT AUTO LIGHTS!

[Dr Interceptor]

Some great stories in this thread

Mine is rather lame... Quite a few years ago, a young me drove into Sainsburys in Camberley in my little MINI Cooper, and saw a young lady in a classic Mini, a true damsel in distress. She was an Aussie student/tourist, had bought this Mini cheap as she needed a car for a couple of months, and she had a flat tyre. I can't believe I was the first to offer assistance.

Not a problem, Dad had me changing wheels as a young teenager, and I even used to whip wheels off to clean them inside, that shows how much free time I used to have.

Anyway, back to the Damsel... I pulled the spare wheel out the boot of her Mini, located the jack, an old school pillar type which I'd not used before, but how hard could it be? The jack was soon sussed, you had to slide it up into this 'hole' in the sill, then wind it up. Perfect. Car's about 4" up, when... BANG. The jack went straight through the Minis rotten sill.

Bugger.

I then got the jack out of my new MINI, one with a big surface on the top, and stuck it under the front subframe, and attempted jacking from there. All good. Wheel off, stood up to get the spare.... BANG. The Mini rolled off the jack, front end landing on the brake disc. Turns out the handbrake was next to useless as well.

So, car in gear, handbrake pulled up righty tight, and rear wheels chocked, I go again. Up in the air, spare wheel on... Done.

How that little car ever got an MOT is beyond me.

[littlebasher]

I followed a Zafira through Sheffield which had a flat tyre at the back. As i pulled up at a set of lights in the other lane, i wound down my window and simply told her passenger that it looked like they had a flat.

"Why don't you fk off" was their reply

Nice.

[The Li-ion King]

rallye101 said:

3 weeks ago I was driving up the road where I live and a white van pulled out in front of me with one of the rear doors open, I could see a load of cleaning equipment in it so gave them a flash but no response. Rounding a corner I flashed again and beeped a couple of times and it signalled to pull over.. Wound the passenger window down to warn them....Dear god! The tirade of expletives that came out of these two ''ladies'' mouths was unbelievable...While they were coming up for air before part two i merely pointed out that a hoover was about to fall out, their faces dropped and couldn't have been more apologetic!

Katie Price's mum was helping her move back home, before the bankruptcy hearing next week... she's under immense strain

[The Mad Monk]

larrylamb11 said:

Commuting home from work, I spotted a hazard flashing mum-taxi with a pancake-flat tyre at the side of one of the busy roads I travel. It was quite a smart MPV with a gaggle of young kids on board and a sole mummy with phone to ear. Being an upstanding fellow and knowing I had a footpump in my car, I stopped to offer any assistance. I had a young family of my own back then and could envisage how stressful it must have been for her to be stuck in a dangerous spot with nowhere to go, young kids on board and clearly no idea of what to do next....
The lady was most grateful for the help and I suggested I inflated the tyre as best we could using my foot pump so we could limp to the nearest petrol station a mile further on and go from there.....
The first part of the plan worked well and I soon had the tyre inflated enough to safely drive on, although you could hear the air slowly escaping. The second part worked well too and she was soon out of harm's way, off the road and relieved to be tucked into a quiet corner of the petrol station forecourt. The third part of the plan was to gallantly swap the offending tyre for the spare, a familiar task for me but unfamiliar ground for the damsel in distress.

This is where it began to go wrong.

Turned out the MPV didn't have a spare as the space normally attributed had been sacrificed for seats... all that was available was a tin of 'tyre goop' that needed to be attached to the supplied air compressor and all pumped into the tyre in the event of a flat. This all seemed straightforward enough and I was soon well into the procedure, whereupon the air line blew off the valve connector (it had previously been slammed in the boot by the looks of it) and ejaculated Satan's load of foul smelling tyre sputum in my face! As a spluttered to my feet and wrestled the infernal device to a stop I looked down to see that the ejaculant on my face was the least of my problems..... The horror on our damsels's face was palpable as she apologetically offered wet wipes my way and I began to de-smeg myself. I was covered from head to toe, all my clothes, coat, shoes, the lot... and this stuff was sticky....
The net result was it wouldn't come off any of my clothes and they were all ruined, including my rather expensive coat! I also had the pleasure of enduring the remaining 45 minutes of my commute in a glue-y, sticky and stinking mess.... On the upside, I did manage to effect a good enough repair to see the lady back on her way - so good deed was completed AND i now had a rather nice coat for dog-walking and gardening!

I had to laugh.....

And next time? What will you do?

[Drawweight]

I’m a milkman and whilst working in my Ducato I leave the side door open.

Every so often I get waves, toots and people pointing at the side door. All I can do is say ‘ I know ‘ and smile. ☺️

[vikingaero]

bluezedd said:

I sorted a siezed brake caliper for an acquiantence, fitted new discs and pads (ones that were intended for my own car but decided he needed more if he orders me new ones). Old locking wheel nut was buggered and I warned against using them, but they were insistant. I had another set I took off my own car and gave them it for free.

They had a breakdown due to flat tyre, couldn't get the locking wheelnut off, no breakdown cover, missed an important work thing and had a go at me and blamed me for giving him the locking wheel nuts.

Then a few weeks later they seemed surprised when they needed help fitting a new starter, and I wasn't willing to. They said oh I should have listened to you about locking wheel nuts etc, but nope. No chance of me doing it.

It's a shame as I thought I got on with him really well and had a lot in common. That whole thing killed it.

Back in May, a colleague mentioned that the main dealer quoted her £450 for new front discs and pads. I said I would check them for her and the pads were indeed low and the discs lipped/thin. I said that brakes were a cashcow for main dealers. We put her reg into ECP and the cost for 2 Brembo discs, pads, sensors and a fitting kit was £140 with a 50% discount code applied. I said that if she picked them up after work, I'd fit them for her at lunchtime the next day. When I got home, I got my toolbox out of the Daihatsu Shed and put them into the Clubman along with a trolley jack. The next day I fitted the discs and pads in 30 minutes flat.

That evening I went out to Godstone in the Daihatsu Shed. Upon joining the M25 there was an ominous slapping noise as the drivebelt disintegrated, fell off and the battery charge light came on. I was only 2 miles from Clackett Lane Services. Not a problem as I had a spare drivebelt in the car which I had always intended to fit. It just need a 10mm & 13mm spanner and the short pry bar to tension the alternator as I tightened the bolts. Peasy! The drivebelt was in the boot... and the toolbox was in the Clubman from earlier on that day!

I called Green Flag, mentioned I had a drivebelt, but they insisted on towing me home. I got home at 2:30am!

[geeks]

vikingaero said:

bluezedd said:

I sorted a siezed brake caliper for an acquiantence, fitted new discs and pads (ones that were intended for my own car but decided he needed more if he orders me new ones). Old locking wheel nut was buggered and I warned against using them, but they were insistant. I had another set I took off my own car and gave them it for free.

They had a breakdown due to flat tyre, couldn't get the locking wheelnut off, no breakdown cover, missed an important work thing and had a go at me and blamed me for giving him the locking wheel nuts.

Then a few weeks later they seemed surprised when they needed help fitting a new starter, and I wasn't willing to. They said oh I should have listened to you about locking wheel nuts etc, but nope. No chance of me doing it.

It's a shame as I thought I got on with him really well and had a lot in common. That whole thing killed it.

Back in May, a colleague mentioned that the main dealer quoted her £450 for new front discs and pads. I said I would check them for her and the pads were indeed low and the discs lipped/thin. I said that brakes were a cashcow for main dealers. We put her reg into ECP and the cost for 2 Brembo discs, pads, sensors and a fitting kit was £140 with a 50% discount code applied. I said that if she picked them up after work, I'd fit them for her at lunchtime the next day. When I got home, I got my toolbox out of the Daihatsu Shed and put them into the Clubman along with a trolley jack. The next day I fitted the discs and pads in 30 minutes flat.

That evening I went out to Godstone in the Daihatsu Shed. Upon joining the M25 there was an ominous slapping noise as the drivebelt disintegrated, fell off and the battery charge light came on. I was only 2 miles from Clackett Lane Services. Not a problem as I had a spare drivebelt in the car which I had always intended to fit. It just need a 10mm & 13mm spanner and the short pry bar to tension the alternator as I tightened the bolts. Peasy! The drivebelt was in the boot... and the toolbox was in the Clubman from earlier on that day!

I called Green Flag, mentioned I had a drivebelt, but they insisted on towing me home. I got home at 2:30am!

I'd have thought a 10 and 13mm spanner would have been purchasable from the services surely? Most of the WH Smiths usually have a cheap toolkit floating around as do the petrol stations. Stupid the greenflag guys wouldn't have fitted as well, I know the RAC would if that helps come renewal.

[The Mad Monk]

geeks said:

I'd have thought a 10 and 13mm spanner would have been purchasable from the services surely? Most of the WH Smiths usually have a cheap toolkit floating around as do the petrol stations. Stupid the greenflag guys wouldn't have fitted as well, I know the RAC would if that helps come renewal.

He has been caught too many times in the past -

"I've just got to buy a couple of spanners and fit this thing and we will be on our way. Won't take long, mate. Honest.

"Sorry Guv. too late. It's already on the back of the truck. Now - are you coming with me, or are you staying here?

[ecs0set]

geeks said:

I'd have thought a 10 and 13mm spanner would have been purchasable from the services surely? Most of the WH Smiths usually have a cheap toolkit floating around as do the petrol stations. Stupid the greenflag guys wouldn't have fitted as well, I know the RAC would if that helps come renewal.

A spanner in a petrol station? You'd be lucky!

If you want a dry white wine and a jar of mango chutney, the petrol station is your friend. If you want a fuse or a bulb, you may find something suitable for a 1960s Morris on the dusty shelf behind the artisan bread. A spanner...?!

[Shakermaker]

ecs0set said:

geeks said:

I'd have thought a 10 and 13mm spanner would have been purchasable from the services surely? Most of the WH Smiths usually have a cheap toolkit floating around as do the petrol stations. Stupid the greenflag guys wouldn't have fitted as well, I know the RAC would if that helps come renewal.

A spanner in a petrol station? You'd be lucky!

If you want a dry white wine and a jar of mango chutney, the petrol station is your friend. If you want a fuse or a bulb, you may find something suitable for a 1960s Morris on the dusty shelf behind the artisan bread. A spanner...?!

Yep, I can't remember seeing even bulbs for sale last time I was looking for one at a services, and that was a good 9-10 years ago.

These are the times you need to find someone else in the car park who can hopefully help you out if you need a spanner or similar

[RSTurboPaul]

ecs0set said:

geeks said:

I'd have thought a 10 and 13mm spanner would have been purchasable from the services surely? Most of the WH Smiths usually have a cheap toolkit floating around as do the petrol stations. Stupid the greenflag guys wouldn't have fitted as well, I know the RAC would if that helps come renewal.

A spanner in a petrol station? You'd be lucky!

If you want a dry white wine and a jar of mango chutney, the petrol station is your friend. If you want a fuse or a bulb, you may find something suitable for a 1960s Morris on the dusty shelf behind the artisan bread. A spanner...?!

+1 to this.

Trying to find a bulb or a fuse in a petrol station shop nowadays seems to be impossible.

[sr.guiri]

loggo said:

The situation is almost any Motorway. As I approach the on ramp the cars joining the motorway match my speed and seem intent on filtering straight into the side of my lorry. I move out into lane 2 to allow them to join whereupon they accelerate briskly up to 80 miles an hour and leave me stuck in the middle of the motorway wondering why I bothered