Helping strangers
Discussion
I work at a railways station. The only member of staff on shift and finishing now.
About 40 minutes ago a guy gets the wrong train from Manchester wanting to go to Liverpool. Ends up at my station.
He asks for general directions for himself to walk there, which is a few hours walk.
I um'd and ar'd about offering to take him the whole way but a) I don't know the guy b)I would have been going hours out my way too.
A sad situation for the person who I assume has no money.
What would have you done in my shoes?
I feel like I should have taken him even though he got himself in the situation in the first place, stupidly.
About 40 minutes ago a guy gets the wrong train from Manchester wanting to go to Liverpool. Ends up at my station.
He asks for general directions for himself to walk there, which is a few hours walk.
I um'd and ar'd about offering to take him the whole way but a) I don't know the guy b)I would have been going hours out my way too.
A sad situation for the person who I assume has no money.
What would have you done in my shoes?
I feel like I should have taken him even though he got himself in the situation in the first place, stupidly.
Are you sure you work for the railway? This type of thing happens regularly so I'm surprised you are concerned.
Just pull the shutters down and leave him. He's not going to die the worst that would happen is spends a night doing nothing until 6am or whatever, or calls someone and let's them sort him out.
Just pull the shutters down and leave him. He's not going to die the worst that would happen is spends a night doing nothing until 6am or whatever, or calls someone and let's them sort him out.
CoolHands said:
Are you sure you work for the railway? This type of thing happens regularly so I'm surprised you are concerned.
Just pull the shutters down and leave him. He's not going to die the worst that would happen is spends a night doing nothing until 6am or whatever, or calls someone and let's them sort him out.
Nice attitude Just pull the shutters down and leave him. He's not going to die the worst that would happen is spends a night doing nothing until 6am or whatever, or calls someone and let's them sort him out.
How do you become so ignorant to other peoples needs ?I've helped random people out over the years with similar things.....sometimes to the extent that once I had gone sort of over and above a bit, I have got home having spent hours and money to do so.....and wondered if I have been a good Samaritan or just a mug!
But I do sort of have a bit of faith in Karma, as foolish as that probably sounds.
I think that if I was on an agenda, and it would REALLY put me massively then I may not, but if I'm just floating about and someone would benefit from my help, then no problem.
But I do sort of have a bit of faith in Karma, as foolish as that probably sounds.
I think that if I was on an agenda, and it would REALLY put me massively then I may not, but if I'm just floating about and someone would benefit from my help, then no problem.
A lady crashed her car into the back of my truck week and smashed the front of her car to bits. Once we'd swapped insurance details and we'd had a chance to have a proper look at the damage she started becoming really upset, as she was due to be at Gatwuck a few hours later to take her son to Italy. Rather than leave her for AA / RAC to recover her, I towed her car the few miles back to her house for her.
There's no point not being kind
There's no point not being kind
The Spruce goose said:
no money, it wouldn't be hard for him to sort it out, eg. taxi and someone else to pay.
Would I help? It depends, if it was a nice girl, maybe not a bloke but it would be based on how there are in person.
2 choices...Would I help? It depends, if it was a nice girl, maybe not a bloke but it would be based on how there are in person.
Advise on where nearest B&B is or taxi to nearest hotel.
Or
Rang a local taxi company and let him sort it at the other end where ever the guy wants.
I was at a big festival at the weekend and came across a young guy and his girlfriend pleading for a lift home looking rather sorry for themselves on the way home.
I never take strangers in my car but had i not given those two a lift home I've no idea how or if they would have got home so i did this time. I got them home (not too far away from where i was heading anyway) and the mum came out very thankful and offering to pay me for doing so which i declined as it wasn't really any additional hassle for me.
Sadly the following day my best friends cousin died attempting to walk home from the same festival after getting stranded. That really made think about that decision and i was really thankful i made the one i did.
I never take strangers in my car but had i not given those two a lift home I've no idea how or if they would have got home so i did this time. I got them home (not too far away from where i was heading anyway) and the mum came out very thankful and offering to pay me for doing so which i declined as it wasn't really any additional hassle for me.
Sadly the following day my best friends cousin died attempting to walk home from the same festival after getting stranded. That really made think about that decision and i was really thankful i made the one i did.
I would help a stranger if at all possible. I have done in the past, including (but not limited to)...
* Handing over my can of fuel to allow a stranded young lady to drive to the petrol station which was within sight of where she'd stopped. Everyone else was just beeping at her, FFS?
* Twice I've used my telescopic handled wheelbrace to crack nuts for drivers unable to do so with the manufacturer's tool kit. I bought it myself after bending a Vauxhall wheelnut spanner trying to change a puncture.
* Given a lift to a young lad (and his bicycle) when his tyre fell to pieces and he was left with a long walk alongside a NSL single carriageway to even get safely off the road.
* Driven bus passengers into town after being summoned by my wife when three consecutive buses had failed to turn up. Not limited to the passengers at her stop, neither.
* Stopped on the hard shoulder (yes, yes, I know I shouldn't have really!) in driving rain to take a mum and three young kids to the nearest services out of the weather. Don't worry, though, the Dad stayed with the car!
* Helped a woman who had severely broken her bicycle to get the broken gears out of her rear wheel. I couldn't fix it for her at the roadside, but at least she could now push it home rather than having to carry it on a shoulder.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
I'm glad I did all that, over many years, because then, when bad like strikes closer to home Karma gets to be a wonderful thing. At the end of last month I set out for a cycle ride. The aim was "over 100 miles" and it ought to take me 7 to 8 hours depending which hills I ride. Then, after a horrible series of bad luck and trouble, elsewhere on the internet I wrote this...
So please. If you find yourself in a position of being able to help someone, and you can afford to do it? At least consider it. You'll feel good for having done it, and it might even pay you back in the long term.
* Handing over my can of fuel to allow a stranded young lady to drive to the petrol station which was within sight of where she'd stopped. Everyone else was just beeping at her, FFS?
* Twice I've used my telescopic handled wheelbrace to crack nuts for drivers unable to do so with the manufacturer's tool kit. I bought it myself after bending a Vauxhall wheelnut spanner trying to change a puncture.
* Given a lift to a young lad (and his bicycle) when his tyre fell to pieces and he was left with a long walk alongside a NSL single carriageway to even get safely off the road.
* Driven bus passengers into town after being summoned by my wife when three consecutive buses had failed to turn up. Not limited to the passengers at her stop, neither.
* Stopped on the hard shoulder (yes, yes, I know I shouldn't have really!) in driving rain to take a mum and three young kids to the nearest services out of the weather. Don't worry, though, the Dad stayed with the car!
* Helped a woman who had severely broken her bicycle to get the broken gears out of her rear wheel. I couldn't fix it for her at the roadside, but at least she could now push it home rather than having to carry it on a shoulder.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
I'm glad I did all that, over many years, because then, when bad like strikes closer to home Karma gets to be a wonderful thing. At the end of last month I set out for a cycle ride. The aim was "over 100 miles" and it ought to take me 7 to 8 hours depending which hills I ride. Then, after a horrible series of bad luck and trouble, elsewhere on the internet I wrote this...
my Strava entry for the ride dated 28th June 2016 said:
Dedicated to Don, Angie, Phil, Rachel and Molly...
...five of the most wonderful human beings on the face of the earth.
I was going to dwell on the negatives, and believe me this ride had more than it's fair share of disasters, but...
...every time something went horribly wrong, one (or more) of the good people listed above stepped up to offer their help.
* Don - his tools, and space in his garage to fix a multiple puncture (which took ages BTW).
* Angie - his wife, for offering their garage in the first place, and for the lovely cup of coffee that warmed me up again.
* Phil - when my rear derailleur fed itself into the back wheel, bending the mech horribly and breaking a spoke, he was just arriving home a few yards up the road. He took me in, made me a cup of tea, and supplied what tools he had. This was the big lifesaver - without him my ride would have been over - and he even offered up a lift to the station which I foolishly knocked back.
* Rachel and Molly - a mother and daughter returning from shopping, who saw me struggling with a (yet another!) puncture. They walked the short distance from their house to check I was OK. Another coffee was provided, plus the warmth of their living room and the company of their tortoise and a cute Chihuahua cross called Snoopy. Rachel even packed me off with a ham sandwich, crisps and a cereal bar!
Wonderful people one and all, selflessly risking an approach to a (very strange) lone male, in the case of Rachel and Molly it was very late, beyond midnight.
And I made it back too. Albeit at 0300hrs, dirty, bedraggled, and pushing the bike because the chain finally snapped barely half a mile from my house...
...I'd ridden over 105 miles, but it had taken over 15 hours....five of the most wonderful human beings on the face of the earth.
I was going to dwell on the negatives, and believe me this ride had more than it's fair share of disasters, but...
...every time something went horribly wrong, one (or more) of the good people listed above stepped up to offer their help.
* Don - his tools, and space in his garage to fix a multiple puncture (which took ages BTW).
* Angie - his wife, for offering their garage in the first place, and for the lovely cup of coffee that warmed me up again.
* Phil - when my rear derailleur fed itself into the back wheel, bending the mech horribly and breaking a spoke, he was just arriving home a few yards up the road. He took me in, made me a cup of tea, and supplied what tools he had. This was the big lifesaver - without him my ride would have been over - and he even offered up a lift to the station which I foolishly knocked back.
* Rachel and Molly - a mother and daughter returning from shopping, who saw me struggling with a (yet another!) puncture. They walked the short distance from their house to check I was OK. Another coffee was provided, plus the warmth of their living room and the company of their tortoise and a cute Chihuahua cross called Snoopy. Rachel even packed me off with a ham sandwich, crisps and a cereal bar!
Wonderful people one and all, selflessly risking an approach to a (very strange) lone male, in the case of Rachel and Molly it was very late, beyond midnight.
And I made it back too. Albeit at 0300hrs, dirty, bedraggled, and pushing the bike because the chain finally snapped barely half a mile from my house...
So please. If you find yourself in a position of being able to help someone, and you can afford to do it? At least consider it. You'll feel good for having done it, and it might even pay you back in the long term.
yellowjack said:
I would help a stranger if at all possible. I have done in the past, including (but not limited to)...
* Handing over my can of fuel to allow a stranded young lady to drive to the petrol station which was within sight of where she'd stopped. Everyone else was just beeping at her, FFS?
* Twice I've used my telescopic handled wheelbrace to crack nuts for drivers unable to do so with the manufacturer's tool kit. I bought it myself after bending a Vauxhall wheelnut spanner trying to change a puncture.
* Given a lift to a young lad (and his bicycle) when his tyre fell to pieces and he was left with a long walk alongside a NSL single carriageway to even get safely off the road.
* Driven bus passengers into town after being summoned by my wife when three consecutive buses had failed to turn up. Not limited to the passengers at her stop, neither.
* Stopped on the hard shoulder (yes, yes, I know I shouldn't have really!) in driving rain to take a mum and three young kids to the nearest services out of the weather. Don't worry, though, the Dad stayed with the car!
* Helped a woman who had severely broken her bicycle to get the broken gears out of her rear wheel. I couldn't fix it for her at the roadside, but at least she could now push it home rather than having to carry it on a shoulder.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
I'm glad I did all that, over many years, because then, when bad like strikes closer to home Karma gets to be a wonderful thing. At the end of last month I set out for a cycle ride. The aim was "over 100 miles" and it ought to take me 7 to 8 hours depending which hills I ride. Then, after a horrible series of bad luck and trouble, elsewhere on the internet I wrote this...
So please. If you find yourself in a position of being able to help someone, and you can afford to do it? At least consider it. You'll feel good for having done it, and it might even pay you back in the long term.
Shame no one offered to buy you a new bike, the one you've got sounds jinxed! * Handing over my can of fuel to allow a stranded young lady to drive to the petrol station which was within sight of where she'd stopped. Everyone else was just beeping at her, FFS?
* Twice I've used my telescopic handled wheelbrace to crack nuts for drivers unable to do so with the manufacturer's tool kit. I bought it myself after bending a Vauxhall wheelnut spanner trying to change a puncture.
* Given a lift to a young lad (and his bicycle) when his tyre fell to pieces and he was left with a long walk alongside a NSL single carriageway to even get safely off the road.
* Driven bus passengers into town after being summoned by my wife when three consecutive buses had failed to turn up. Not limited to the passengers at her stop, neither.
* Stopped on the hard shoulder (yes, yes, I know I shouldn't have really!) in driving rain to take a mum and three young kids to the nearest services out of the weather. Don't worry, though, the Dad stayed with the car!
* Helped a woman who had severely broken her bicycle to get the broken gears out of her rear wheel. I couldn't fix it for her at the roadside, but at least she could now push it home rather than having to carry it on a shoulder.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
I'm glad I did all that, over many years, because then, when bad like strikes closer to home Karma gets to be a wonderful thing. At the end of last month I set out for a cycle ride. The aim was "over 100 miles" and it ought to take me 7 to 8 hours depending which hills I ride. Then, after a horrible series of bad luck and trouble, elsewhere on the internet I wrote this...
my Strava entry for the ride dated 28th June 2016 said:
Dedicated to Don, Angie, Phil, Rachel and Molly...
...five of the most wonderful human beings on the face of the earth.
I was going to dwell on the negatives, and believe me this ride had more than it's fair share of disasters, but...
...every time something went horribly wrong, one (or more) of the good people listed above stepped up to offer their help.
* Don - his tools, and space in his garage to fix a multiple puncture (which took ages BTW).
* Angie - his wife, for offering their garage in the first place, and for the lovely cup of coffee that warmed me up again.
* Phil - when my rear derailleur fed itself into the back wheel, bending the mech horribly and breaking a spoke, he was just arriving home a few yards up the road. He took me in, made me a cup of tea, and supplied what tools he had. This was the big lifesaver - without him my ride would have been over - and he even offered up a lift to the station which I foolishly knocked back.
* Rachel and Molly - a mother and daughter returning from shopping, who saw me struggling with a (yet another!) puncture. They walked the short distance from their house to check I was OK. Another coffee was provided, plus the warmth of their living room and the company of their tortoise and a cute Chihuahua cross called Snoopy. Rachel even packed me off with a ham sandwich, crisps and a cereal bar!
Wonderful people one and all, selflessly risking an approach to a (very strange) lone male, in the case of Rachel and Molly it was very late, beyond midnight.
And I made it back too. Albeit at 0300hrs, dirty, bedraggled, and pushing the bike because the chain finally snapped barely half a mile from my house...
...I'd ridden over 105 miles, but it had taken over 15 hours....five of the most wonderful human beings on the face of the earth.
I was going to dwell on the negatives, and believe me this ride had more than it's fair share of disasters, but...
...every time something went horribly wrong, one (or more) of the good people listed above stepped up to offer their help.
* Don - his tools, and space in his garage to fix a multiple puncture (which took ages BTW).
* Angie - his wife, for offering their garage in the first place, and for the lovely cup of coffee that warmed me up again.
* Phil - when my rear derailleur fed itself into the back wheel, bending the mech horribly and breaking a spoke, he was just arriving home a few yards up the road. He took me in, made me a cup of tea, and supplied what tools he had. This was the big lifesaver - without him my ride would have been over - and he even offered up a lift to the station which I foolishly knocked back.
* Rachel and Molly - a mother and daughter returning from shopping, who saw me struggling with a (yet another!) puncture. They walked the short distance from their house to check I was OK. Another coffee was provided, plus the warmth of their living room and the company of their tortoise and a cute Chihuahua cross called Snoopy. Rachel even packed me off with a ham sandwich, crisps and a cereal bar!
Wonderful people one and all, selflessly risking an approach to a (very strange) lone male, in the case of Rachel and Molly it was very late, beyond midnight.
And I made it back too. Albeit at 0300hrs, dirty, bedraggled, and pushing the bike because the chain finally snapped barely half a mile from my house...
So please. If you find yourself in a position of being able to help someone, and you can afford to do it? At least consider it. You'll feel good for having done it, and it might even pay you back in the long term.
BlackST said:
I work at a railways station. The only member of staff on shift and finishing now.
About 40 minutes ago a guy gets the wrong train from Manchester wanting to go to Liverpool. Ends up at my station.
He asks for general directions for himself to walk there, which is a few hours walk.
I um'd and ar'd about offering to take him the whole way but a) I don't know the guy b)I would have been going hours out my way too.
A sad situation for the person who I assume has no money.
What would have you done in my shoes?
I feel like I should have taken him even though he got himself in the situation in the first place, stupidly.
Depends on the situation at the time, but if its a "few hours walk" that's only about 15 miles tops - so 20-30 minutes in your car if you'd given him lift. If he was a bit unsavoury/dodgy-looking/annoying then I'd have let him walk it though About 40 minutes ago a guy gets the wrong train from Manchester wanting to go to Liverpool. Ends up at my station.
He asks for general directions for himself to walk there, which is a few hours walk.
I um'd and ar'd about offering to take him the whole way but a) I don't know the guy b)I would have been going hours out my way too.
A sad situation for the person who I assume has no money.
What would have you done in my shoes?
I feel like I should have taken him even though he got himself in the situation in the first place, stupidly.
A lady, rather stupidly, attempted to drive through some pretty deep flood water in her car and promptly knackered it when it ingested water. Problem compounded by the fact she was only on this particular piece of road trying to take a short cut round the motorway. She was properly upset and panicked. After initially thinking that I'd offer to take her back into town to a coffee shop so she could get a hot drink and sort her life out, she was in such a state I just said "where do you live, I'll get you home...". I felt that was a better option; for her to be at home with her OH and her son so at least she's got less to worry about. Just the knackered car.
Was proper out of the way like! I didn't realize where the place was until I went past a restaurant we've been to a few times. That was a good 90 minute round trip! So I never did get to where I was originally going (to the gym). She did offer me money for the lift, but that felt wrong so I refused. I hope she got her car sorted!
Was proper out of the way like! I didn't realize where the place was until I went past a restaurant we've been to a few times. That was a good 90 minute round trip! So I never did get to where I was originally going (to the gym). She did offer me money for the lift, but that felt wrong so I refused. I hope she got her car sorted!
Ray Luxury-Yacht said:
But I do sort of have a bit of faith in Karma, as foolish as that probably sounds.
There are two types of karma. There's real karma, a supernatural force rewarding good and punishing evil. That's utter nonsense.But there's everyday karma, a librarian is less likely to be shot in the face than a drug dealer. If you are nice to your elderly neighbour, they might just leave you their house. If you're horrible to them, they won't. Androcles and the lion type stuff.
as mentioned in the Walt thread, I once took a stranded family back from where the trains had stopped running as I had 3 seats spare in my car after the gf called me to get her to pick up, they just looked as if they needed the help and were grateful for it, my bit of "Christmas spirit" at the time.
Called an ambulance for an old lady in Ealing high street as she looked to be in pain, her daughter with her was struggling and everyone else just ignored them
stopped to help when I witnessed one car slam into the back of another - noone was injured thankfully but I think that by offering to help it stopped the woman who had caused the crash (imo) from being completely set up by the man who was innocent in the situation
Its just the thing to do, isn't it?
Called an ambulance for an old lady in Ealing high street as she looked to be in pain, her daughter with her was struggling and everyone else just ignored them
stopped to help when I witnessed one car slam into the back of another - noone was injured thankfully but I think that by offering to help it stopped the woman who had caused the crash (imo) from being completely set up by the man who was innocent in the situation
Its just the thing to do, isn't it?
A few weeks back I stopped to help a car of three, 20 something girls change a tyre on their car. They were all overly grateful and if I had any interest at all I could have easily pulled any of them! Shame none of them were above 5 though...
What got me though, was they said they had been stuck there for over two hours and no one else had bothered to stop!!!!
What got me though, was they said they had been stuck there for over two hours and no one else had bothered to stop!!!!
Edited by welshjon81 on Wednesday 13th July 11:46
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