Yeah I needed a ride. Thanks for not stopping to help

[rrrdbw]

Did a few laps Mines/Del Puerto/Mt Hamilton enjoying the beautiful day of riding on my KTM 450 Supermoto. Heading back from Junction to Livermore. My rear innertube stem failed f*ck a flat tire. About 1:30pm close to 8 mile marker.

I check out situation and realized there is no way I am gonna ride this to my truck about 5 miles down the road.(I trailered bike to avoid freeway droning) I lean the bike in the shade and started walking.

I am in full leathers. Supermoto boot, helmet in one hand and cell phone in the other trying to get signal. I didnt realize I was 5 miles from my vehicle. I walk and walk... I hear a motorcycle coming from Livermore side and I signal to slow down and stop to flag rider to give me a ride to my truck. WTF rider on dual adventure bike gives me a thumbs up and keeps going never slowed down. Ok so I walk and walk again....I hear another bike a sportbike looks like a red R1 he flys by me WTF.. Not one of the rider came back to help me even though I know they saw my Orange KTM Pumpkin on side of the road after they pass me. You can cant miss this orange thing on side of the road.

What would you do if you were riding backroads and you see a rider walking in full gear, helmet in hand and no bike in sight? Would you stop and help? Would you stop and ask whats going on and where his bike is at? Would you even care?

I eventually got a ride from a nice older gentlemen in his toyota pickup truck. He did not hesitate, he stopped and asked if he can give me a ride somewhere. He then introduced himself as a county worker that does the road maintenance on Mines/Mt Hamilton. He said something interesting. He mentioned that the chip seal on the road gets slippery and oozes when the temperature gets really hot. Meaning just when you think your tires would stick like glue when its really hot on Mines/Mt Hamilton you'd never suspect that the clean and gravel free road could be slippery. Good to know. He says I should pass this along to other riders.

 

[RossF4i]

What assholes.. I stop everytime I see someone stuck. Ha one time I saw a car pulled over out on highland road.. I stopped to see if they needed help and it turns out they were just having sex.. Haha

 

[hyo650]

What assholes.. I stop everytime I see someone stuck. Ha one time I saw a car pulled over out on highland road.. I stopped to see if they needed help and it turns out they were just having sex.. Haha

Was she.....

 

[two wheel tramp]

:thumbdown maybe neither had experience riding two up but it would have been nice of them to make sure you were OK at least.

 

[mrjeremytaylor]

Have pulled over many a time. A lot of people I do it for don't end up needing help and wave me on, even thinking it's strange that I pulled over. But one day they'll need it, and I've been in that spot before. We all probably will/have. Sorry to hear about your shitty experience man.

 

[mel3535]

I always slow down and give a thumps up, if they return one i move on if not i will stop and make sure they are ok.

 

[alcoHK]

Your big ass on the back of my 2fiddy, that would be a funny sight. Glad someone helped you. A pity it wasnt a rider.

You taught me a huge lesson on RW a while back. EGO and riding do not mix. My current choice of bike serves as proof. Never got a chance to thank you.

 

[splat]

Perhaps they were fair-weather riders with no 2-up experience and liability question/issues.

Maybe only riding on a permit, or haven't experienced a community-based forum such as this one.
[/Devil's Advocate]

I've stopped to help out riders-in-need before. Usually when driving my truck, and usually when headed somewhere with an appointment or someone waiting. Usually I stop, but sometimes I just have to keep on trucking to my destination. Realistically, those are only two riders. I'm sure if a cager hadn't stopped first, then a rider would have.

You can't be angry, some people are cautious, others simply don't care. It's the society we live in.

 

[Ironbutt]

That is a sucky feeling isn't it?

Good to know we're all out there looking after each other; come on you really can't expect that can you? Maybe at a race or a dual sport event.

Maybe my views are forged by racing enduro's or I'm a total fool(probably the latter); but I will ride on a flat tire without a second thought.

Perhaps next time use rim locks.

 

[Gixxergirl1000]

Wow... that really sucks. Wish I'd known, I'm just down the road, I would have been happy to get you and your bike where you needed to go.

On a side note, when the reg/rec went out on my Gixxer 48 miles up Mt Hammy a few weeks back, I was passed by 3 adventure bike riders, all 2-up, not one of whom even acknowledged my existence, let alone stopped to see if I were OK. The sportbike riders at least slowed and gave me thumbs up/down... but Ima go out on a limb here and just say apparently the adventure riders specific to Mines can't be bothered with sportbike riders. :|

 

[EastBayDave]

stay by your bike; someone will be along. If your just walking fast movers may not see your wearing leather (hard to miss IMHO but...)

I always stop for riders in need...:thumbup

 

[Ironbutt]

may not see your wearing leather (hard to miss IMHO but...)

He wasn't swaggering enough! :laughing You gotta shake them tail feathers to get attention!

 

[ScottRNelson]

I've been given a ride when I had a flat tire on Calaveras Road. I basically flagged down the first rider to come by and he was okay with giving me a ride to Pleasanton to my house. I've asked a rider here in Folsom for a ride home when I had a dead bike and he was happy to take me the two miles. Maybe I'm a bit more forceful in requesting help when I need it.

I've helped stranded riders too when it was clear that they were stuck. I remember once on Palomares Road having to take the rear plastic cowl off of my Monster and "store" it under my leather jacket so I could give a ride to a 916 rider who had some sort of problem with his bike. It was a bit awkward, but I was happy to help him get back home.

If I were to encounter someone in your situation while riding my XR650L, it would be difficult to give you a ride because there are no passenger footpegs on the bike. But I've given rides in the dirt before with no rear pegs, we just had to go pretty slow.

There are a lot of good people out there. You just happened to encounter a few that were less than helpful first.

 

[MrIncredible]

Someone did stop to help and the first thing you do is whine about how long it took and that it wasn't the first couple people who saw you? How about you look at it like nice people do still exist?

 

[corndog67]

You met the poser rider. Me, and the guys I ride with, would have stopped, no matter what. I've had hard core club members (patch holders) stop for me, and had the wanna be badass $30,000 bought customs, just ride right on by.

 

[happyrider]

Well life is loades with NOs you need to accept it. My car was out of battery when i
was on 880 heading home in union from san jose. I standed there with the Jump cables on my hands thumping up for help during 2 hours and nobody stopped to help. It was 2am and i decided not to bother anyone i know and slept through the night. My suggestion is getting road side service when you buy insurance.

 

[ScottRNelson]

My suggestion is getting road side service when you buy insurance.

How would that have helped him?

He was on Mines Road with no cell phone signal available and only needed to get to his truck down the road a bit.

 

[MrIncredible]

My suggestion is getting road side service when you buy insurance.

OP had no cell phone signal. Lots of places we ride have nothing, making the service useless.

 

[Hooli]

I hear another bike a sportbike looks like a red R1 he flys by me WTF.

That sounds like Newbee.

 

[MysterYvil]

We always slow down and look for a signal; typically I do a "thumb-up-waggling-to-thumb down" (I carry basic tools, fasteners, et cetera, which can sometimes help). Even if I'm two-up, a walking rider is worth stopping for; might not be able to give him/her a ride, but I sure as hell can run a message or get into reception-land.

As far as "types of rider" who have signaled/stopped when I've been parked, I haven't seen any consistency. I've had all types of riders offer help, and met all types of riders therefrom. FREX, I left my ride on the shoulder of I-80 in Nevada in order to cross over and help a stranded couple on a Goldwing. By the time I'd returned to my side, there were four riders clustered by my bike, one tourer & pillion on a beautifully-ratty Virago, and three H-D riders. We shared tea and riding stories until a Nevada trooper shooed us off the shoulder. Another time, a pair of sumo hooligans flipped a U-turn and pulled over when I was taking a leak.

OP, sorry you ran into unhelpful folks, but please don't judge everyone by their example.