Doing your civic duty

[cap'n]

A couple of things happened in the last 2 days of riding that made think about mentioning this idea out loud: do we all go a little bit out of our way to be good citizens on the road? Not to get all nanny-state on you or anything, but when we get those opportunities to either say something, fix something, help someone etc, do we take them? The two things that made me think of this:

1. Monday a.m. on the way to work, in northern Cambridge about to turn onto route 2, I was behind two vehicles, all 3 of us waiting to take a right. The light was red, and they just installed a big neon red sign that lights up and says "NO RIGHT TURN ON RED." So the lead car, a lady in a minivan, wasn't going. The second vehicle was a work van full of tools (including the driver, apprently), and he kept revving his engine up, jumping at her car and braking hard, trying to get her to go through. Then he rolled down his window to yell at her. The light finally turned green, and we all went through it to the next light. She stopped first in the left lane, and he in the first spot on the right lane, right next to her. Still angry, he rolled his window down to yell at this hapless woman some more about not going through the light. I punched the gas and squirted up between the cars, stopping right next to him as he was calling her a "stuipid bitch." I threw open my visor and said "there was a GIANT "No Turn On Red" sign right there at the light - she couldn't go through it you f_cking a$$hole." He started in on me too. Then the light turned green, but as he sped off (throwing me the bird of course) she looked at me from inside the minivan and said THAAANK YOU and looked genuinely grateful, which made my day. I nodded back and pulled in behind her as she moved forward.


2. On the way in today there's a good twisty back road bit by some farms, and right in my lane at a critical spot in the turn was a rock the size of an Idaho russet potato. I missed it, and I was anxious to come in to work, but I still turned around carefully after the turns, parked at a farm 50 yards down the road, and walked back up to move the rock. Somebody else was gonna hit that thing. I once saw a triumph mechanic hit a rock that big banked over in a turn on a speed triple while we were on a demo ride, and the memory of that bucking tankslapper haunts me.


So I guess my point is not that I'm a good boy and want a pat on the head, but I do want to hear some stories of bikes being the good guys for a change. Eh?

 

[Mancolt]

I like that you stood up and helped that woman out when the guy was obviously in the wrong. I will however say that I make right turns when it clearly states "no right turn" all the time, usually in my car but occasionally on my bike. The difference is that I cannot and would not get angry at someone else for not doing it.

I also usually perform a rolling stop at stop signs as long as there is good visibility in all the approaching directions.

But I digress... Back to the topic, I haven't been in the position to do any nice things like you cap'n. I have in the past moved something off the road when I came upon it, but again, I was in my car at the time.

 

[Sparky10]

Saw a wreck right in front of me my first year on my ninja 250. Stopped in the next driveway to see if I could help. Waited there with the victims until help arrived (one possible broken foot, the other not injured).

Sadly, in my hurry to check on the people, I didn't pay attention that I was parking my bike downhill on an inclined paved driveway. But I figured it out when I heard my bike crash to the ground.

 

[Erci]

You're a good man, cap'n. Just be careful out there. Van guy sounded like the type of person who could easily get angry enough to run someone down. Bikes rarely win in road rage situations.

 

[cap'n]

You're a good man, cap'n. Just be careful out there. Van guy sounded like the type of person who could easily get angry enough to run someone down. Bikes rarely win in road rage situations.

I wasn't gonna get in front of him if I could help it. And I did have it clutched in 1st... should he open his door for ANY reason, I was going to launch. I thought about that stuff but... I cannot stand seeing a lady get yelled at like that. Absolutely sets me off.

 

[RJ2112]

Projecting the positive, and doing the positive thing, is not hard..... but it's often difficult to do so. When you have a FF helmet on, you become somewhat anonymous -- some like the freedom that gives them to be an A Hole, unfortunately. That's one of the reasons I don't wear a reflecotrized visor.... alienates too many drivers, in my view. I want them to see me as a person, not a mannequin.

If I can allow a car to merge in front of me, without placing myself in danger, I do so. If I can wave a car through an intersection (or nod, when I am on the bike) that is something I often do.... lowers my stress significantly.

Back to your point on positives....

A ride with a buddy some years ago, suddenly stopped when we came accross a van which a girl had failed to negotiate a turn on.... she ran wide, and nose planted the van into a ditch. My buddy, another ex-Navy guy, and I immediately started setting up traffic control, as the van blocked one of the through lanes, and established a perimeter to control the scene until the LEOs could arrive. Didn't ask for thanks, just did what was right..... within a few minutes we had another half a dozen volunteers working the traffic, and providing aid to the driver (not injured just really shaken up).... just another day.

It's often when we are walking out to the bikes, and someone wants to talk about bikes..... I'll take that time, to be the ambassador for riding. Pretty interesting when the person turns out to be a 70+ YO woman who rode in the 1940's and 50's....... you never know, if you don't take the time....

 

[Tailgate]

I USED to remove animal carcases from the roadway, now it's only seldom. Gawd, sometimes it's so disgusting that nobody, it seems, will do this and the cat/dog/squirrel, etc., ends up being flattened all over the roadway. I guess it's a respect for animals or, is it, a compulsion to go against the tide and actually do something?

 

[Dr.Moby]

cap'n, i like your attitude. we all have to do our part to make this world a better place. i am that guy who pulls over to help change a flat, or help get a harley back on the road (you are outta gas, man- put it on RES), or move fallen branches/rocks (why i carry a foldup saw in my car).

My brother and I (its so much easier to be the good buy with a wingman) were driving along when we saw an old dude hit the deck. we immediately stopped to offer support. the man was diabetic and had collapsed. i read his wrist bracelet and got him some choco before escorting him home.

last weekend i saw an older woman shakily get up from a bench and start to cross the street. there was a crosswalk, but most folks dont stop (love massholes). so i asked her if i could help her cross. i was in full riding gear, so looked bigger than i am. she thanked me and then told me how much i reminded her of her 6'7" nephew. i didnt walk her home (i know- i shouldda), but i got her safe.

i really get a charge out of being useful, but to intercede with a potentially violent man with tools is another story. sure, id prefer that he take a swing at me over a woman, but id prefer if he didnt take a swing. good on ya, cap'n. doing things like that wears off on those around you, i am convinced.

 

[abacall]

Last week I was at a 4 way stop. A guy in a cage got there at the same time, I waved him through. I proceeded to go left when the cage behind the one I waved through immediately jumped the gas and tried to sneak through.....Almost clipped my front tire, luckily I stopped quickly.
I was pretty pi$$ed, but I've dealt with that before and I just let it go. As he drove past I checked him out in my rear view, his right rear tire was practically flat.
I turned around and followed him to let him know. I got to a stop light about a minute down the road. I pulled up next to him and did the 'roll down the window' gesture.
I was expecting him to be an a$$hat, but he said, "Man I am SOOOO sorry about that. I realized it was a stop sign after I rolled through it, the car (it was a van) was too tall and I didn't see it. I"m soooo sorry."
I replied, "No sweat, just keep a better eye out for bikes. We don't have metal to protect us you know. And I followed you to tell you that you have a flat, not to give you a hard time."
He was pretty relieved. With the stigma bikers get sometimes people get nervous.... Just wanted to help him out and keep him from crashing into something or someone.

 

[cap'n]

Damn, good story, abacall.