Hi Bill,
I am one of those who got myself prepared to save someone and be a hero, but never got the chance. I took junior lifesaving, senior lifesaving, emergency first aid, cardiac massage training and learned the Heimlich maneuver. I have diplomas from the Red Cross both French and American, and was certified as a first aid provider by the local cycling club. But not once did anybody ever even stub a toe in front of me.
I do wait for stragglers on long climbs, and I always carry extra “energy” bars for anyone caught without. I have stopped to help with map and route instructions for many lost cyclists. But that doesn’t seem unusual to me, so until you started this thread I hadn’t thought about it. Once upon a time, twenty five years ago or so, I went to the rescue of a couple of club members caught in a thunderstorm, but again that’s just normal behavior in a club.
People have stopped to enquire about my well-being, but I’ve never needed their rescue. I must look more hopeless than I am. I did get a bandage from a lady when I tipped over right in the center of our village trying to negotiate some wet leaves, but I had my own in my saddle bag. She must have felt that I couldn’t fend for myself, or something.
Anyway, if good intentions count, I’m ready. But I suspect that I’ve only paved the road to Tartarus.
Cheers,
Keith
Keith, I believe you are fully prepared to perform your duty in time of need! We know you stand ready to execute a rescue and extraction should any unwary cyclist be cast into the abyss of Tartarus (or a roadside ditch). ;-)
Dang, Keith! Another case where I REALLY watt to be able to « like » a forum post!
It took me a while to remember if/how I had ever helped a fellow cyclist in need. I rarely have the opportunity to do so, except when I am on tour and meet others - and then I remembered. In 2015 on my Transam ride, I was struggling with the Appalachians and feeling a bit depressed when I came upon a fellow tourist who had crashed on a downhill run. The story is best told in my journal (Helping a Fellow Cyclist) but the gist is this; I helped a fellow tourist repair his pannier so he could continue, then rode with him and helped him repair a flat and encouraged him (he had banged up his knee in the crash) until we both finished a tough day in Kentucky.
Hey, I was feeling pretty low after reading all the stories about how others had helped a fellow cyclist and wondering why I hadn't helped anyone, until I remembered that I had done at least a little to aid a fellow traveler. Thanks for starting this thread, it reminds me that I need to do even more to aid others on my next tour.
In 2019 I was on the PAWs ride in the Northwoods. I carried a first aid kit and repair kit, which earned some gentle teasing by those who chose to ride lighter and faster.
I came across one of those light riders who had only a small seat wedge pack. He also had a flat tire. I stopped and offered him my repair kit and a tube. He kept saying no, it wouldn't fit, even though eyeballing our wheels they looked similar. Then he said, well, I have a presto valve. I said me too and he finally used my equipment to take the tire off, put in the new tube and use my CO2 cartridge to air it up. Fit just fine. I felt pretty darn good about finally being on the giving end of the code of cyclists who stop to help others after having received so many kind gestures over the years.
Bravo! Definitely sounds like the paying forward of unsought kindness.
You are so much nicer than me. I will stop to help an obvious newbie in that situation but not usually someone who refused to carry the necessities to fix a puncture because they wanted to go light.
I'll lie and brag without shame when it raises me still further in global esteem but I'm afraid I had nothing to do with it. But don't let that stop you telling people that I did.
Greg, you deserve a citation (the good kind, not the bad kind) for service above and beyond the call of duty.
I'm glad to see we have a few folks who provide unsought kindness as well as accepting it.
2 years ago