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Visionary
Posts: 3006
San Antonio, TX | After a few days away I just caught up on the Vision-Riders.com posts and below is a excerpt from a Capt'n Nemo post. I did not get to read until about midnight. Below...read the story of adventure that I had about three hours ago.
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...I will not show disrespect to other bikers less experienced or knowledgeable than I am. I will teach them what I can. It will be my task to mentor new riders, that so desire, into the lifestyle of the biker, so that the breed shall continue. I shall instruct them, as I have been instructed by those before me. I shall preserve and honor traditions of bikers before me, and I will pass them on unaltered.
I will not judge other bikers on their choice of machine, their appearance, or their profession. I will judge them only on their conduct as bikers. I am proud of my accomplishments as a biker, though I will not flaunt them to others. If they ask, I will share them.
I will stand ready to help any other biker that truly needs my help. I will never ask another biker to do for me what I can do for myself.....
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The story
This evening I attended a scholarship fund raiser for students that want to get involved in international studies put on by the World Affairs Council. The event was well attended and everyone had a great time.
On my way home while riding the Vision, I spotted a young man (25 years old) pushing a Kawasaki 750 on the side of the busy highway. His girlfriend was on the other side of the barrier safe from traffic and they were almost off of 281 North at the Airport exit. I took the next exit and it took me a few minutes to circle back to see if I could help.
By that time he (Michael) had the bike off of the road and they were walking up the ramp. I asked if I could help and if they needed a phone. He had run out of gas and there phone was dead...They pushed the bike for almost an hour to get it off of the road. No one stopped to help.
We went back to my bike and let the girl (Megan) call her mom who was on the way to help.
I said if you need gas lets go get some. They said they were broke...I said that is not a problem. They were young and skinny so I removed the Utopia back rest and said lets go. They put on their helmets and both got on.
They both fit behind me and I had to scoot up a bit but it worked. The gas station had gas but no cans. We climbed back on and went down to a store that had a can but no gas. So I bought a gas can. Back at the gas station I got a little less than a gallon on my credit card.
We rode back to the bike and spotted Megan's Mom who followed us to a spot near the Kawasaki. Michael went down the ramp to put the gas in and start it up. I could tell that his battery was low and not starting the 750.
I went down to confirm it and told that I would see if the Airport Security Parking Lot attendant could help us out.
I pulled in and talked to employee and told him about problem. He said that he saw the three of us riding by and would be there to help out in a few minutes.
The man showed up with a really nice LARGE battery system on wheels. He hauled it down the ramp and gave the bike a jump. Yea!
I walked over to the Parking lot guy as he pulled that heavy battery back to his van and handed him a $10 tip. Let face it he could have blown me off but he was a real stand up guy that went out of his way to help this young man out.
Michael rode the kawa up the ramp and I told Megan's mom goodbye. Megan gave me a hug and thanked me and so did Michael. I told that I could not leave a rider on the side of the road. I did ask if I could get a picture of them and they said "Sure!".
Or course Michael and Megan were happy in the picture below but I think Michael was not smiling to much after talking to Megan's Mom as I was riding away....
Ride Safe and follow the Code
Edited by radioteacher 2011-03-03 1:04 AM
(Megan and Michael.jpg)
Attachments
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 Megan and Michael.jpg (93KB - 2 downloads)
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Cruiser
Posts: 92
Chandler, AZ | A tip of my hat to you! I'd bet your above & beyond efforts will leave a big impression on those 2 young kids for a long time. |
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Iron Butt
Posts: 1158
Richmond, Virginia | Lesson learned? 1. dont let fuel tank get below 1/4 2. never leave home with no money. 3. Stop texting so much so you dont wear the phone battery down??? 4. proper riding gear. ...................... oh wait who am I kidding !!
THANK GOODNESS THERE ARE OLDER MATURE FOLKS LIKE US TO PICK UP THE SLACK FOR OTHERS,,,, its what keeps the world spinnin. |
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Cruiser
Posts: 171
San Antonio, Texas | Good on ya', Paul. You make the rest of us San Antonio riders proud! Did you write that "creed" yourself? Good words and thoughts! See ya' soon. |
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Visionary
Posts: 1359
New Bohemia, Va | RT - this is stuff that legends are made from and the context of that original post.
I have my legend from the old days of when I first started riding a Honda 350 while a paratrooper stationed at Fort Bragg. I had pieced the bike together from another 350 that I bought from a guy who had them in a barn. The one that was ridable had a charging problem with the wire constantly coming loose. It would want to sputter and shut down and I would have to pull the cover and tighten the wire. Such was the case when I rolled off of Bragg onto the AA Expressway one evening on the way home. There I was on the shoulder getting out my tools to pull the cover to fix the wire when a Harley pulled up on the freeway and rumbled onto the shoulder behind my bike. The rider was a rather rough looking character, older, long gray hair in a pony tail, and a few scars on his face and tatoos on his arm. Knowing the stero types that exist I was taken back that this guy would even think of stopping to help someone on a little old rice burner. He took off his helmet and limped toward me as we begin to exchange small talk.
He asked me what the problem was and I told him and the next thing I knew he had the tools in his hand fixing the problem in no time. As he worked he shared that he had one of these SOB's a while back that had the same problem. I recall asking him about the scars and limp and wondered if it was from an accident. He told me the scars were from a couple of accidents, but the limp was from a &%$@* kickstart Sportster that he hated. He said it never matter to him what folks rode, as long as they rode we were all the same, needing to look out from one another.
He set the baseline in which I measure myself and all other bikers by.
To these two young folk, RT you are legend.
Edited by Cap'n Nemo 2011-03-03 9:01 AM
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Visionary
Posts: 3006
San Antonio, TX | Magic,
Here is a link to Capt'n Nemo's Code post. http://www.vision-riders.com/bb/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=8130
VaParadox,
Since 1983 I have been lucky...a bike has never left me on the side of the road. Back when I was Michael's age I was just as broke and dumb about riding gear. Somewhere there is a picture of me on my 1982 Kawasaki CSR 650 (Black with red stripe on tank) in Rockport Texas. I am riding with no helmet in a t-shirt, Ocean Pacific shorts and running shoes.
Fortunately I survived my youth to help those kids last night.
Ride Safe |
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Tourer
Posts: 599
New Mexico | Have been on both sides of that dilemma myself. Good memories of bad situations. Pushing my broke down or out-of-gas bikes to even losing my key (once) over the years, but always, always someone to help. Americans in general, and bikers in specific, are great caring people.
Now that I'm lucky enough to ride a Victory I can 'Pay it Forward', and have on several occasions. About a month ago I was on a ride, just meandering the back roads of New Mexico letting the road dictate the way, and in the middle of nowhere there was a biker alongside the road. He was heading to Phoenix, but battery had died. No cell phone reception, and no one to call anyway. I offered to give him a ride, but he didn't want to leave his bike, so he gave me his debit card & pin number for me to drive about an hour to pickup a battery. When I got back he had repaired a loose wire in the charging circuit. New battery in, and back on the road.
So thanks to everyone out there that has helped me in the past. Your kindness is being repaid...
Edited by Boots 2011-03-03 10:32 AM
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Iron Butt
Posts: 732
Western WA | Well done RT, and a great story to boot. |
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Iron Butt
Posts: 669
Peachtree City, GA | Great story - thanks for reminding us of what we should be be doing. |
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Iron Butt
Posts: 669
Peachtree City, GA | Great story - thanks for reminding us of what we should be be doing. |
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Iron Butt
Posts: 785
Mt. Vernon, WASH. | If I see a rider pulled over and by themself, I'll stop and ask 'rider, are you OK?' usually they say everything is alright and they are just taking a break or waiting a friend to catch up but I have given folks a ride to/from a gas station or a pay phone if the bike is broken. It's just common courtesy and what you should do as a member of the community. |
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Cruiser
Posts: 206
Lumber Bridge, NC United States | That was a very nice thing you did radio, it is how the whole world should act. my helmet is off to you. my parents had a motorcycle club back in the 1900's and they hosted the biggest bike blessing in CT. they always promoted this kind of stuff they use to hand out cards like the one attached and I think this is the only one left but it is great to see people like you and everyone on here that in the time of need there are people who still give.
http://s1214.photobucket.com/albums/cc491/dan175/?action=view&curre... |
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Visionary
Posts: 1359
New Bohemia, Va | dan - I'm interested in seeing the card, but it came out too small and unreadable. Am I doing something wrong? I wanted to print some cards to carry because you meet folks and I don't have a pen and paper to write down info, but cards are really convenient. If not for anything else, to remember that trip you met them on. |
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Cruiser
Posts: 206
Lumber Bridge, NC United States |
here you go Capt sorry about other pic
Edited by dan camarco 2011-03-03 1:44 PM
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Visionary
Posts: 1359
New Bohemia, Va | thanks Dan, that's a good idea and reminder. |
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Iron Butt
Posts: 965
New York State | Great story
Donna and I were on a ride to no where when we found a car with three wheels on the ground ond one up in the air. I pulled into a driveway parked and went to look over the situation. The front of the car was in the air and could not back up the embankment on it's own I have a Triple A card so I lent the 17 year old driver my card and cell phone.
While we were waiting on AAA some young guys with a jeep and a chain offered her their help. she asked my opinion and decided she would let them chain up her car.
I called AAA and Donna and I went on our way.
I try not to leave people stuck in bad places. |
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Central Wisconsin | RT, Very NICE! Good deed, indeed  $10 gas container - $3.50 gallon of gas - $10 tip for battery jump and the look on the young couples faces....PRICELESS!
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Helping a fellow rider
