Restoring My Faith in Humanity

[Jeff Higgins]

So, I was out riding the old Sportster yesterday when I ran into a bit of trouble with it. The hose clamp securing the return line to the oil tank had cut the hose, causing it to leak. I didn't notice this, of course, until the whole back of the bike, including the tire, were covered in oil. Not knowing what was going on, I pulled into a grocery store parking lot to see what was up. I was looking at one hell of a mess to clean up, and a more involved repair than it might sound like. I figured I would start by cleaning while the bike cooled down enough to work on it, so I went into the store to see what was available, and wound up buying a spray bottle of 409 and a dish brush. It was the best they had by way of a "degreaser".

I used about half the bottle in an effort to clean up the back of the bike and, more importantly, that rear tire. It wasn't all that effective. But, well, it had cooled down and was clean enough by now to begin looking for the leak. Once I located it I knew I was in for a bit of a job. Not the most accessible place on the bike, especially with the limited tools in my kit.

About that time a guy pulled up on an Electra Glide and asked if I needed help. I told him I had tools, thought I could fix it, but the oil tank looked all but empty. "No problem", he said, and rode off to get me some oil from the nearest Harley shop, some ten miles away. So I went to work. It was going to be a real bear with the tools I had on hand, with the offending fitting buried behind the rear cylinder and its exhaust pipe.

Then I heard another voice behind me (I was crouched next to the bike) "need help? I have a truck full of tools". And, sure enough, he had everything I needed to do this job rather more easily than I could have with what I had. That, and he had some industrial strength degreaser that proved to do a far better job than that 409.

I wound up cutting about 1/2" off the end of the hose, which had split, and reattaching it to the fitting. About the time I was done the other guy was back with the oil. I paid him for that, poured it in, and kicked her to life. High fives all around, hearty thanks from me, and all of that.

These guys took well over an hour out of their day to help a guy they didn't even know and would likely never see again. Guys like them are still out there, maybe not as common as we once were, but they are out there. I think in times like this we could all use a big heaping dose of guys like them. They turned what was kind of a real bummer into a real positive. Made my day.

[onewhippedpuppy]

That’s a good story Jeff. Good people are definitely still out there.

[astrochex]

Thats very cool. There can be a camaraderie with motoring that is special.

[herr_oberst]

People can be decent, I must say.

What is luck?

[Billiam 911 2.8]

2-3 times a year I find someone who looks lost under the hood and try to help. It feels good to be on either end of this interaction. Helping and looking out for others, especially strangers, makes the world a better place.

[greglepore]

A couple years ago I had a bolt back out of the shift linkage on my ST3s, leaving it stuck in 4th on a country road in the Shenandoah Valley 2hrs from home. Got stuck behind a haywagon and eventually had to stop. A nice Mennonite lady stopped, called her husband, who showed up with a socket set and an assortment of bolts. I pulled a correct 10mm fastener out of the passenger footpeg, put the linkage together, and got home. Nice folks, forever grateful to them.

[speeder]

I'm glad to hear this story and yes, there are plenty of good people out there. And disasters of any size, (like even a broken motorcycle), bring out the best in people. I always try to help if I can and I've been helped plenty by strangers as well. It feels darn good to be of service to your fellow man or woman as well and I know that you would have done the same.

When someone needs a car pushed to the side of the road or a jump start, no one ever asks, "who did you vote for or who is your favorite sports team?" People just help, at least that's my experience. Sounds like a real mess with the Sportster, it's amazing how much havoc a small cut in an oil or fuel hose can cause.

[KFC911]

What you experienced is what my life experience has been.

It just doesn't make the news... never has

Thanks for sharing Jeff!

[oldE]

Jeff, I'm really glad you discovered the problem when you did and not after you had wiped out on some corner. The drive to offer help I think comes from our mentors. It seems cars (and Harleys) don't break down as often as they used to, but one still watches out for fellow travelers.
You'd do the same.

[911 Rod]

Feels good to help people.

[Baz]

Thanks for sharing, Jeff.....good stuff my brother!

[Rot 911]

In my experiences riding around the US by motorcycle, it seems riding a motorcycle brings out the best in others. Be it conversation in a breakfast café, Beer at a brewery, asking for directions, or, as Jeff has discovered, when you are broke down on the side of the road.

[LWJ]

It's not car people. It's not moto people. It is people who are amazingly wonderful. Not just stop and help for an hour, but donate a kidney. Or more.

The flip side? While humans are capable of doing absolutely selfless acts, we are also capable of the opposite.

We are confusing and complicated.

Great story. Thank you!

[Jeff Higgins]

Yup, moto people. Definitely different than car people. While, yes, I see a guy in any "enthusiast" car on the side of the road and I'm going to stop, moto guys bring that up a level.

Before we married, my future wife and I were out driving my '69 Super Bee. We ran across a guy broken down on his old Panhead. I stopped. Parts were broken, he needed replacements, nearest Harley shop over an hour away. We put together a shopping list and off I went.

We killed the rest of the day fixing his bike. My future wife was confused and a bit upset. She had other plans for me that day. That's when I explained The Rules.

I told her it didn't matter what we had planned for the day. You stop. That simple. You could be on your way to your own wedding, in your white rental tux. You stop. The rest can wait. Those are The Rules.

We've been married for 40 years. She came to understand The Rules many, many years ago. It's one of the things that she finds endearing about me.

[flatbutt]

Originally Posted by Jeff Higgins

Yup, moto people. Definitely different than car people. While, yes, I see a guy in any "enthusiast" car on the side of the road and I'm going to stop, moto guys bring that up a level.

Before we married, my future wife and I were out driving my '69 Super Bee. We ran across a guy broken down on his old Panhead. I stopped. Parts were broken, he needed replacements, nearest Harley shop over an hour away. We put together a shopping list and off I went.

We killed the rest of the day fixing his bike. My future wife was confused and a bit upset. She had other plans for me that day. That's when I explained The Rules.

I told her it didn't matter what we had planned for the day. You stop. That simple. You could be on your way to your own wedding, in your white rental tux. You stop. The rest can wait. Those are The Rules.

We've been married for 40 years. She came to understand The Rules many, many years ago. It's one of the things that she finds endearing about me.

Amen brother.

[rfuerst911sc]

I may be naive but I feel a majority of people out there are good . We may have different views on politics or religion or a thousand other things but when someone is in a jamb we step up . At least that is my view .

[Zeke]

Originally Posted by rfuerst911sc

I may be naive but I feel a majority of people out there are good . We may have different views on politics or religion or a thousand other things but when someone is in a jamb we step up . At least that is my view .

On a small scale, sure. Jordan Peterson has a lot to say about crowds. Physical or otherwise. Mostly otherwise.

Just like anyone. JP has some good points to make. And some that don't resonate too well with the YMMV club.

[pwd72s]

Originally Posted by Jeff Higgins

Yup, moto people. Definitely different than car people. While, yes, I see a guy in any "enthusiast" car on the side of the road and I'm going to stop, moto guys bring that up a level.

Before we married, my future wife and I were out driving my '69 Super Bee. We ran across a guy broken down on his old Panhead. I stopped. Parts were broken, he needed replacements, nearest Harley shop over an hour away. We put together a shopping list and off I went.

We killed the rest of the day fixing his bike. My future wife was confused and a bit upset. She had other plans for me that day. That's when I explained The Rules.

I told her it didn't matter what we had planned for the day. You stop. That simple. You could be on your way to your own wedding, in your white rental tux. You stop. The rest can wait. Those are The Rules.

We've been married for 40 years. She came to understand The Rules many, many years ago. It's one of the things that she finds endearing about me.

Back in the early days of PCA, with national membership under 10,000, we still did the flash, it applied there as well. A Porsche in trouble, you stopped.

FWIW, I helped a Harley rider a few years back...actually, two of them...happened to stop on my road when I was messing about in my garage. So, told 'em they were welcome to my tools...turns out one of them was just out of gas. They were delighted when they learned my lawnmower cans were full of non alcohol premium...so, got 'em going again, told them the location of the closest station selling non alcohol...

[oldE]

Jeff relating his wife's introduction to "the Rules", reminded me of one of our trips to Scotland. As we were headed south near the Spey Valley, I saw two guys trying to get their rental car back onto the road. The ditches there were really just wide shoulders, but they got a wheel into a hole when they pulled over to take pictures. I stopped and helped push. My wife drove. As we pulled away after getting them back onto the road I apologized to my wife for interrupting our journey. She responded she would have been disappointed in me bad I not stopped.

[masraum]

On a related note.
Drew Lynch is a comedian. He was doing a show when a member of the audience had a great attack. Several members of the audience revived the guy by giving CPR. The guy recovered and the comedian went and spent a bunch of time with him in the hospital the next day.
https://youtu.be/7a_pffbPo5M?si=28JD-5gxpoMpLh6g

https://youtu.be/jTqps5opMMc?si=WnaEK03j-67ZtrxW


I think that's pretty cool.