Dickie to the Rescue

[consularrider]

@Jason B 48453 wrote:

Both of you please relax.
What I meant is that too often people call it out, “you OK?” without actually looking back, or even slowing down.

Everybody must be getting antsy for the nice weather.

[rcannon100]

@consularrider 48454 wrote:

Everybody must be getting antsy for the nice weather.

This isnt being antsy. I think this is more about appreciation and gratitude. I think people have a genuinely different experience on the trail. My experience is that people are overwhelming generous – and if I ever break down – with in seconds someone has stopped to help.

When I got hit by a car on lincoln circle, several cyclists stopped and helped. I have come upon several accidents at memorial circle, and cyclists were caring for the injured and directing traffic away from the accident. Once in a van I came upon a cyclists covered in blood in memorial circle with his bicycle shaped like a pretzel (when he yelled “left”, the foreign tourist did what he had asked, went left, and he went flying to avoid hitting them); I put the bike on the back of my van and drove the bloody guy home. I busted my chain on the MVT and someone stopped and helped. I busted it again on the custis, and Shawn stopped, and then another guy lent a chain breaker. Last night I stopped to take off my jacket at the top of the Arlington hill, and some guy came over and asked if I needed help. Another day at the same point I came upon Dana helping some noob repair a rear flat tire. And while we were talking someone else came up who was entirely lost, and we helped that person find where she was going.

When you talk about trail culture, it brings out an immediate sense of awe and gratitude in many of us at how simply amazing people are – we have been helped by so many, and we have helped many.

[Dickie]

@rcannon100 48480 wrote:

When you talk about trail culture, it brings out an immediate sense of awe and gratitude in many of us at how simply amazing people are – we have been helped by so many, and we have helped many.

Well said Bob!

[bobco85]

@Jason B 48453 wrote:

What I meant is that too often people call it out, “you OK?” without actually looking back, or even slowing down.

I disagree with you on this, but it’s only because it is very different from what I have experienced.

In my experience in general, similar to rcannon100’s (minus a lot of the exciting stuff), when people have seen me on the side of the trail (ranging anywhere from changing a flat and checking my chain to eating a snack and checking my phone) and asked how I was doing, I haven’t had anyone just ask and ignore my response (luckily a majority of the time my response is a tired/annoyed-at-my-flat/distracted/etc., “Yeah, I’m okay. Thanks for asking.”).

I’m wondering: why do you have this impression that people “too often” ask and ignore when they see someone on the side of the trail? I’m not offended, but curious to know why you think so.

[JimF22003]

On some forums it’s kind of a running joke that people will yell out “Everything OK” as they whiz past somebody on the side of the road.

That usually applies to people having a mechanical. I don’t think very many people would see somebody hurt and bleeding on the side of the road and ask “You OK?” if they didn’t intend to help

[dbb]

@Dickie 48395 wrote:

I am thinking of wearing a St. Bernard’s keg around my neck from now on!

Could I suggest to heck with the brandy. Fill it with The Macallen! You’d be the most popular guy on the trail.

[Rod Smith]

I used to have a seatpost that was also a pump. It didn’t work very well, so I carried another pump. When someone would ask if I had a pump, I could and would answer honestly “No” as I wizzed by. I didn’t have a pump, I had two pumps. Flat tire, you’re walking. Busted nose, I’ll stop to help. Actually I have stopped to pump up a stranger’s tires, but when I have work, I need to keep moving.

[Author]

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