Ever stopped to help drivers broken down on road?
- Thread starter ZZman
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A perspective from the other direction.
My wife was coming to see me in the hospital on a rainy night. Had a flat tire. 03 4Runner. Two men stopped to help and because she was in a hurry she accepted their offer of help.
They changed the tire and she gave each of them a twenty dollar bill for their trouble. It was really raining hard and she was motivated to get to the hospital.
When we got home I realized they took the jack, tools and the spare tire and everything in the back of the rear seat.
At least she was safe and the tire got changed but that was an expensive roadside service. She now has a different perspective on allowing someone to help.
My wife was coming to see me in the hospital on a rainy night. Had a flat tire. 03 4Runner. Two men stopped to help and because she was in a hurry she accepted their offer of help.
They changed the tire and she gave each of them a twenty dollar bill for their trouble. It was really raining hard and she was motivated to get to the hospital.
When we got home I realized they took the jack, tools and the spare tire and everything in the back of the rear seat.
At least she was safe and the tire got changed but that was an expensive roadside service. She now has a different perspective on allowing someone to help.
People in Nebraska, especially in rural areas, are very good about stopping to help. I carry a Norco jump starter in the trunk but have not had occasion to use it to date.
Originally Posted By: Virtus_Probi
Loudmouth off duty fireman tried to take over at the latter jump and was desperate to move the cable connection such that the batteries were directly in parallel...finally had to tell him to get his GD hands off my vehicle and that he was welcome to put his battery in parallel with the dead one as long as I was a ways away.
How do you connect cables?
Loudmouth off duty fireman tried to take over at the latter jump and was desperate to move the cable connection such that the batteries were directly in parallel...finally had to tell him to get his GD hands off my vehicle and that he was welcome to put his battery in parallel with the dead one as long as I was a ways away.
How do you connect cables?
Originally Posted By: Superflan
Originally Posted By: Virtus_Probi
Loudmouth off duty fireman tried to take over at the latter jump and was desperate to move the cable connection such that the batteries were directly in parallel...finally had to tell him to get his GD hands off my vehicle and that he was welcome to put his battery in parallel with the dead one as long as I was a ways away.
How do you connect cables?
Never directly across both sets of battery terminals, negative return goes to the chassis of the car doing the charging. SOP.
Jumping a battery is never really a great thing to have to do, but the extra resistance from the indirect ground connection helps keep current spiking down. Added safety measure that is simple to do.
My basic complaint is that I was being nice and giving somebody a jump and some jerk had to come bustling over to tell me how to do it the "right" way in rude fashion and try to grab things out of my hands...sorry, it's my car and I'm also an electrical engineer, so sod off.
I almost gave a random guy a ride a few weeks ago, saw him walking up the bottom of the road to the base lodge at my ski mountain and thought maybe he was employee with no ride. Slowed down and was going to ask him if he wanted a ride up when I noticed he had just lit up either a cig or a doobie...sorry, no smoke in my car, bye!
Originally Posted By: Virtus_Probi
Loudmouth off duty fireman tried to take over at the latter jump and was desperate to move the cable connection such that the batteries were directly in parallel...finally had to tell him to get his GD hands off my vehicle and that he was welcome to put his battery in parallel with the dead one as long as I was a ways away.
How do you connect cables?
Never directly across both sets of battery terminals, negative return goes to the chassis of the car doing the charging. SOP.
Jumping a battery is never really a great thing to have to do, but the extra resistance from the indirect ground connection helps keep current spiking down. Added safety measure that is simple to do.
My basic complaint is that I was being nice and giving somebody a jump and some jerk had to come bustling over to tell me how to do it the "right" way in rude fashion and try to grab things out of my hands...sorry, it's my car and I'm also an electrical engineer, so sod off.
I almost gave a random guy a ride a few weeks ago, saw him walking up the bottom of the road to the base lodge at my ski mountain and thought maybe he was employee with no ride. Slowed down and was going to ask him if he wanted a ride up when I noticed he had just lit up either a cig or a doobie...sorry, no smoke in my car, bye!
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: oil_film_movies
..These days people can call AAA, a friend, family, and/or Uber & Lyft from their smartphones. Less reason for strangers to intervene, although its nice when they do.
Maybe it's a generational thing but I don't carry or even own a smartphone, nor have never used AAA, Uber or Lyft. So it would be wrong to assume anyone can make a quick phone call.
I try and stop unless it's on the turnpike and I'm doing near the speed limit (75mph) and then you are several hundred yards down the road before you know it. I used to pick up hitch hikers but seldom do that anymore unless I see them near a travel stop and can talk with them a minute. I still check CL ride-share sometimes and have taken a few people along that needed a ride.
Thankfully, I have not been stranded on the road side in years but can never forget having a flat tire while driving on a rural turnpike after dark. I had my wife and small children with me in the back seat. I pulled off as far as I could and put the compact spare on. As soon as I lowered the car I could see the darn spare had only few pounds of air in it and the rim was on the ground so now I'm stuck. I never forget sitting there watching the Hale–Bopp Comet in the night sky and knowing all we had left now was the hope that someone would stop.
Fortunately, a man in a pickup truck with his daughters pulled over and he happened to have a cell phone. I was able to call a family member to come out and rescue us. We had to leave the car stranded for the night but returned the next day with a good tire and got on our way again.
I can never forget this man for his kindness in stopping, so that is why I try to help others when I can.
..These days people can call AAA, a friend, family, and/or Uber & Lyft from their smartphones. Less reason for strangers to intervene, although its nice when they do.
Maybe it's a generational thing but I don't carry or even own a smartphone, nor have never used AAA, Uber or Lyft. So it would be wrong to assume anyone can make a quick phone call.
I try and stop unless it's on the turnpike and I'm doing near the speed limit (75mph) and then you are several hundred yards down the road before you know it. I used to pick up hitch hikers but seldom do that anymore unless I see them near a travel stop and can talk with them a minute. I still check CL ride-share sometimes and have taken a few people along that needed a ride.
Thankfully, I have not been stranded on the road side in years but can never forget having a flat tire while driving on a rural turnpike after dark. I had my wife and small children with me in the back seat. I pulled off as far as I could and put the compact spare on. As soon as I lowered the car I could see the darn spare had only few pounds of air in it and the rim was on the ground so now I'm stuck. I never forget sitting there watching the Hale–Bopp Comet in the night sky and knowing all we had left now was the hope that someone would stop.
Fortunately, a man in a pickup truck with his daughters pulled over and he happened to have a cell phone. I was able to call a family member to come out and rescue us. We had to leave the car stranded for the night but returned the next day with a good tire and got on our way again.
I can never forget this man for his kindness in stopping, so that is why I try to help others when I can.
I have in the past and still do, though less frequently and more cautiously. I think Karma has played a big role here. I've probably stopped and helped about a a dozen times in my life. Flat tires, split radiator hose, jump starts etc. Karma has payed me back in that the 3 times my wife or I broke down on the side of the road someone stopped within 5 min. to help us out. Nice.
Many times, would do it again. Also have come across accident scenes, one time hauled a woman in the box of my pickup to an airport so she could be medevac'd. About 40 miles, cost me two sleeping bags and a bunch clothing that ended up blood-stained. This was way, way up north, nearest town was 300 miles away. She was serious but not life-threatening, and recovered.
I have my Level A First Aid, do the refresher every year and re-certify every two. I also have Wilderness First Aid training (which applied in that incident). It's almost the opposite of conventional First Aid, which assumes help is on the way. Wilderness assumes it's not for up to 48 hours. We're protected by "Good Samaritan" legislation for trained personnel, so no qualms about treating.
I have my Level A First Aid, do the refresher every year and re-certify every two. I also have Wilderness First Aid training (which applied in that incident). It's almost the opposite of conventional First Aid, which assumes help is on the way. Wilderness assumes it's not for up to 48 hours. We're protected by "Good Samaritan" legislation for trained personnel, so no qualms about treating.
Originally Posted By: Cressida
Originally Posted By: oil_film_movies
..These days people can call AAA, a friend, family, and/or Uber & Lyft from their smartphones. Less reason for strangers to intervene, although its nice when they do.
Maybe it's a generational thing but I don't carry or even own a smartphone, nor have never used AAA, Uber or Lyft. So it would be wrong to assume anyone can make a quick phone call.
Some people have simple (non-smart) cell phones you can buy for $30 ( https://www.lifewire.com/best-cell-phones-for-senior-citizens-4125595 ). I remember discussing the merits of having a phone while in the car back 20 years ago, and that was when I got one. (Smartphone in 2009 later.)
Really you can always borrow a cell phone from some stranger since calls are free and there are so many cell phones on the streets these days. You don't absolutely have to have your own. Mooch in emergencies, its fine.
Having AAA is kind of nice, although not necessary. To use Uber or Lyft, a smartphone is mandatory, although a stranger can do it for you if you throw them some $$ to compensate, so even that is mooch-able.
Even cheaper: Any cell phone that powers up (from your cigarrette lighter etc.) can call 911 by law.
That phone does NOT need to be activated or contracted up with any t-mobile, verizon, ATT, none of that. 911 calls are truly free.
Originally Posted By: oil_film_movies
..These days people can call AAA, a friend, family, and/or Uber & Lyft from their smartphones. Less reason for strangers to intervene, although its nice when they do.
Maybe it's a generational thing but I don't carry or even own a smartphone, nor have never used AAA, Uber or Lyft. So it would be wrong to assume anyone can make a quick phone call.
Some people have simple (non-smart) cell phones you can buy for $30 ( https://www.lifewire.com/best-cell-phones-for-senior-citizens-4125595 ). I remember discussing the merits of having a phone while in the car back 20 years ago, and that was when I got one. (Smartphone in 2009 later.)
Really you can always borrow a cell phone from some stranger since calls are free and there are so many cell phones on the streets these days. You don't absolutely have to have your own. Mooch in emergencies, its fine.
Having AAA is kind of nice, although not necessary. To use Uber or Lyft, a smartphone is mandatory, although a stranger can do it for you if you throw them some $$ to compensate, so even that is mooch-able.
Even cheaper: Any cell phone that powers up (from your cigarrette lighter etc.) can call 911 by law.
That phone does NOT need to be activated or contracted up with any t-mobile, verizon, ATT, none of that. 911 calls are truly free.
gathermewool
Site Donor 2023
Yep, and I have a court date coming up to be a witness. Should have been open-and-shut, but the cop apparently didn't take any of my statement down...
I honked and practically had to cut someone off at a light last year, because he was running on one shredded tire. He had no idea. I got his tire off and took him and it to the Walmart where he worked to get a new tire. Let him keep my headlight (human-head light), too, since it was near dark and he had no tools in his vehicle, let alone a flashlight. I keep one flashlight on me at all times.
I honked and practically had to cut someone off at a light last year, because he was running on one shredded tire. He had no idea. I got his tire off and took him and it to the Walmart where he worked to get a new tire. Let him keep my headlight (human-head light), too, since it was near dark and he had no tools in his vehicle, let alone a flashlight. I keep one flashlight on me at all times.
Funny story, several years ago, i saw a young teenager in a three foot ditch (side of rode desolate area) that you could practically step over. It was dry sand and she was in a new jeep. It had oversize tires and a rear locker. I saw that it was 4x4 and told her to use it. She told me that she didn't know how and mentioned her father bought the jeep for her. I told her to retrieve the owners manual (she admitted never read) and I showed her the page engaging 4x4. She refused, to put it in 4x4 and began crying. I drove it out for her in 10 seconds. Some people are clueless.
Respectfully,
Pajero!
Respectfully,
Pajero!
Back when I was still in uniform I did several times a shift, it's part of the job of a State Trooper.
Originally Posted By: Virtus_Probi
Originally Posted By: Superflan
Originally Posted By: Virtus_Probi
Loudmouth off duty fireman tried to take over at the latter jump and was desperate to move the cable connection such that the batteries were directly in parallel...finally had to tell him to get his GD hands off my vehicle and that he was welcome to put his battery in parallel with the dead one as long as I was a ways away.
How do you connect cables?
Never directly across both sets of battery terminals, negative return goes to the chassis of the car doing the charging. SOP.
Jumping a battery is never really a great thing to have to do, but the extra resistance from the indirect ground connection helps keep current spiking down. Added safety measure that is simple to do.
My basic complaint is that I was being nice and giving somebody a jump and some jerk had to come bustling over to tell me how to do it the "right" way in rude fashion and try to grab things out of my hands...sorry, it's my car and I'm also an electrical engineer, so sod off.
I almost gave a random guy a ride a few weeks ago, saw him walking up the bottom of the road to the base lodge at my ski mountain and thought maybe he was employee with no ride. Slowed down and was going to ask him if he wanted a ride up when I noticed he had just lit up either a cig or a doobie...sorry, no smoke in my car, bye!
I believe it's also to keep any potential sparks away from the battery. The last connection will likely spark, and has a possibility of igniting the hydrogen gas from the battery. So the key point is to make the last connection on a bare chassis ground, away from the battery.
I haven't had a chance to stop and help a stranger, although, being in the city, I'm more wary of other issues.
Many years ago though, I was hopping on my bike about to head home from work. I saw a guy on a Honda Elite scooter that was having trouble starting. I asked if he needed help and he said that they can't be push started, and probably needed a jump. I happen to keep a pair of home made jumper cables for my bike (more for my bike than anyone else...). I had some 12 AWG wire with small alligator clips on both ends. I clipped onto my bike and his scooter started right now. I'd never used them, but I was glad to see that they worked. He even asked me about the cables to make a set for himself.
I've since built a nicer 10AWG set with flexible silicone insulation that I keep under my bike's seat.
Originally Posted By: Superflan
Originally Posted By: Virtus_Probi
Loudmouth off duty fireman tried to take over at the latter jump and was desperate to move the cable connection such that the batteries were directly in parallel...finally had to tell him to get his GD hands off my vehicle and that he was welcome to put his battery in parallel with the dead one as long as I was a ways away.
How do you connect cables?
Never directly across both sets of battery terminals, negative return goes to the chassis of the car doing the charging. SOP.
Jumping a battery is never really a great thing to have to do, but the extra resistance from the indirect ground connection helps keep current spiking down. Added safety measure that is simple to do.
My basic complaint is that I was being nice and giving somebody a jump and some jerk had to come bustling over to tell me how to do it the "right" way in rude fashion and try to grab things out of my hands...sorry, it's my car and I'm also an electrical engineer, so sod off.
I almost gave a random guy a ride a few weeks ago, saw him walking up the bottom of the road to the base lodge at my ski mountain and thought maybe he was employee with no ride. Slowed down and was going to ask him if he wanted a ride up when I noticed he had just lit up either a cig or a doobie...sorry, no smoke in my car, bye!
I believe it's also to keep any potential sparks away from the battery. The last connection will likely spark, and has a possibility of igniting the hydrogen gas from the battery. So the key point is to make the last connection on a bare chassis ground, away from the battery.
I haven't had a chance to stop and help a stranger, although, being in the city, I'm more wary of other issues.
Many years ago though, I was hopping on my bike about to head home from work. I saw a guy on a Honda Elite scooter that was having trouble starting. I asked if he needed help and he said that they can't be push started, and probably needed a jump. I happen to keep a pair of home made jumper cables for my bike (more for my bike than anyone else...). I had some 12 AWG wire with small alligator clips on both ends. I clipped onto my bike and his scooter started right now. I'd never used them, but I was glad to see that they worked. He even asked me about the cables to make a set for himself.
I've since built a nicer 10AWG set with flexible silicone insulation that I keep under my bike's seat.
I always did battery to battery--too soon for hydrogen gas to build up, not in the first few seconds.
Anyhow, I don't stop to help too often. Especially not if they are on the phone. I did stop a couple weeks ago, kid found the ditch, but I couldn't find an appropriate spot to tie my tow strap to yank him. Then I looked it over more and realized he was high ended and who knows what was dragging at that point--and I realized I didn't want to be liable. "Got AAA? Sorry, can't help you."
There were some Russians (Ukranians?) near my house that managed to get stuck not once but twice. Apparently 500hp and AWD won't make up for summer tires in the snow. Helped push it the first time but there wasn't much to do the second time. I think they went back to celebrating New Year's and I went back to where it was warm.
Anyhow, I don't stop to help too often. Especially not if they are on the phone. I did stop a couple weeks ago, kid found the ditch, but I couldn't find an appropriate spot to tie my tow strap to yank him. Then I looked it over more and realized he was high ended and who knows what was dragging at that point--and I realized I didn't want to be liable. "Got AAA? Sorry, can't help you."
There were some Russians (Ukranians?) near my house that managed to get stuck not once but twice. Apparently 500hp and AWD won't make up for summer tires in the snow. Helped push it the first time but there wasn't much to do the second time. I think they went back to celebrating New Year's and I went back to where it was warm.
Originally Posted By: Virtus_Probi
Originally Posted By: Superflan
Originally Posted By: Virtus_Probi
Loudmouth off duty fireman tried to take over at the latter jump and was desperate to move the cable connection such that the batteries were directly in parallel...finally had to tell him to get his GD hands off my vehicle and that he was welcome to put his battery in parallel with the dead one as long as I was a ways away.
How do you connect cables?
Never directly across both sets of battery terminals, negative return goes to the chassis of the car doing the charging. SOP.
Jumping a battery is never really a great thing to have to do, but the extra resistance from the indirect ground connection helps keep current spiking down. Added safety measure that is simple to do.
I’m no electrical engineer but how grounding distant from battery, given the multiple ground cables thickness, can dump current spike? When I do clamp cables, I’m more worried about voltage spike when it does sparks and crackles. And this happens even when I use available clamping points that are designed to on some vehicles.
So, the thing is I understand your concern, that YOU came to help, but maybe it’s just rockstar symptom. I’m with you on it, though nowadays I don’t exhibit it unless life-threatening move.
Originally Posted By: Superflan
Originally Posted By: Virtus_Probi
Loudmouth off duty fireman tried to take over at the latter jump and was desperate to move the cable connection such that the batteries were directly in parallel...finally had to tell him to get his GD hands off my vehicle and that he was welcome to put his battery in parallel with the dead one as long as I was a ways away.
How do you connect cables?
Never directly across both sets of battery terminals, negative return goes to the chassis of the car doing the charging. SOP.
Jumping a battery is never really a great thing to have to do, but the extra resistance from the indirect ground connection helps keep current spiking down. Added safety measure that is simple to do.
I’m no electrical engineer but how grounding distant from battery, given the multiple ground cables thickness, can dump current spike? When I do clamp cables, I’m more worried about voltage spike when it does sparks and crackles. And this happens even when I use available clamping points that are designed to on some vehicles.
So, the thing is I understand your concern, that YOU came to help, but maybe it’s just rockstar symptom. I’m with you on it, though nowadays I don’t exhibit it unless life-threatening move.
Heaps of times over the years...cars are much more reliable these days however, and it's rare.
Quite a few flats, have flagged down two of them who didn't realise.
Flagged down a guy whose car was on fire, he came at me with a tyre iron for a bit until he realised that his car WAS on fire.
Helped a few people start.
Driven a few people to get fuel and return them.
Helped a few people realise that it will NEVER start (sheared dizzy drive gear once, sheared cotton cam gear another) and they needed a tow.
Would I tomorrow ?
Probably.
Quite a few flats, have flagged down two of them who didn't realise.
Flagged down a guy whose car was on fire, he came at me with a tyre iron for a bit until he realised that his car WAS on fire.
Helped a few people start.
Driven a few people to get fuel and return them.
Helped a few people realise that it will NEVER start (sheared dizzy drive gear once, sheared cotton cam gear another) and they needed a tow.
Would I tomorrow ?
Probably.
Originally Posted By: E150GT
Two weeks ago I stopped. A lady had a flat tire on a 60mph parkway with no shoulder. She had an infant baby and was totally clueless. I stopped and told her to move her car 200 feet up and turn into a side street before we all get killed. She did and I came and changed her tire. Her tires were the factory tires on a ‘13 Jetta and while they had tread, they were made in 2012 and were rock hard. Turns out the low pressure light was on and she didn’t do anything about it. Her dad came by right after I was done and I spoke to him for a bit. His only comment was that they had tread left so he didn’t believe anything was wrong with the tires.
6 year old tyres?
Oh THE HORROR.
If only she'd had a brand new tyre with no air in it. Then she'd have been fine.
Two weeks ago I stopped. A lady had a flat tire on a 60mph parkway with no shoulder. She had an infant baby and was totally clueless. I stopped and told her to move her car 200 feet up and turn into a side street before we all get killed. She did and I came and changed her tire. Her tires were the factory tires on a ‘13 Jetta and while they had tread, they were made in 2012 and were rock hard. Turns out the low pressure light was on and she didn’t do anything about it. Her dad came by right after I was done and I spoke to him for a bit. His only comment was that they had tread left so he didn’t believe anything was wrong with the tires.
6 year old tyres?
Oh THE HORROR.
If only she'd had a brand new tyre with no air in it. Then she'd have been fine.
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