Motorcyclists Redeemed

[pbbeck]

Lately I haven't been riding much. A long bout of lousy weather in January and February, followed by surgery in March kept me out of the saddle for most of the first quarter. Getting a layoff notice from my school district in March didn't help. Not knowing whether I had a job and expecting the worst, I stayed off the bike so as not to put miles on it in case I did have to sell it.

 

Fast forward... My layoff notice was rescinded, I'm recovered from surgery, and the weather is fantastic. I left at 7am this morning for a 250-mile ride. It felt great to have the cool morning air in my face and the relatively empty freeways all to myself. I made it five miles up the 710 freeway when I ran out of gas. Because I had been off the bike and had lost track of the fueling situation, I chose to believe the 'miles to empty' indicator that said I had 90 miles to empty. Now this is the second time my GT has done this to me. In the year since the fuel sensor strip was replaced, it has worked flawlessly.

 

So there I was, standing in the median of the 710 freeway waiting for AAA to show up with some fuel. Five different motorcyclists rode by. They all looked at me. They all saw me, but not one waved nor gave the thumbs up asking if I was okay. I began to grouse and mutter under my breath, lamenting the sorry state of the motorcycling brotherhood. Just then I noticed a bike passing by on the other side of the freeway... a bright yellow VFR sporting some custom looking hard bags. It was a striking bike that stood out in traffic.

 

Three minutes later, as I sat looking out for the AAA tow truck, I notice a single headlight approaching from the south. Was it the CHP? Another motorcyclist set on blowing me off? No.. It was Yellow VFR! He pulled up and stopped in front of my bike and asked if I had help on the way. I was floored. This guy actually exited the freeway and came back around - no easy feat where I was stranded - just to check on my welfare!

 

Thank you Yellow VFR! You have restored my faith in my fellow motorcyclist. You bet I will pay it forward. I hope you all will, too.

[donbmw]

I will stop for any motorcycle I See on the side of the road. I have been in that boat and had someone stop and give be a ride to a phone (per cell phone days). Even had the Uhaul guy come to where I was after the girl that worked for him told him about us. She had said that they did not have a truck to rent. They had one she did not know about. I will not leave a ride on the side of the road with out check on them.

 

Don

[Kathy R]

I like how you took the bad you've been through this winter, and on this ride, and allowed it all to become something good.

 

I'm always paying forward the first time someone was kind enough to stop for me and weld my shifter back together on a 4th of July weekend somewhere in Kansas many years ago.

 

 

 

 

 

[russell_bynum]

You meet the nicest people on a Honda.

[Smoky]

I presume your helmet was on the ground at the rear of your bike, signalling that you required assistance?

 

I've often stopped for bikes, only to find everything is OK, or it's a smoke break or something.

[John Ranalletta]

OTOH..I stop whenever it's safe to do so, but a couple of weeks ago, we saw a sport bike parked on the shoulder of the opposing lane and the rider walking around on our side of the road.

 

When I inquired if he needed help, he said he was only stretching his legs. IMO, he should have waived us on as he saw us slow and pull off . Another group of riders was approaching from the opposite direction and were slowing as well.

[pbbeck]

My helmet was off but either in my hand or sitting on the median wall. I was unaware that the placement of my helmet was some kind of signal.

 

I understand that riders stopped by the roadside are often just stretching their legs, but being off the bike with hazards on in the median strip of an LA freeway is a clear sign that something's up.