For many years I ran service calls for a large trucking company and I will tell you that being stopped on the side of a road/berm is one of the most dangerous places you can be, bar none ! The absolute only reason you should be "stopped" on the berm is because forward movement is not possible and became impossible too quickly to do anything about it. I cringe when I see a group of bikers stopped , if you are in a group only the person behind the breakdown stops and the rest of the group pulls off at the first safe place and calls back to learn the problem. I've seen numerous riders and passengers meandering around on the berm,some over the white line putting themselves and others in tremendous danger expecting oncoming traffic to watch out for them, well you may expect them to see you but when you're dead it won't matter ! Helping someone with a legitimate problem is all good and I have but the first rule of business is getting them further off the road, to a safer location, or use flares/reflective clothing or a flag person to alert the traffic. Riding a motorcycle demands a different mindset than driving a vehicle for many reasons and learning to keep yourself out of harms way is so basic yet easily overlooked, the hobby is dangerous in it's own right, no need to invite disaster. Wishes for safe travel for everyone out there !

 

The shoulder of an interstate is probably one of the most dangerous places there is to stop.


Remember, they are zipping past you at 70+ mph and you are only a few feet away.

There is a term they use called "Target Fixation".

For whatever reason, drivers seem to be drawn to stopped vehicles along the side of the road just like moths to light.

 

Back in the mid 80's, i stopped to help a guy on an old shovel head harley. I was on my then new Kawasaki 900 Ninja. It was a 100 degree day and the closest exit was a good 3 miles in either direction. He had run out of gas and i offered him a ride to the next exit. He told me to F%&k off that he wouldn't take a ride from someone on a f&%king rice burner. I left his sorry *** standing in the sun. I was headed to the local Honda / Yamaha / Harley dealer in town and told them about the guy, but i didn't stop to help anyone on a Harley for a long time after that. Now, i always slow down and check to see if they need help, regardless of what they are riding.

 

I've stopped on the highway for all the things the O.P. mentioned and more, but I usually like to find a bridge to hang out under and if anybody looks as if they plan to stop I wave them on. Except of course when I'm pissing because my hands are pretty full and body language in that case is usually fairly obvious. Then again, of the hundreds of bikes that have passed me on the roadside I can count on one hand those that have even attempted to stop.


But now that I don't smoke that's one less reason I have to pull over. Besides, if I'm broke down and I can't fix it on my own you probably can't help me unless you're pulling an empty trailer.

 

It is pretty dangerous and stupid to try to stop when you see another bike on the shoulder of a busy interstate. If he is broke down what are you going to do? Produce the needed parts and tools and repair his bike, or if he is out of gas are you going to produce a gallon of fuel to put in his ride?


It is more likely that he will tell you to beat it because he just pulled over to take a phone call, or to stretch, or whatever. If he is broke down let him call someone.


The only person that should be stopping to see what his problem is would be a uniform
Trooper.

 

Great post.This should be required reading for everybody that has a drivers license.!

 

Absolutely this. Well said.

I work in QC for a paving company - we do highway projects every year. Every year we get numerous 'intrusions' into our paving packages. These are laid out with cones, attenuator trucks, big pieces of yellow equipment with strobes, and often police officers. Drivers still enter the paving area. I have been doing this for 10 years and have not had a year where I have not heard of at least one worker killed by an intruding car.

Highway shoulders scare me like no place else.

 

I stop to offer help if I can get stopped safely. If you are OK, a quick thumbs up would be appreciated. I have stopped for a couple of accidents to offer first aid supplies.


I have been broke down a couple of times and others have offered assistance. I had a flat once and a guy stopped with a trailer and offered to carry me to an indy back down the road. I took him up on the offer. He had a trailer that dropped down flat on the ground and tie downs.


And for those that do not offer assistance, thanks for the help. And for those that just stop on the road to use the phone or smoke, .......

 

I have stopped to help folks on the side of the road.
Assisted them in pushing their bike the furthest away from the road possible.
I had the tools and the knowledge.
Sometimes it was gas (i have a piece of fuel hose that has been used several times), helped with a flat (i have the 12 v pump , slime and a plug kit that has been used several times), helped with simple stuff like a shift linkage (carry a spare and zip ties) or a bad regulator (had to use my small jumper cables several times to get one individual to safety).
I do agree that stopping on the side of the interstate to just wait for someone could be very dangerous.
If you must stop for something try to locate the best possible situation.

 

Agree.
I generally slow down, give them a thumbs up and a shrug, and if they indicate assistance needed, I'll stop.