Regardless of broke down or not, cell phone or no cell phone, I always stop. You never know, it may be they ran out of gas and you can syphon out a little of yours to get them to a gas station or maybe they have a broken shifter linkage that you may be able to help them out with could be something simple that your familier with but they are not. Anything that might save them from having to tow their bike or save a relative the time it would take to come pick them up is a plus.

 

I try to stop if can safely do so unless get the Thumbs Up.. If get a signal could use Help .. Will turn around and try to assist .. The Time I Broke my Belt Gave the thumbs up as Riders went by because didn't have a spare belt nor the tools to fix it .. So called the wife and had her bring the Truck and Trailer .. When a couple riders saw her pull up with it to get ready for loading.. They Stopped and made it far easier to get loaded up and on my way.. I try to return the favor whenever possible.. Just another thought worth mentioning, have had several Cagers stop a few times as well and offer assistance..

 

I read on another forum(rice burner) that the symbol for being broke down and need assistance is place your helmet at the edge of the road. Anyone else heard of this?? I usually don't stop if there are other bikers with them. Solo rider I stop. I stopped to help a cager once during a thunder storm. He had ran out of gas and ask if I could just take him home. No problem, only about 10 miles out of my way. On the ride he informed me that this is the 3rd time he has ran out of gas. PISSED! I want to push the idiot out of my moving truck!!

 

yes .. unless I get the thumbs up when I'm slowing down

 

If I can get over to the side of the road (freeway) I will always stop...even if there is another bike with him...as sometimes that was the person he was riding with and they don't have what they need. More often than not they have someone coming or have the problem figured out. A couple of times I loaned out a wrench or some other tool they didn't have.

The funniest one that ever happened to me was stopping for a rice rocket broken down on the side of a rural highway. Guy and his girlfriend, and he apparently had his alternator go out. Had his buddy on his way with a trailer with a 2 hour ETA. I ended up taking his girlfriend home because she was going to be late for work. Was only about 2 miles out of my way. She was shocked that 1) I had music on the bike and 2), (her exact quote) "Wow...this is a lot more comfortable to ride on than my boyfriend's bike." Lot's of openings to that line...but I decided to be a gentleman and let it go.

 

Got me man, but I have done the same while in my pick up to someone on the side of the road.

Seems to work as most people get the idea of thumbs up/down...

I was riding my rigid last Friday and on my way home I stopped and helped an elderly lady change a flat tire on her Civic. I pulled up in front of her and couldn't hardly get her out of the car. I am not intimidating looking or anything. She said she had been sitting there about an hour. Geez people, this is someone's grandma....

 

Classic, man!

 

That's what I do.. I use this same signal when I am doing volunteer work for the bicycle rides I use my bike for.. is easy.. and they all know what it means...

 

i broke down once when i was a newb and had no clue what to do, some guy spent over an hour and a half helping me, drivin me around in his car to get ****......

if i'm not runnin late, i stop, i'll make that u turn or skip across a lane of traffic if i can, i make it a point to stop though, even in my car

 

crotch rockets have alternators??