Someone's bike is in peril while parked - what to do?

Pete5000

Pete5000

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First of all, I admit my ignorance and flaming me will only make me laugh.

Yesterday I rode into a parking lot at a hotel. There were a lot of other bikes there too,
and all of them had set up a parking "puck" under their kickstands, because it was hot and
the pavement was questionable.

Now I know about this, and I've been using this device for years. But. In the absence
of this I always expected my centrestand would also be acceptable on a hot day.

No. It isn't.

I never imagined this asphalt to be so incredibly deep as to topple my bike off the centre.

So know I know. No longer ignorant.

Here's the rub. The "community" of riders staying at the same hotel admitted they saw
my bike listing, and knew it was going to tip over, and they did nothing. How hard could
it be to slip a parking puck out there for me?

I guess I'm biased. I've offered help to other riders while they are present - but what
if they aren't? Their excuse was "didn't know who you were".

I don't know what I'd do. Seems if I saw a bike about to fall I might help out.

Anyone got any touchup paint in Neutron Silver?
 
I once Put rocks under stands of about 6 bikes that were almost on there sides on gravel. I would expect that a fellow rider would offer the same curtosy to me some day.
Some peeps are just pricks.
 
I would probably help someone's bike...but would also be nervous the entire time I was touching it, that they would suddenly arrive and accuse me of messing with their bikes.
 
People tend to be sheep and no one will make a move until someone else starts. I've watched a group of people stand around and watch a person choke and do nothing until I started to help the person, then I get 3-4 from the crowd saying "I know CPR, can I help?" What the hell were they doing watching if they knew what to do? They were sheep.

May be the same deal with your bike and the several bikers watching.

FWIW I would have stuck something under there. But I'm an odd ball. I tend to help folks in trouble.
 
How would they put something under your centre stand? Should they have taken it off the centre stand? What if you use the centre because there is something wrong with the side stand and by "helping" they actually cause the bike to fall over? At best I'd mention it to the staff at the front desk in the hope that they could find you.
 
redridernl said:
How would they put something under your centre stand? Should they have taken it off the centre stand? What if you use the centre because there is something wrong with the side stand and by "helping" they actually cause the bike to fall over? At best I'd mention it to the staff at the front desk in the hope that they could find you.
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If the centre stand is sinking, sliding two short pieces of wood or something, one under each side, will save it. Unless it`s sunk too far into the pavement than you`d need to consider blocking the frame of the bike.
 
Hard to say with the center stand, but if I saw someone's bike in danger on the sidestand, I wouldn't hesitate to stick something under it.
 
I have mixed feeling about this. I would check for signs of an obvious alarm, and if there were one, I wouldn't touch it, because I don't want anyone hearing a bike alarm go off and seeing me there - unless it's me setting off my own alarm, which happens all the time, cause, well... Xena. If I don't see any obvious alarm, I would try to help, if, for instance, there were some readily available rock I could shove under the stand. The downside of this is that I tend to use a fairly visually obvious alarm myself, and so would kind of understand if someone didn't wanna touch my bike in a similar situation.
 
Hard to say...I think I might video the fall for some awesome YouTube video footage, then pick it up after. I could then show the owner my awesome video of his bike falling.

Nah, I'd help the guy. No one kicks your *** for saving a falling bike.
 
killerkeith said:
Hard to say...I think I might video the fall for some awesome YouTube video footage, then pick it up after. I could then show the owner my awesome video of his bike falling.

Nah, I'd help the guy. No one kicks your *** for saving a falling bike.
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The thing is with some people, specially the rotten spoiled ones with no experience of having any responsibility, would not appreciate you helping them, some would even go to the extent of accusing you if anything else goes wrong with their bike, or if you don't help you are called a prick. So while I am inclined to help out, I would try to get a hold of the owner first before I touch their bike.

I stopped one time for a guy who broke down in the middle of the road on a rainy day. I helped him push his car to the side of the road, then he said I dented his trunk. Will that mean I won't offer assistance to anyone anymore, perhaps not, but my point is that you have to keep in mind that some people are just *** holes and be ready to deal with one when you intent to be a good Samaritan. It is just the cost of being a good citizen.
 
MadPoet said:
The thing is with some people, specially the rotten spoiled ones with no experience of having any responsibility, would not appreciate you helping them, some would even go to the extent of accusing you if anything else goes wrong with their bike, or if you don't help you are called a prick. So while I am inclined to help out, I would try to get a hold of the owner first before I touch their bike.

I stopped one time for a guy who broke down in the middle of the road on a rainy day. I helped him push his car to the side of the road, then he said I dented his trunk. Will that mean I won't offer assistance to anyone anymore, perhaps not, but my point is that you have to keep in mind that some people are just ***** holes and be ready to deal with one when you intent to be a good Samaritan. It is just the cost of being a good citizen.
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You know what? Who cares if you happen to deal with an *** hole.
I'm willing to take that chance if it means I can help out someone who may end up really appreciating it.

Don't let a few bad apples dictate how you act.
 
boooya said:
I once Put rocks under stands of about 6 bikes that were almost on there sides on gravel. I would expect that a fellow rider would offer the same curtosy to me some day.
Some peeps are just pricks.
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I remember this. I did not help other than point out bikes that were in danger. I cared more about warming up!
 
Panici said:
You know what? Who cares if you happen to deal with an *** hole.
I'm willing to take that chance if it means I can help out someone who may end up really appreciating it.

Don't let a few bad apples dictate how you act.
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I strongly believe that the majority of people are good Thus making the chances of running into a dick very slim, however, you have to be aware, cautious and ready for it.
 
The way I see it, if the bikes owner is not present, stay away from his/her bike and do not touch it. If the owner comes out and sees you messing with his bike, he might get the wrong impression (I know I would too) and think you are trying to steal or do damage to the bike. Then you can find yourself in a ****** situation, he can call the cops on you, report you, accuse you of damaging his property and the list goes on and on.
It's nice to want to help someone else, but in todays rotten society, you have to be cautious and watch your own *** as well.
 
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The Road Warrior said:
The way I see it, if the bikes owner is not present, stay away from his/her bike and do not touch it. If the owner comes out and sees you messing with his bike, he might get the wrong impression (I know I would too) and think you are trying to steal or do damage to the bike. Then you can find yourself in a ****** situation.

Bottom line is do not touch others property without the owners permission.
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Center stands are tricky on an unfamilar bike.. i would probably leave that one alone.

A bike on a side stand i would probably do something about. If there were plates or a pop can nearby that i could crush and use. i would do something. if the owner did happen to come buy and see me "messing with his bike" i'd hope that a simple explanation would diffuse the situation. if he's the type to throw hands now and think later without listening to me, i'll be happy to help him practice spitting out teeth.. then i'll kick his bike over.
 
That's nice of you, no doubt but I would never do that. If I ever see a rider needing help I would be the first to offer assistance, but this is just different and not worth the risk.
 
The Road Warrior said:
That's nice of you, no doubt but I would never do that. If I ever see a rider needing help I would be the first to offer assistance, but this is just different and not worth the risk.
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There's always risk. If the rider is there and you offer to help they may go psychotic on you and pull out a gun and shoot you. Better to do nothing, right? (sarcasm)

I really don't understand the majority of you people. The guy's bike is gonna fall over and you'd do nothing because you're worried they MIGHT get a mistaken impression. Everyone seems to have a reason to stand by and do nothing when bad things are happening. And we wonder what's wrong with the world...
 
I wouldn't have touched the bike, but I would certainly have advised the front desk and given them the plate number, so that they could contact the owner. They always ask guests for their plate numbers, and so would be able to find the owner.
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