When was the last time you pulled over when you saw another motorcyclist at the side of the road?

I’m ashamed to say it’s been a while.

But that’s about to change.

I was listening to the American biker radio station www.sidestandup.com and the guy there was talking about how he always stops if he sees a fellow motorcyclist at the side of the road, that certainly got the grey matter churning I can tell you.

Thirty years ago (yes I’m that old folks) when I spent most of my youth as pillion on a 1974 Triumph Daytona, on which we did many, many miles, you suffered things like broken clutch cable, punctures (loads), so forth, it was the nature of the beast. That didn’t stop us from using it, going to motorcycle rallies, runs and on holiday on it, far from it. We weren’t afraid or bothered at the thought that we might breakdown, it was part of the adventure. We never knew who we might meet as a consequence.

Other motorcyclists stopped to help too, regardless of where they were going. I remember one time where someone at a house gave us a cable off their pushbike so that we could effect a roadside repair. My partner would get a lift to the nearest repair garage on the back of a stranger carrying the wheel with the puncture whilst I waited at the side of the road with the remains of the bike – getting merry on Strawberry wine in the sun on one occasion, but that’s another story!

We returned the favour too, to others that had broken down.

A couple of years back we were on the way back from a rally and we had a breakdown and a guy pulled over in his car (fellow motorcyclist) and said we could have use of his garage and equipment just down the road. Now what a warm feeling that gives you – imagine passing that kindness on to someone else.

In contrast about five years ago we had car problems only about five miles from home and suspected we had run out of petrol (as it turned out a faulty gauge) and the people at the houses nearby wouldn’t even open the door to us – sad but true – so we had to hitch hike, thankfully a good samaritan picked us up and we were sorted.

Nowadays,breakdowns on modern bikes are rare and mobile phones and breakdown cover makes us self sufficient, but there are still plenty of motorcyclists who prefer older bikes and they might just need your help, but hey! don’t forget a lot of people who ride those bikes are our motorcycling heritage, I love talking to those guys, imagine the conversations you could have.

Let’s not be the same as the rest of society, let’s be different, after all we are different and we are sociable people aren’t we?

Let’s be good samaritans and sociable people again, who can you stop and speak to today?

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