http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Topic: To stop or not to stop? (...for another cyclist) en Wed, 13 May 2026 02:46:25 +0000 http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=5681#post-64403 Fri, 06 Apr 2012 23:51:06 +0000 LivM 64403@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I usually ask "need a hand?"<br /> A couple of times I've helped a kid inflate a tyre, and bodged a woman's dragging brake.<br /> On 20milers rides there's always a crowd of people ready to help fix a puncture. The last time we had one, the chap was clearly not doing it right (failing to put the tyre back on at all) so I offered to help and was told in no uncertain terms that "he'd done this hundreds of times". Well I managed to help anyway and made it work. (Thanks to EBC maintenance class tips!) </p> <p>Then I found out that Halfords had sold him a 26" inner tube for his 700mm wheel ON THE BSO THAT HE HAD JUST BOUGHT FROM THEM. Sigh. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=5681#post-64380 Fri, 06 Apr 2012 19:48:50 +0000 sallyhinch 64380@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>heh - just came on to post that very link! </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=5681#post-64379 Fri, 06 Apr 2012 19:46:35 +0000 chdot 64379@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>"</p> <p>Carlton Reid (@carltonreid)</p> <p>4/6/12 7:40 PM</p> <p>Google Streetcar captures cyclist turning back to help with a stranger's flat tyre: bit.ly/Hj4dTr By @bikehugger</p> <p>" </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=5681#post-61367 Thu, 15 Mar 2012 16:28:23 +0000 Tom 61367@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I stopped to help jump start a car and was nearly run over by the driver behind who didn't seem to realise that we'd stop running after the car had started. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=5681#post-61299 Thu, 15 Mar 2012 13:06:18 +0000 lionfish 61299@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I'm with most people on here. I usually stop, except if they look like they're completely in control (the scatter of tools you had would have meant I'd have kept going).</p> <p>I probably stop to ask if someone needs help about 2-3 times a month. Only can actually help 3-4 times/year (last 12 months: slow puncture, Chain jammed, brake fixed). </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=5681#post-61082 Wed, 14 Mar 2012 13:40:12 +0000 ruggtomcat 61082@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>If Im 'bent then I always stop to help as I carry a full tool kit all the time, I even shouted after one guy to stop so I could sort his horrendous chain, but he wouldn't have it and cycled off. I found his bike later and had a look at it while he wasn't looking, turns out the jocky wheel hanger was made of aluminium and had fused solid, nothing to help with then...</p> <p>I am occasionally bemused by a small people who come up to me, ask me to fix their bike then ride off again without a parent in sight. Dunno why they ask me, must have a good face! Always heartwarming tho.</p> <p>On the upright I never stop because a) I rarely have any tools and b) got to keep up the roadies stereotype of unfriendliness ;) </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=5681#post-61019 Wed, 14 Mar 2012 10:28:52 +0000 steveo 61019@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Rode past an old lady who's car had broken down west bound on Gorgie Road, only person who looked like they were stopping to help her push(!) was a cyclist who could have been on his way with out any trouble, the east bound lane was nose to tail so no cars could get past her. </p> <p>I would have stopped but I was already very late for work having walked down to the nursery to drop of the bairn. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=5681#post-61018 Wed, 14 Mar 2012 10:27:45 +0000 gembo 61018@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>For some reason most of the breakfasts have involved torrential rain. Also for the kit there is strict instruction that no one should arrive before 8am. However, if you want the kit [or a free spokes map - what a bargain] better get there at 8 am </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=5681#post-61007 Wed, 14 Mar 2012 09:40:47 +0000 chdot 61007@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Yes -</p> <p><a href="http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=3058">Spokes Bike Breakfast</a></p> <p>CCE likes 'new' bicycle riders. Please stick around, ask interesting questions and tell us your tales. </p> <p>(And get another friend/relation/other out on a bike.)</p> <p>You might like -</p> <p>"Downsides of Cycling Outweigh the Upsides"</p> <p><a href="http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=4895" rel="nofollow">http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=4895</a> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=5681#post-60996 Wed, 14 Mar 2012 08:56:43 +0000 BenN 60996@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><em><blockquote>Spare kit can be acquired at the bike breakfast in June</blockquote></em></p> <p>Is this something I should be aware of? (Only been cycling since September, so have yet to experience the joys that summer can bring!) </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=5681#post-60956 Tue, 13 Mar 2012 23:01:00 +0000 gembo 60956@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I have given spare tools and tubes to various and fixed punctures. Spare kit can be acquired at the bike breakfast in June then redistributed. Well, that is where it has come from in past. I had bad puncture in kirknewton and had real struggle to persuade helpful passerby I did not need to go to his garage to fix it.</p> <p>I would always want o ask the person if they are coping even when they look like they are, raises morale. The ones I have fixed have been at the person's request.</p> <p>I am ok at punctures as I have had a fair few. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=5681#post-60939 Tue, 13 Mar 2012 21:36:32 +0000 Nelly 60939@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I always ask if they need help, most say 'I'm alright'.</p> <p>Helped a guy carrying his bike at Stenhouse last year who had shredded his tube - gave him one of mine, he was genuinely pleased / grateful, wanted to pay me !</p> <p>I just said 'do someone else a favour sometime'</p> <p>What goes around etc etc </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=5681#post-60912 Tue, 13 Mar 2012 18:01:47 +0000 sallyhinch 60912@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I always slow and make eye contact and ask if someone's all right, it just seems polite. Also I'm always pretty excited just to see another cyclist (I always say hello in passing - can you tell I live in the middle of nowhere?). fortunately nobody's ever called my bluff as I know nothing about fixing bikes.</p> <p>Interestingly I had almost exactly the same conversation on a blog ages ago about why blokes don't stop to offer help to women with pushchairs struggling up steps - the blokes all seemed to think the women didn't want help and gave them the evil eye for offering while the women just wished someone would give them a hand. Clearly we need to work on our non-verbal signals a bit </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=5681#post-60897 Tue, 13 Mar 2012 17:10:47 +0000 chdot 60897@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>"might mark me as competant, and hence mean that others may not see me as in need of assistance"</p> <p>Probably - and perhaps an assumption that exception will be taken to offers of help as it might be taken as questioning competence. </p> <p>(Perhaps this is male to male thing...)</p> <p>Similarly there probably age and gender (and even class) considerations. </p> <p>Scenario 1) if you are young and female would you prefer offers from someone similar age and fit looking or an older male or someone safely old enough to be your grandad?</p> <p>Scenario 2) if you are young and male how much of a problem would it be conceding that you not entirely competent. </p> <p>Related to 'class', I am surprised at how often I've been asked 'minster have you got a pump/can you put my chain on?', in places I suspect many middle class parents wouldn't allow their kids to be out on their own and/or without being told 'don't talk to strangers'. </p> <p>When this happens I'm pleased about trust/humanity and slightly depressed that I think it's far from universal. </p> <p>Of course 'everyone' knows that families and cars are generally greater threats than 'strangers'. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=5681#post-60879 Tue, 13 Mar 2012 16:20:56 +0000 kaputnik 60879@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I've always asked if someone I pass is OK or "y'awright?".</p> <p>Occasionally I've had to talk someone into accepting a bit of help - often they wave you off but exude enough of an air of just being polite but not actually knowing what they're doing to make persistance seem worthwhile :)</p> <p>I too had an issue with a number of damaged tubes / faulty valves / torn tyre back in the dark depths of a winter evening and had many passes from other cyclists but not even an acknowledgement. As it turns out, only someone carrying a fresh tyre could have helped, but I didn't know this at the time, it just seemed like a complex puncture combined with bad luck. Perhaps I looked like I knew what I was doing, perhaps they were in a hurry, perhaps they just couldn't be bothered? I ended up carrying / pushing the bike to my parents a few miles away to use garage / tools / big pump and managed to explode the tyre and diagnose the flaw!</p> <p>I've only ever been flagged down once by cyclist at side of the road and it was weekend before last. 2 guys out for a ride (one looked like he was just humouring his friend and his new bike and would rather be home in bed!), did I have an Allen key because the back brake was binding. I did and they sorted it and I also pointed out the in-line adjuster incase it happened again and they weren't carrying tools. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=5681#post-60878 Tue, 13 Mar 2012 16:16:27 +0000 BenN 60878@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Some interesting, if unexpected responses - I honestly thought that most here would have spoken in favour of stopping straight away. It never crossed my mind that my toolkit spread over the pavement, coupled with my 'fancy threads' (read - day glo jacket) might mark me as competant, and hence mean that others may not see me as in need of assistance.</p> <p>Future reference - always carry a distress beacon? (Or possibly even a flare)</p> <p>Thanks for satisfying my curiosity! </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=5681#post-60877 Tue, 13 Mar 2012 16:16:23 +0000 arne_saknussen 60877@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I have been offered a tube once, which I didn't need, whilst dealing with a puncture. It gave a real boost on a wet morning to know that there are some nice people about. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=5681#post-60852 Tue, 13 Mar 2012 15:02:23 +0000 DaveC 60852@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I've seen both sides here. I will slow/stop and ask if anyone requires anything to help, especially on the rural part of my commute. I have stopped and walked over the Forth Bridge once when I saw a walking cyclist whose chain had snapped/disintegrated.</p> <p>I also had a puncture by BAE Systems at Crewe Toll and only one person stopped asking if I needed help. When it became apparent my mini pump wasn't up to the job, I flagged another cyclist down to use her pump which showed my attempt at patching the puncture hadn't worked. I had really strugled to get the snow tyres back on the rim (not getting them on but keeping them on as they were falling off the other side, and I ended up jogging to TBC to get it fixed there whilst I went to work, to collect that evening. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=5681#post-60846 Tue, 13 Mar 2012 14:46:48 +0000 ARobComp 60846@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I'll always make sure I check if they are silently looking for help - making prolonged eye contact. Would usually brake a little too. This is mainly because I carry Allens, larger pump, repair kit and spares most of the time. So If I can help I will ask. Especially around the Innocent as I live there so I've got my bike emporium (bedroom) nearby which has hunners of tools. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=5681#post-60841 Tue, 13 Mar 2012 14:37:52 +0000 AKen 60841@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>If someone is hoping that a passing cyclist will stop and help them then they'll probably be making this obvious. If a 'serious' looking cyclists seems to be busily engaged on sorting their problem then I probably wouldn't bother stopping. I've stopped several times in the past to offer unrequested help but always been refused - although I did get flagged down by a kid last year whose chain had seperated and couldn't work out how to thread it back through the rear derrailieur.</p> <p>(Given my level of technical competence, it is also likely that I would be stopping to offer sympathy rather than any practical help.) </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=5681#post-60829 Tue, 13 Mar 2012 14:12:23 +0000 Dave 60829@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Depends on the location - I wouldn't offer to help in town, but I have done many times on long distance rides (then again, I suppose the other participants are only pseudo-strangers).</p> <p>If someone flagged me down and asked for help I'd try to though.</p> <p>I wouldn't offer to help someone with their shopping either, unless they were physically infirm or equivalent (nobody will believe this, but I used to quite often help old ladies across the road from the giant Scotmid next to Leith Water World. I don't know what it was, but they would always home in on me to ask for help). </p> <p>Doesn't mean I wouldn't help if they asked though. Perhaps the problem is really just not asking for help? </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=5681#post-60825 Tue, 13 Mar 2012 14:04:39 +0000 Baldcyclist 60825@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>If the person looks as if they have things under control, then I usually carry on. If I see someone walking with a bike, or clearly in need of help then I always ask.</p> <p>As someone who also likes camping, even if you <em>are</em> having trouble with your bike, I reckon the rules applied to putting up a tent are the same as those for fixing a puncture or something similar...</p> <p>The person engaged in the activity of _________ [enter 'erecting a tent', or 'repairing a puncture' as appropriate], would rather have blood dripping from their now skinless fingers, than admit defeat and accept help from a complete stranger. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=5681#post-60817 Tue, 13 Mar 2012 13:47:27 +0000 chdot 60817@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I usually ask 'you OK'?</p> <p>BUT if person <em>looks</em> like they have tools and are getting on with it, I'm less likely to. </p> <p>Hardly ever been asked to help. </p> <p>Stopped for a woman looking at her back brake a few weeks ago. </p> <p>She thanked me for offer <em>and</em> let me touch her bike - not everyone would want a stranger to. </p> <p>She'd been cycling with brake rubbing quite significantly - on a fairly new bike. </p> <p>Loosened, adjusted, tightened and she went on her way happily - with less effort. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=5681#post-60816 Tue, 13 Mar 2012 13:46:22 +0000 Wilmington's Cow 60816@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I always ask if someone needs a hand or if they're okay as I usually have the kit to help - more so than when I get in bother myself. Only been taken up on the offer once, when I left my pump with someone who popped it back through my door the next night. </p> <p>And been helped out once when an old guy on a club run gave me a spare tube. Mine had exploded dramatically beyond repair. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=5681#post-60815 Tue, 13 Mar 2012 13:39:06 +0000 Roibeard 60815@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I'd stop and chat if I thought there was the remotest possibility of being able to assist - someone that looks capably getting on with a puncture might get a passing commiseration, but if they looked to be struggling, then yes.</p> <p>I've done the same with drivers - stopping and assisting with flat tyres (I can do those!), but not for random bonnet up situations (or a complete suspension collapse, wheel dragging on the road, that I once passed). I don't carry a mobile phone, so that best I could do there would be to offer a lift, and that isn't necessary in town. In the wilds, that might still be useful!</p> <p>But then, I'm a first aider, and will stop for pedestrians who look in trouble or distressed when I'm cycling or driving too, so I'm probably an outlier due to rural/Northern Irish upbringing! I'd like to say it was an expression of my Christian faith, but I suspect it's not...</p> <p>Robert </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=5681#post-60812 Tue, 13 Mar 2012 13:34:21 +0000 Kirst 60812@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I wouldn't offer because 99.999999% of cyclists are more competent fettlers than me, but I would offer if I did think I could be of use. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=5681#post-60809 Tue, 13 Mar 2012 13:29:10 +0000 SRD 60809@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I always try to say 'are you okay?' but worry, what if they say no? I have no tools, and no skills, except giving directions to nearest cycle repair shop! </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=5681#post-60807 Tue, 13 Mar 2012 13:25:53 +0000 BenN 60807@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>An incident on my commute home yesterday got me thinking about etiquette and when to help another cyclist. The valve on my rear tube split at the beginning of the route so in went the spare, which proceeded to develop a huge hole five minutes later – thus I had no option but to stop and get the sandpaper and glue out. </p> <p>I was stopped on the corner of Balgreen Road and Baird Drive for at least fifteen minutes (first time I have changed a puncture for years, and it required a few goes – I have been quite lucky with my tyres since I swapped the car for a bike seven months ago!). In that time I counted at least twelve other cyclists (possibly more while my head was down) whizzing past me – most of whom looked at me, then quickly moved their gaze away when I caught their eyes.</p> <p>On several occasions, both commuting and pleasure, I have approached someone changing a tube / fixing a chain etc, and every time I have slowed down to ask if they need a hand or any equipment. I was really amazed that not a single person stopped to offer me help, which I would really have appreciated – in fact the only person who spoke to me was the nice lady whose house I was outside, checking that I was ok, and that I hadn’t hurt myself.</p> <p>But then, why should they? We have nothing in common other than our chosen form of transport – would you stop to help someone you don’t know who dropped their shopping just because you share a choice of shop? Hopefully, yes – maybe because it is so much more difficult just to walk on in that situation than to cycle on when you are already moving at 10 mph. </p> <p>So what is the consensus of the forum? Should we offer people help if no-one offers it to us, because it’s the right thing to do, or continue on our way because there are simply too many cyclists in Edinburgh for one puncture to matter?</p> <p>Apologies if this topic is one of common discussion here, but it has been on the back of my mind all morning, and I thought it was a worthy first post! </p>