I saw a guy with a flat....

Pat in TX said:

So there I was, driving down a street on the edge of the city and I notice a
guy walking his bike. The front tire was flat as a pancake. I started
thinking, "I should stop and help him." But, with what? I don't keep a kit
in the trunk of my car to fix bicycle flats. The guy didn't have a pump or a
flat kit--what he did have was a likely long walk home. There wasn't a
bicycle shop within 4 miles (if he knew where it was!). He was walking to a
gas station, but it was one of those places that just sell gas and cokes, so
I doubt he got any help there.

I thought about going home and driving back with the necessary implements,
but I had an appointment that I had to make. This guy was SOL, but for the
future people I see walking bikes with flats, I threw a patch kit, some tire
levers, and a frame pump in the trunk of my car. Maybe this is something we
all should do so that we can be ready to help out our fellow cyclists--even
those who go out riding without an emergency kit.

Pat in TX

My saddle bag includes a multi tool, spare tubes, CO2, patches and some
booting material. Whenever I see a stopped cyclist I ask if they are OK
and if they have all they need to get going again. I think it is just
part of being polite and helpful to fellow citizens.

Yesterday I came accross a cyclist who had shredded his tire to the
point of booting being useless. But I did have a cell phone he could
use and that saved him a long walk.

"gds" <[email hidden]> wrote >
My saddle bag includes a multi tool, spare tubes, CO2, patches and some

Quoted message said:

booting material. Whenever I see a stopped cyclist I ask if they are OK
and if they have all they need to get going again. I think it is just
part of being polite and helpful to fellow citizens.

Yesterday I came accross a cyclist who had shredded his tire to the
point of booting being useless. But I did have a cell phone he could
use and that saved him a long walk.

My saddle bag contains those things too---but the point of my post is that I
was driving my car and it didn't have those items inside it.

Pat in TX

Quoted message said:

Pat in TX said:

My saddle bag contains those things too---but the point of my post is that I
was driving my car and it didn't have those items inside it.

Pat in TX

Quoted message said:

Missed that! My bad!

Pat in TX said:

My saddle bag contains those things too---but the point of my post is that I
was driving my car and it didn't have those items inside it.

I hope this was a lesson to you. Stop driving the car!

If it was someone you were willing to stop and help (if you culd), why
didn't you give hi a rideto the bike shop (or at least home)?

- -
Comments and opinions compliments of,
"Your Friendly Neighborhood Wheelman"

My web Site:
http://geocities.com/czcorner

To E-mail me:
ChrisZCorner "at" webtv "dot" net

"Pat in TX" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

So there I was, driving down a street on the edge of the city and I notice
a guy walking his bike. The front tire was flat as a pancake. I started
thinking, "I should stop and help him." But, with what? I don't keep a
kit in the trunk of my car to fix bicycle flats. The guy didn't have a
pump or a flat kit--what he did have was a likely long walk home. There
wasn't a bicycle shop within 4 miles (if he knew where it was!). He was
walking to a gas station, but it was one of those places that just sell
gas and cokes, so I doubt he got any help there.

I thought about going home and driving back with the necessary implements,
but I had an appointment that I had to make. This guy was SOL, but for the
future people I see walking bikes with flats, I threw a patch kit, some
tire levers, and a frame pump in the trunk of my car. Maybe this is
something we all should do so that we can be ready to help out our fellow
cyclists--even those who go out riding without an emergency kit.

I saw a guy with a flat today, myself. I asked him if he had heard of the
heavier slime filled tubes. He blew it off but sure could [censored] about the
goatheads. I don't get flats anymore. Just a low tire about once a few
weeks. Fill it up and go. Well, you can lead water to a horse but you
can't drown it if you want 🙂