I left school today a bit later than normal due to having to attend a baby shower. Anyway, I started down the road and got onto the highway, and I saw a 49 Caddy sitting on the side of the road on the OTHER side of the highway. So, I shoot across 4 lanes of traffic and back up about 1/4 mile to this guy who was broke down. Seems he blew out the right front tire on his car and didn't have a jack or lugwrench with him! Now, it's about 4:45 and traffic in this area tends to be rather on the stupid side, and trust me - this was no car to be sitting alongside this road! So this guy thanks me for stopping and says he's got a friend on the way with a jack and lugwrench. I dug in the back of my '03 daily and gave him a lugwrench, then hopped into the back of the cab and grabbed my roadside kit for the jack. We pulled the jack out and it wouldn't fit under the lower control arm, so I grabbed the corner of the bumper and lifted it up high enough to get it up underneath. He changed the tire and was able to get going before his buddy was able to leave his house to get to where the car was to help! When we were through I climbed my truck out into traffic and had him scoot by me on the shoulder just in case anyone should run up on us too quickly. Anyway, my advice is this: ALWAYS CARRY A JACK AND LUGWRENCH! I'd sure hate for it to have been me, but am thankful I was able to help. I bought my roadside kit from PepBoys several years and several vehicles ago. It has a short set of jumper cables and a 2 ton cheapie floor jack, but it works and has never let me down.
I haven't needed the karma returned yet (thankfully), but I have stopped to help many people on the roadside. If nothing else, it just feels great.
Hey, if the motorist knew what a lug wrench was and how to use it, you're years ahead of the folks I end up with. Good on you fer helpin
thanks for what you did. I have a single daughter, and would hope some one would do the same for her.
I didn't even think of the Karma stuff til I was off and running. I just hated to see that car on the side of the road with all those people screaming past oblivious to giving a damn about what was sitting there.
Truth. I always feel bad for driving by, but sometimes it can't be helped. You picked up the car you say? Did i happen to look like this?
Good on you! I'll offer this advice as well (from an old tow truck operator for many years) NEVER,NEVER, NEVER stop on the left shoulder of a busy road!!!!
Fencepost, no, it didn't look like that, lol. I guess I shoulda clarified - he was on the right side of the road, but my entrance ramp was on the left. And, within a half mile of the inner dispersal loop area of Tulsa as well.
Good for you. It always feels good to help out someone on the side of the road. I remember running across a biker tatted from ear to ear, head to toe just about, on this killer Harley bobber. I noticed a ton of cars ahead of me look the other way and keep going. Not me. I was thinking "these are my people!".... I pulled over and asked the guy if he needed my phone or if he wanted to toss the bike in the back of my Willys pickup. We tossed it in the back and I drove him and the bike 20 miles out of my way in the pickup. As it turns out, he was late to a cookout and his buddies had already started cooking. When I rolled up to their place with the Willys, they loved the truck and thanked me profusely for helping out their pal. I got a bunch of ribs, brisket and a sheetload of Lone Star. I still hear from that cat every once in a while! The funny thing is I still get guys waving at me on their Harley's that I barely remember from that day 2 years ago. I'm pretty sure they remember the Willys not me though haha...
Don't hurt any one to render assistance if possible. I am in the country and here its a way of life helping another out when in distress. It makes you feel good and you know the one your helping is over whelmed with gratitude. It will possibly come back to you one of these days two fold.
That's funny! We backed up for about 1/4 mile with an empty car trailer in the middle of the night out on Interstate 10 in the middle of the desert to rescue some guy with a '55 Chevy. We were on our way to Texas to get my 62 wagon and so we loaded up the guys car and took him to his destination in Blythe. He had a charging issue and with the lights on it killed the battery out in the middle of nowhere. I guess it was good "hot rod karma" because we made the rest of the way to Texas and back without issue...
Yep I stop alot my last one was i was on a bid drove by on the other side of the frwy to see a car W/ a flat ,did my bid came back and to see a young woman trying to change it on I-5, busy, rainy . Well I made her drive on the flat (the tire was shot anyway) about 1/4 mile to a safe spot and got her on her way. She was on her way to a interview.It felt good to help...Hope she got the job!
Anymore have noticed people are so complacent that when there's a car stuck in the road in the winter, blocking all of us.......I usually have to trudge from my position 6 cars deep banging on windows all the way to generate enough assistance to clear the road without waiting for the wrecker. Just when you think that when you can count on people to be in a hurry.........maybe lazy trumps hurry. It's like rock/paper/scissors except selfish/lazy/hurry Couple times people have stopped for me and it's meant a lot. You gotta pay back and forward........
Good for you for stopping and helping out. Was that a Coker tire on the Caddy? On the way home from a cruise nite last Saturday. We see a guy we know, a friend of a friend. His car is already on the ramp truck but we turned around anyways. I ask him if he's all set and he growls at me, "Yeah it's on the rollback now" Like it's my fault his car broke, ungrateful ass?*&%. Sometimes the road to hell is paved with good intentions.
Gotzrider, you're a good man! I always help when ever possible, haven't needed the help in return...yet, and hope I don't.
Don't think it was a Coker. Was a whitewall radial with the thin wall turned in. They're doing construction on/off in that area, and its likely he picked up a piece of debris in the process.
hy thats good ya stopped and helped..where i live way out in da sticks you would never even consider passing by a broke down car..here you know everyone or are kin to almost everyone..so when im in town or a city i stop without even thinking..
Now I understand better than anyone about a ride crapin out on you, but who rolls in a 49 caddy with out tools at least things to change a tire. There is nothing worse than standing next to a sweet ride and not having the right crap to work with.
had a guy and his family pick me up and take me to a gas station and back about 4 miles (short drive, long walk) when I discovered my old 49 ran out of gas at 1/8 tank. I haven't seen a car guy on the side of the road to help... maybe I'll have to help a civilian.
The Jalopy Journal
