Thread: Road Courtesy

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Last Sunday we headed north to Te Poi and Thames, to a) check progress on the bus, and b) take up some more 'knobby' bits for it.
Driving home Monday we found ourselves at the tail end of a long line of traffic held up by roadworks through the Awakino Gorge.
When things got moving again we were third in line behind a wee truck towing a caravan, who, although he (obviously) knew the road road was impeding the flow of traffic.
Suddenly...
He pulled over and let everyone pass!
Thanks Lamin8er!

I'll wager you didn't realise that we were behind you...passing opportunities are few through the gorge...what you did cost you little or no time, but it was appreciated by those of us you let through!

So there's some Brownie points for ya!

(Am I right in surmising you were returning from Kumeu?)

Isn't that neat John as I too find it fustrating to be stuck behind slow moving vehicles driven by a person who lacks road manners. I had the pleasure of towing my caravan around both Islands and one of the most remembered moments was when I pulled over to the side of the road to allow the following 4 cars to pass on the north side of Taumarunui to be greeted and thanked by 4 car loads of smiling waving Mogel Mob members.

Glad to hear that it was Lamin8er in front of you!

On a different sort of Road Courtesy, I had some electrical problems yesterday afternoon. Sitting at a stoplight when all of a sudden, the engine stops!

Nothing, no radio, no lights, no nothing! So I hop out and start to push the rig to the 7-11 on the corner. Some kids on bikes help push it, but the hill was too much, had to put the parking brake on and sit there. A guy sees my predicament, pulls over and helps push me to the parking spot. Also lets me use his phone to call AAA (note to self, always take phone when you leave the house!!)

So I am waiting for AAA and Ron the hot rod guy comes up to check out the Elky, next thing I know is there is a Monte Carlo next to me and these guys are getting out and checking out the car, asking questions about the problem.

Don't you know it, I was so amped up I haden't looked at my 50A fuse...but they did! Wires without connections had fallen off the screw, just opposite where I had worked on this morning!

Not only that, they had the connections to fix it! They wouldn't accept anything for their assistance told me that "if it was a ford we wouldn't have stopped".

I got their number and since they work on rods on the weekend I know there is something that they can help me out with!!!

It will also remind me to carry some tools, misc parts, and an eye for folks who need help!

When you see someone broken down like that your immediate reaction is to want to pull over and help, but these days you never know what you are getting yourself into, or how your gesture might be received. (Is the person afraid you are going to mug them) It's a shame we have gotten this way, in the old days we wouldn't have given a second thought to trying to aid someone.

Don

Your right Don last week I passed a Suburban on the road with a flat tire. I pulled up past them and back up. I seen it was 2 women when I got to the door she rolled the window up about 1/2 way. I asked if they need a phone or me to change the tire. They said they had called and a road service was coming. They thanked me for stoping and I left. About 1 hr. later on my return trip they were still there I stoped again. They said the road service had not shown up and I was the only person who had stoped to find out if they needed help. I did change the tire and they left wanting to pay for my services I told them to take the money and get the tire fixed.

I know, Charlie, you feel like you are scaring them by stopping, and you can't really blame them anymore.

I broke down on the Florida Turnpike years ago, broke a fan belt, and for two hours cars kept driving by me. (Before the days of cell phones) Didn't see one cop for the whole time. Finally, a trailer truck stopped and picked me up. After we had driven for a bunch of miles, and he saw I was not out to rob him, I heard a female voice from the sleeper portion of the truck. His Wife had been hiding in there with a .357 just in case I tried anything!

I understood completely because while I was hoping someone would stop to help me the thought crossed my mind the wrong people might stop, so I put the only weapon I had, a screwdriver, in my pocket, just in case. Right after that I bought a .38 to travel with.

Don

Best protection in the world. A scared woman with a 357.

It certainly is a sad world we are living in now. Just this week here in NZ an elderly couple stopped to help a young guy who had run off the road into a ditch on the east coast of the north island to have the fella steal their car leaving them out in the middle of nowhere. The car was recovered and the guy arrested across the other side of the island the next day and charged with several crimes he commited while on his little site seeing trip. Luckly the elderly couple weren't hurt apart from they trust in others.

Yes johnboy,,returning from Kumeu show..By the time we had got there,we were hot and getting a little tired.The temperature inside the F100 was about 35 deg,all vents open,windows down[air conditioning],load on the truck,with caravan.I have set places to pull over through there,,as you said,not many places to pull over.
Good to see three out of four people gave us a toot..I dont like being held up by slow vehicles,specially when there are places to pull over,,the horse trailer folks are the worst..,so when I tow,I try not to hold too many up myself..

Showing courtesy is a dying trait but I'm glad it isn't dead. Good show lamin8ter.

Jack.

Originally Posted by lamin8r

Yes johnboy,,returning from Kumeu show..By the time we had got there,we were hot and getting a little tired.The temperature inside the F100 was about 35 deg,all vents open,windows down[air conditioning],load on the truck,with caravan.I have set places to pull over through there,,as you said,not many places to pull over.
Good to see three out of four people gave us a toot..I dont like being held up by slow vehicles,specially when there are places to pull over,,the horse trailer folks are the worst..,so when I tow,I try not to hold too many up myself..

We are all too well aware of the dolts with horse trailers. In my area as we have one of the "premier" tracks in the US about 10 miles away. From mid July to mid September we have the semi's with the big horse farm flat track horses - and they are seldom a problem, but the pickups all year hauling the 2-4 horse trailers from the local horse farms to the harness track - phew!! They become a nightmare on the 2 lane roads at usually 10-20 mph under the speed limit. Let you pass - nahhh. Then there are the mega bus size motor homes (40-45 feet) and trailers (35-45 feet) that wander the Adirondack Mountains back roads(unfortunately, I have been guilty of that with my 35 footer, but do let folks by when/if I can)

Originally Posted by IC2

We are all too well aware of the dolts with horse trailers. In my area as we have one of the "premier" tracks in the US about 10 miles away. From mid July to mid September we have the semi's with the big horse farm flat track horses - and they are seldom a problem, but the pickups all year hauling the 2-4 horse trailers from the local horse farms to the harness track - phew!! They become a nightmare on the 2 lane roads at usually 10-20 mph under the speed limit. Let you pass - nahhh. Then there are the mega bus size motor homes (40-45 feet) and trailers (35-45 feet) that wander the Adirondack Mountains back roads(unfortunately, I have been guilty of that with my 35 footer, but do let folks by when/if I can)

Yeah??so its an international thing with horse people is it??I just thought it was good ol Kiwi ''Im not pulling over,cos my horse doesnt like bumps''syndrome...That makes me feel better.. And we have enough problems with tourists in small campers about 20 ft long who like to travel at 60-70 km/h in a 100km/h zone..

Originally Posted by lamin8r

we have enough problems with tourists in small campers about 20 ft long who like to travel at 60-70 km/h in a 100km/h zone..

...until they get to a passing lane or a stretch of road where it's possible to pass and then they're doing bang on the 100 km/h limit.

And they're very often in convoy...nose to tail...I encountered three in a row the other day in the Uruti Valley.

And our plods have a 'zero tolerance' policy on speeding...5km/h (or less) over and you're pinged.
Instant fine.