My ride home tonight

[Idaho]

I left Columbus around 7pm tonight which was later than I wanted. Thunderstorms had cropped up around town and one was drenching the road ahead just as I got onto SR315. I noticed a bridge ahead just shy of the downpour and figured that i would stop there and put on rain gear. There was almost no room under that bridge!! at least a dozen motorcycles, no one with helmets or gloves and several with flip flops and shorts. Great bunch of "bikers". I had on boots, chaps, gloves, vest and full face helmet. Got off of my bike and put on my rain jacket and slipped the vest on over it then roared past all of those cool biker types into the traffic and the rain storm. Was out the other side of the storm in about a half mile and I just grinned to myself that they probably thought the Idaho guy was nuts. Boy did that feel good.

Got within about 10 miles of home and there was a bike sitting beside the road so I stopped to see if he needed assistance. Harley rider from Arizona ran out of gas. He had called the Ohio Highway Patrol about 30 minutes before I got there so we shot the breeze for 30 minutes. No trooper showed. Used my AAA card and explained the situation and that I hoped to get us off the side of the road before dark. AAA Driver finally showed at dusk with a gallon of gas and needed 5 bux. My new found friend, his name is Chris, wanted to pay with a credit card because he had no money. The AAA driver did not have any reciepts for the card payment so I gave him 5 bux and Chris insisted that we go to the nearest ATM so that he could pay me back. It was till barely daylight as we pulled into the next gas station. He went to the ATM and insisted on giving me 20bux and for me not to argue. He said that I should consider it a "donation to my church". Guess I have a little extra money for the plate when I get back home.

I learned that if you have a regular triple A membership it does not NOT cover for motorcycle breakdowns but will deliver gas and air as needed. At least I had that. Trouper never did show and we were out there for over an hour.

As a point of interest, if you break down in Idaho the ISP will send someone out to stay with you until you can get your vehicle back on the road. They will even pump a few gallons of fuel for you from their own tank. Ohio, not so much. Chris did tell me that it is illegal to run out of gas in Arizona. CJ is that true? Seems rather narrow minded to me.

Between the woosie bikers huddled under the bridge and the broke down Harley it was quite a ride home tonight. I liked it.

[buck]

'Good on ya' Idaho. Some how I'm not surprised that you would go out of your way to help a fellow biker ( even if it was a Harley). I've been stranded recently and it is great to know that some bikers still believe in helping their fellow bikers. Hope your trip was good. Buck

Sounds like a heck of an adventure Idaho. Glad you made it home OK.

[audiogooroo]

You're a good man Idaho.
But then, I already knew that! :)

[pirate]

Good on ya' for helping out a fellow two-wheeler. I think the best part was you just sitting there with him visiting. It's very lonely to be stuck on the side of the road with a bike all by yourself.
Your good karma will come back around!

I'm pretty sure if you look up "Good Samaritan" in the encyclopedia, there will be a picture of Bud.

[ringadingh]

Nice gesture Idaho, It will come back to you someday.

[cactusjack]

Chris did tell me that it is illegal to run out of gas in Arizona. CJ is that true? Seems rather narrow minded to me

Well now, I've never run out of gas in Arizona, so I can't say for sure. I do know the cops are too busy to write tickets to speeders, HOV lane violators, and investigate minor accidents and thefts. I seriously doubt they'd give a second look at someone who runs out of gas. I have never heard that before, and I recently took a traffic school course to make a ticket go away and it wasn't mentioned. However, I have heard that you can get a ticket for running out of gas on a freeway in CA. Probably urban myth.

I do know for sure, that if you break down or run out of gas on the freeways around Phoenix, get as far away from the traffic lanes as possible and get the hell away from the vehicle. People get killed on the shoulders all the time changing tires, etc.

I mean it when I say you're a good guy, Bud. Most people would have left him sitting there by the side of the road.

[vroc13091]

Glad to hear you made it home. Those experiences are what road trips are about. Like others have said and I believe, your good deeds will come back to you.

I was in your neck of the woods on Monday and did a round robin day ride to Nevada. I took the Bannock Hwy south out of Pocatello. Nice little road. Some good twisties and sweepers. Interesting with the 'open range'. Just like parts of west Texas you have to watch out for live stock on the road.

[beezer]

Bud, you are da man ;) :)

[misunderstood]

+1 :)

[ridemslow]

Urban myths? Maybe a new thread here, but you can get the death penalty in Ohio I am told for exceeding the posted speed lmit, or at least it's debatable.

Originally Posted by cactusjack

Well now, I've never run out of gas in Arizona, so I can't say for sure. I do know the cops are too busy to write tickets to speeders, HOV lane violators, and investigate minor accidents and thefts. I seriously doubt they'd give a second look at someone who runs out of gas. I have never heard that before, and I recently took a traffic school course to make a ticket go away and it wasn't mentioned. However, I have heard that you can get a ticket for running out of gas on a freeway in CA. Probably urban myth.

I do know for sure, that if you break down or run out of gas on the freeways around Phoenix, get as far away from the traffic lanes as possible and get the hell away from the vehicle. People get killed on the shoulders all the time changing tires, etc.

I mean it when I say you're a good guy, Bud. Most people would have left him sitting there by the side of the road.

[unwind2]

Idaho - that was nice - you're cool.

[kawgirl]

I ran out of gas once on I-95 not far from my hometown. I had a couple on a Harley stay right with me until I had gas brought by a towing service and was able to get to the next gas station.

You did a good deed Idaho! And you're right about AAA. You have to get the RV Plus version of coverage for the bike to be covered.

[Idaho]

I really don't think that it was anything special. I'm sure that any of you would have done the same thing and probably have. It just made a good story to post.