[shankar.balan]

this morning nn my way to work - quite early - perhaps 815am in Koramangala.

While stopped at a traffic light there was an old lady, clutching a cloth bag (the kind used for flower shopping when one goes to the temple) and waiting at the side of the road.

she was clad in a sari, flowers in her hair, just like anyone's grandma.

a biker on a Honda Activa came to a halt next to where she stood, since the traffic light was red. He wore a black full face helmet and seemed to be a normal working man - carrying the ubiquitous black laptop backpack.

the lady spoke to him and while i couldnt hear, reading from the gestures I figured she was asking for a lift a little way down the road.

the biker immediately put down the rear foot rest, helped the lady sit side saddle on the scooter and took her along - a few minutes later I saw him stopped by the side of the road - directly opposite the temple - and she got off and crossed the road to the temple.

I was somehow touched and happy at the same time.

In todays world full of horror stories - I am glad there are still a large number of nice, normal, kind-hearted people around.

[anujmishra]

That is indeed a nice experience in today's world. There are genuine lift seekers.

But mostly giving lift to any one mostly during evening and night in empty roads would be inviting trouble. Mostly helpless people ask for lift in these roads and it all planned properly by miscreants. It is reality and truth. Because of this good old habit of Indians giving lift is vanishing.

Nobody wants to take risk. Occasionally I also give lift but only observing genuine case.

[funkydude]

Originally Posted by shankar.balan

I was somehow touched and happy at the same time.

In todays world full of horror stories - I am glad there are still a large number of nice, normal, kind-hearted people around.

Well!! you might find such people who definitely would want to help others. But the golden words are "Never Trust A Stranger" (unless they are BHPian's). You may never know in which trouble you are going to land into.

Happened once with one of my friends. A lady asked for a lift and being a gentleman he offered her to drop her to the destination. Midway, the lady started threatening and asked for money, else she would shout that he was assaulting her. My friend quickly stopped the vehicle infront of a police booth and then asked her to shout. The lady somewhat got scared and left. My lucky friend didn't realise, had the lady shouted then he would have landed into trouble.

[niks_devil666]

Nice to read this incident.

I had a very strange incident about giving lifts. I was coming out of my house/colony when an old uncle (75 +) asked for lift. Since I had my backpack kept in the front seat , I asked him if he could sit at the back. He wanted to get out on the MB road. When we reached that place , he simply opened the door w/o looking at the back. Now a 'bike commuter' wanted to squeez in from the left and he crashed into the door.

First reaction of everyone was "o ****" , a few pedestrians got angry and came towards the car only to find an old uncle , everybody calmed down. The uncle he started saying sorry o bike uy , to me . We all said its ok uncle and all etc and then we told him everything is fine and he left.

Now the crowd came towards me (with anger) and I said "I am sorry that I gave lift to an uncle who couldn't have walked such a long distance ." Luckily everybody calmed down when I said this and after understanding what happened. Luckily no body was hurt and no damages to car/bike.

[beejay]

Must have been a very nice gentleman. In a city like Bangalore, it is quite scary to give lifts to strangers especially during the night.

Anyways, how much harm can a granny do? Nice.

[bblost]

Some rules, I made for myself.
1. Never give a lift to people standing 10 meters away from bus/ auto stands.
These folks are regular lift seekers and I have no respect for freeloaders.

2. Never break the law by getting into a situation, where you offer lift to one person and two try to sit behind you. (w.r.t Bikes)

3. Never carry your mobile/ wallet etc in your back pocket. You will be wondering if the person will try to steal it and your riding will suffer.

4. Be very careful when giving a lift to young kids. They may not be bike trained.

5. Use common sense.

A Similar thread->
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/shifti...s-highway.html

[lohithrao]

Ah good way to start a day, it feels to hear something good

Few weeks back i came across a blind man who was trying to cross the road but as usual the restless/hurry road users dont bother to stop or give way...i watched this guy trying to make his way ... i parked my bike went to him and helped him cross the road.

I did feel great amount of peace after helping him, was happy that am not amongst the selfish crowd!

[pypkmsrikanth]

Am reminded of a lift which I gave a few years back from the Moolehole checkpost in Bandipur forest. As regulars would know this is the interstate check post on the Karnataka side before you cross over to Kerala. I was on my way back to Bangalore at around 7 PM after my sojourns over Bandipur, Mudumalai & Muthunga during the day when I stopped at checkpost waiting for it to be lifted. Instead I had the attendant asking me if I am Ok with taking somebody upto Gundlupet. I said fine, since my front seat had my camera kit etc, I had asked the gentleman to sit in the back seat.

While casually speaking the gentleman introduced himself as the Moolehole range officer who stays at Mysore and travels back and forth for work every day. The next couple of hours we talked everything about the forest, poachers etc. all the way upto Mysore.

Though he had invited me to go department tracks through the Moolehole range if I could bring a Jeep from Bathery, I did not take it up as I did not want to disturb the core area and was content roaming the forest in the tourism zone at Bandipur and Mudumalai.

[bblost]

^ I agree. Once I gave a lift on NH5 to the manager of one of the toll booths.
Elderly gentleman and we did some 250 kms together.

Wonderful insight into the highway, the toll operations, corruption, police and so on.

[lohithrao]

Hehe agree with you dude!

Once a kid pestered me to give him lift, the moment i agreed he called couple of his friends. i asked him and his friends to take a walk

Most of the times kids want to take lift from me, just because they want to sit on my bike...

Originally Posted by bblost

Some rules, I made for myself.
1. Never give a lift to people standing 10 meters away from bus/ auto stands.
These folks are regular lift seekers and I have no respect for freeloaders.

2. Never break the law by getting into a situation, where you offer lift to one person and two try to sit behind you. (w.r.t Bikes)

3. Never carry your mobile/ wallet etc in your back pocket. You will be wondering if the person will try to steal it and your riding will suffer.

4. Be very careful when giving a lift to young kids. They may not be bike trained.

5. Use common sense.

A Similar thread->
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/shifti...s-highway.html

[Samurai]

When I used to drive 2-wheeler (until mid 90s), giving lifts was very common. Strangers asked for lift and strangers gave lifts. Then Bangalore started growing out of control and the innocence was lost.

[anainar]

I have given lifts twice. Both in other states. Once in Kannur, while returning from the beach, one old lady, a young lady carrying a small baby were walking on the road. I was with my family and the main road is around 3-4 kms. The old lady looked at us expectantly and I stopped the car volunteering to drive them. They thanked profusely when I dropped them at the government hospital.

Second time, I was driving all alone from Pune to Bangalore. At the Kambatki ghat section toll gate the attendant asked me if I can drop a person at Satara. The person is NHAI official who wanted to be dropped at the Satara. I said ok and took him. Had interesting conversation on NHAI, road construction with him. And finally he said, I can stay at Hotel Mahindra in Satara and refer his name to get a discount. The reason is he made an exit from Highway for entering the Hotel and the Hotel obliges him by giving him discounts. Small mercies. but i never had to stay there and forgot the name of the person also.

But generally, I would avoid giving lifts to strangers. Stranded families may be an exception if I could sense they really are in despair. Else, no strangers in my car.

Nainar

[prince_pervez]

Originally Posted by beejay

Anyways, how much harm can a granny do? Nice.

A warm elderly granny cannot. But the goons lurking around for you to stop for the granny bait can do much harm.

OT: But in the exams conducted for conductors and drivers for a municipal corporation, they are asked such questions.

Sorry for being skeptical, but be careful.

[DRC]

It is always a difficult choice whether to play a good samaritan or safe.

In most situations I avoid picking up unknown people. But there are instances I have helped stranded people.

Once I helped a family stranded in a Sumo due to a flat tyre in middle of the Shiradi. They had a broken jack and unable to change the tyre. I lent the jack and waited till they could finish the job. Felt good to be of help.

Once when we were driving to kollur, came across a bus which had slipped into the ditch. All the passengers (teachers of a school on tour) had abandened the bus . I gave three of those lift till kollur and found them to be my long forgotten relatives.

Play safe, offer help only if you are certain about the genuinity.

[prince_pervez]

Originally Posted by DRC

Play safe, offer help only if you are certain about the genuinity.

Absolutely. Couldn't agree more with you. Well said.