You said it.
My mom still has nightmares about the time I saw a biker stranded along the road in the middle of the night and stopped to help.
He was a clubber but I just walked up and silently handed him my cell phone.
He called for a trailer, handed back the phone and nodded to me and I went on my way.
[they rarely actually talk to other biker’s ‘ol’ ladies’, out of respect]
It was cold and getting ready to rain and not a single other driver even slowed down as they went by him.
[scared off by “the patch”]
It’s kind of funny, the “universal shorthand” that’s apparently developed between us all.
You’re driving down the road, a biker is sitting on the side, you offer an upturned palm, in question, they return a thumbs up for ‘we’re okay’ and you reply with a thumbs up or they offer a motion-to for help and you stop...all in less than a few seconds.
Isn’t it weird that car drivers generally don’t have the same mutual compulsion to help?
Indeed. I think "the wave" has at least something to do with it. I think it keeps you in a friendly frame of mind towards other bikers. Some of the guys I occasionally ride with in the PGR would probably scare off most folks, but they tend to be some of the most generous, and genuinely kind folks I've ever met. The turn outs we get for 'toy runs' and similar charities in this area are astounding.