Random Acts of Automotive Kindness by Strangers

[Harold]

What is the nicest automotive-related thing a stanger ever did for you? Here's mine:

In the late 1970's, I just got out of college and was flipping cars. I bought a surplus Torino in Buffalo on a sealed bid, and stayed with college friends when I went up there to pick it up. I drove the car to their house and parked it on the street, and the battery died. None of my friends had a car for me to go get a new battery, or jump the Torino.

A neighbor was watching the action from his second floor porch, and asked what the matter was. When I told him, he reached in his pocket and threw me the keys to his car. We were total strangers! I took his car, got another battery, and put some gas into the car to thank him. I wonder if anything like that would happen today?

[ply33]

A long while back when I lived in the LA area, I was skiing in the Sierra above Fresno and the water pump bearing went out. Tried nursing it down to civilization but the thing eventually froze up and I was stuck.

By the time I got towed into town there was only a Pep Boys open (which had the pump) but no mechanics available. The tow truck driver pulled past his apartment, went in and got his personal tool kit then dropped me, my jeep and his tools at a lot next to the tow truck company office. Said to return the tools to the person behind the counter when I was done. Saved me from having to spend the night there as I was able to replace the pump and drive the 200+ miles home that evening.

Edited December 9, 2010 by ply33 (see edit history)

[keiser31]

A few of years ago, I went to an antique gas station/parts store looking for some tune-up parts for one of my 1931 Dodge coupes. I was using it as an everyday driver, so I needed the parts pretty bad. The elderly gent by the name of Wally Cannon went back into the bowels of the old place and came out with N.O.S. parts for the car. When I went to pay him, he waved me off and said, "You don't owe me a thing. Just go play with your car and have fun". What a guy! He could have raked me over the coals, but since he knew that I had some old car knowledge, he felt compelled to help me out, I guess. Wally has since passed on (fell off of a rickety old ladder in the parts place), but that memory will always stay with me.

Edited December 9, 2010 by keiser31 (see edit history)

[Shop Rat]

Many years ago we bought our first Class C RV. A used rig in very nice condition. One evening just after dark it broke a belt, going up a hill. The headlights dimmed and we knew we were in trouble. We were able to limp it off of the Interstate and found a local garage to look for help.

The owner didn't have the belt that was needed, but he had something just as good, the key to the auto store where he worked a few evenings a week. Off he went to get the required belt and a little while later we were back on the road heading for our beach vacation.

No extra charge for the trouble he went to. We offered him dinner but he said that his wife had dinner waiting at home for him. We have passed his kindness off to others in need whenever we can.

[Marty Roth]

On a very remote country dirt road which was in the process of being re-graded, I stopped my '95 Grand Marquis to wait for the person with whom I had an appointment. The Mercury was stopped, but started sliding sideways on the soft dirt into the ditch, and got hung up so that the wheels were suspended in mid-air. There was no cellphone signal so I could not call for Road-Service/AAA.

A Louisiana Highway Dept road grader came by, and the driver told me that he was unable to offer any assistance - POLICY!

Half an hour later the same driver came back - this time without his boss. he hooked my tow strap to his grader and pulled me out. Then he asked me not to let anybody know, or he could lose his job - so I cannot tell you where or when this happened. I offered to pay him but he refused. I did share my lunch with him. I have "Paid it forward" many times before and after. I will still stop to change a tire for an older couple, or for a mom with kids.

[sambarn]

Much to my now ex wife's consternation I have a very bad habit of stopping to help stranded motorists. I've required much assisstance in the past and just like I give blood to make up for what it took to get me to the hospital one night, I stop to help the original LOLs (Little Ol Ladies). Once I stopped and it was a nice woman in a nice car but she was near panic about an appointment she had. I changed her tire to the donut, gave her all the warnings about speed and distance on a donut and waved as she drove off. When I got in my car ( a beat down S-10 pickup at the time) there was 143 dollars lying on the seat - she must have sneaked it in while I was wrenching. Having a wife in grad school. a child in kindergarten, one in diapers and three jobs at the time - she made a big difference for us that week and I only hope she's as thankful as I was.

[Shop Rat]

Much to my now ex wife's consternation I have a very bad habit of stopping to help stranded motorists. I've required much assisstance in the past and just like I give blood to make up for what it took to get me to the hospital one night, I stop to help the original LOLs (Little Ol Ladies). Once I stopped and it was a nice woman in a nice car but she was near panic about an appointment she had. I changed her tire to the donut, gave her all the warnings about speed and distance on a donut and waved as she drove off. When I got in my car ( a beat down S-10 pickup at the time) there was 143 dollars lying on the seat - she must have sneaked it in while I was wrenching. Having a wife in grad school. a child in kindergarten, one in diapers and three jobs at the time - she made a big difference for us that week and I only hope she's as thankful as I was.

Your story reminds me, and probably lots of others, of the country song "The Chain of Love" sung by Clay Walker.

Clay Walker, The Chain Of Love Lyrics

[Dandy Dave]

I towed a fellow a number of years ago a mile or so with my 1939 John Deere A. He broke down on the way to a tractor and engine show I was attending with a 1969 Ford pick up truck. Mind you this fellow collects safes of all things. When I got him back to the show grounds, I pulled him along side of my truck and trailer and opened the door to my tools and said, "help yourself." If I remember right, he dropped a U joint. We became good friends after that.

Now, a few years back I broke down with a van and had to stand on the side of the road in the pouring rain and wave people down to get someone to even call for help. Most of them just hesitated long enough to say "What are you? crazy." Get out of the road A#$ H#$%. If they waited long enough, I would yell get the police for me. Dial 911. Thank god I did not have my two handicapped childern with me that night or they could have froze. Finally a policemen came along and I was able to call my Brother. I towed the van home the next day.

[Guest 36chev]

I was driving home from college for the weekend. About 20 miles out (about 80 miles for the entire trip) the car (1974 Mercury Comet) overheated, in front of a house located at the top of a hill. This is in a rural area. The guy living a the top of the hill noticed the trouble (this was in the early 1980's long before cell phones). It turned out the thermostat was stuck closed--he took it out and put the water back in (I put a thermostat back in later). Luckily on an inline six this was easy to do. On modern cars it would be a major operation. He refused to take payment--said just do the same for someone else. I don't know if I've repaid the favor or not, but have tried to be helpful.

[Richard Lichtfel]

The nice thing about good deeds is that they become contagious.

[Bhigdog]

I had my Suburu rigged up with a front rack and roof racks to haul lumber. One time I had on way too much, tied way too loose, and when I came to a stop sign all lumber slid forward ripping the racks off and landing on the highway.

Now I had no way to haul the lumber. If I left it there it would be gone in a minute. Just about the time I got it all moved off the highway a guy pulls up in a pick up truck. He said he was sitting by his pool and saw the whole thing so he quick got dressed and came to help. We loaded the lumber in his truck and he followed me home.

Another time I filled the back of my pickup with about 50 1X12X12 pine boards. Another stop sign story. This time I pulled away from one going up hill. Yup, the whole load slid off the back. This time a station wagon full of Boy Scouts and thier Leader was right behind me. They had it reloaded in about 5 minutes.

I shouldn't be allowed to haul stuff...........Bob

[R Walling]

I went to a time trials once and had a problem with my starter. A fellow racer noticed that I needed some parts and offered to go to the parts store and get them. He returned and helped me install them. When I askes him how much I owe him for the parts, he said, "Don't worry about repaying me. It was a cheap price to be able to help you!"

[Dave@Moon]

In 1995 I bought my 1960 Buick, and took it out on a CORSA-sponsored 200 mile tour shortly afterward. The big mistake was having my wife and then toddler son with me.

About 50 miles in my right rear brake locked up, billowing smoke. I broke down right in front of a house on a PA state truck route owned by a guy restoring an old Plymouth coupe. He pulled his car out, revealing a grease pit he'd installed to work on the car, and invited me to use it to fix the brakes.

After about 2 hours of his time (and mainly his tools) I got the wheel freed up and off we went. I was so concerned about my wife and child with me I forgot to get his name and address to thank him properly (beyond the obvious "Thank you"s and refused offer of cash). I've regretted that ever since.

[dbirchmire]

When Sue and I went to the Greenville S.C. meet years ago we had a problem with our trailer. The stabilizer bar broke on the way there. We had extra parts to fix it to gets us there. Broke again in the trailer parking area. We were VERY concerned because we had no parts left to repair it and were 600 miles away from home.

Looked in the yellow pages in our hotel room and found a trailer shop. Went there on Fri. and found the parts we needed to make the fix. Without the bar the ride back to N.J. would have been dangerous.

Come to find out the owner was a Brother Mason. This man went out of his way to repair the stabilizer bar and the threads on the ball. He stopped what he was working on to take care of us. When he was finished with the repairs he would not accept any payment for his work. I offered to at least pay for the parts but he would not hear of it. That is true southern hospitality and Masonic brotherly love.

Dave

Edited December 9, 2010 by dbirchmire (see edit history)

[Barry Wolk]

Boy, do I need to get my eyes checked. This is what I read.

"Random Acts of Automotive Kindness by Stranglers" :eek:

[Jim Rohn]

I have stopped many times to offer assistance ...

a couple stand out

One is the time I was driving back to Phoenix from LA in the middle of the summer in the daytime in the early 1990's. The car I was driving was an 88 Fiero Formula and I had an external thermometer on it - 123 outside, the cars a/c was COLD, so cold I had to blend the heater ~ 30% so I wouldn't freeze.

A woman was on the side of the road with a flat, very light traffic (duh, 123 and in the day)

it was a nice relief to get warmed up and change her tire ...

the other was in the summer (again) west of Phoenix and I noticed a woman in front of me that had a blow out, she drove for a while then I guess finally realized the tire was flat and pulled over in the median (left side, high speed lane ...) instead of going to the shoulder on the right (again light traffic).

The sparks from the rim ignited the brush in the median and a fire had started

I pulled up and got out and told her to drive the car past the next overpass on the shoulder side to avoid the flames ...

(again early 90's, no cell phones)

the flames fanned quickly and would have engulfed her car if she had stayed there

anyway, her spare was worse than the one she had just driven on so we pulled the car off and I gave her a ride into town to a relative so she could get someone to go back later to get her car. As I recall, the relative wasn't home and she needed to go to work so I ended up taking her to work ... she offered $$ but I refused ... although I did give her my work number because I was now late for work and she said she would call to vouch for me ...

Edited December 9, 2010 by Jim Rohn (see edit history)

[hddennis]

Having just returned from Viet Nam in 1970, I was hitchhiking in my Marine Corps uniform and seabag to get home to see my parents in Oroville, California. I was looking at a 120 mile trip and figured I was in real trouble when a California Highway Patrol car stopped. He set up a relay with three other cars and I was home in record time! That act, which was probably forbidden, helped to take the sting out of being spit on by a beautiful young girl just hours before at Travis Air Base.

Howard Dennis

[Shop Rat]

Back when Bill and I owned 47 acres in a county north of us, so Bill could have somewhere to hunt on private land, we were driving home after clearing greenbriars all day.

On the steepest hill just before Charleston was a biker pushing a large, heavy Harley...uphill...in August. :eek: We pulled over and the biker stopped and put the kickstand down and sat on the bike mopping his face with a bandana. His bike was out of gas. We luckily had a gas can with about two gallons of gas in it. More than enough to get him into Charleston where he could fill the the tank.

The look of relief on the biker's face as Bill walked up with that gas can....priceless.

[Dave Mellor NJ]

Having just returned from Viet Nam in 1970, I was hitchhiking in my Marine Corps uniform and seabag to get home to see my parents in Oroville, California. I was looking at a 120 mile trip and figured I was in real trouble when a California Highway Patrol car stopped. He set up a relay with three other cars and I was home in record time! That act, which was probably forbidden, helped to take the sting out of being spit on by a beautiful young girl just hours before at Travis Air Base.

Howard Dennis

Howard's experience reminds me of a similar experience I had but with a less happy out come.

While hitchhiking home from Norfolk to NJ around 1970 with another sailor. The bridge tunnel was out so we had to go the long way through Hampton and richmond. One guy picks us up and all he wanted to talk about was to sell us life insurance. When we weren't interested he put us out where we resumed sticking our thumb out. Along comes a redneck sheriff who we think is going to honor the uniform but he says "Don't you boys know you can't hitchhike on a public highway?" and gives us each a $40 ticket. When we asked "what are we gonna do now?" he gave us a ride to the nearest exit and said,"You can hitchhike here." I figured I won't pay it but they sent it to the ship. They made me pony up. The other guy had gotten out by then. And then there was a time I was driving in my hometown while on leave. I picked up a young hippie looking guy who starts blabbing about "Stop the war and all these baby killers over there" so I stopped the car and asked him,"Are you really gonna sit there and give me all this garbage when I'm nice enough to give you a ride? Get the He.. out of my car! When he refused I bodily threw him out.

[Dandy Dave]

Out of gas? Randy ran out of gas while on route to the 2008 after war tour with his 1930 Yellow Buick roadster. I pulled up behind him with my 15 Buick, siphoned enough gas out of my tank to get him to our desination.

Kind of makes me giggle every time I think that my early car rescued one of those big modern Buicks. Everyone on that tour thought they were going to see me towed as it was my first tour. The 15 hung in there and finished on its own. Dandy Dave!

[hddennis]

Howard's experience reminds me of a similar experience I had but with a less happy out come.

While hitchhiking home from Norfolk to NJ around 1970 with another sailor. The bridge tunnel was out so we had to go the long way through Hampton and richmond. One guy picks us up and all he wanted to talk about was to sell us life insurance. When we weren't interested he put us out where we resumed sticking our thumb out. Along comes a redneck sheriff who we think is going to honor the uniform but he says "Don't you boys know you can't hitchhike on a public highway?" and gives us each a $40 ticket. When we asked "what are we gonna do now?" he gave us a ride to the nearest exit and said,"You can hitchhike here." I figured I won't pay it but they sent it to the ship. They made me pony up. The other guy had gotten out by then. And then there was a time I was driving in my hometown while on leave. I picked up a young hippie looking guy who starts blabbing about "Stop the war and all these baby killers over there" so I stopped the car and asked him,"Are you really gonna sit there and give me all this garbage when I'm nice enough to give you a ride? Get the He.. out of my car! When he refused I bodily threw him out.

Dave, your story reminds me of one related to me a few years ago by the veteran that it happened to.

When I lived in upstate NY I always passed by an old WWII Bantam trailer that lurked behind a barn. As I was moving soon I decide to get brave and stop and see if it was buyable. Seems the old gentleman was mustered out of the Army Air Corps out West at the end of WWII. The head of the Motor Pool heard he was headed to NY and asked if he had room for 2 Marines. He didn't mind the company but said his little coupe coudn't handle 3 people AND all their seabags and gear. Next thing he knew he was towing the trailer from the Motor Pool and headed East. No lights, No title and the trailer was jury rigged to his bumper, but what the heck the War was over and it was a more tolerant time. He said they had a smooth trip all the way across the States until they hit the NY State line and were pulled over by a NY State Trooper who just wouldn't give them a break. The old man chuckled as he told me after pleading his case alone with the trooper for 10 minutes the 2 Marines bailed out, beat the snot out of the Trooper and chucked him and his motorcycle over the guardrail! Seems those two Pacific combat veterans were not about to let anything stop them from getting home.

The old man raced away, dropped the 2 Marines off at their destination and ran home to his place and hide that trailer where I saw it 55 years later. He figured even though the Law might not want it anymore he might as well hold on to it a little longer. I laughed everytime I passed by that trailer or by the spot where patience ran out!

Howard Dennis

[Guest billybird]

I was driving on the Blue Ridge Parkway about 20 years ago in my 1967 Ford Galaxie Conv. I was 3 miles from the nearest phone when the right rear wheel bearing began to "sing and smoke". Some guy with his wife and kids stopped and VOLUNTEERED to take me to the nearest phone. I know it was three miles because we measured it on his odometer. After contacting a friend to bring me a wheel bearing and some tools I told the guy I would just walk back to my car feeling I had taken enough of his family vacation time. I had no idea it took so long to walk 3 miles! I never thought I'd get back to my car! Three hours later my friend showed up, but thats a whole nuther story! I've always remembered that family and their kindness that day.

[61polara]

A friend of mine and regular poster in the forum was traveling out of Charleston, SC last summer. About 50 miles out of Charleston, he saw damaged kids bikes and other family items by the interstate and a mini van and state trooper pulled off on the side of the road. He pull off to see if he could help. The young family lost the luggage rack off the top of the van, the van was stuffed full of the other vacation luggage and two kids in car seats. The rack was damaged beyond use. The State Trooper said "Boy, am I gald to see you!", can you haul this stuff for these people? They were 75 miles from home. My friend loaded everything in the back of the truck and followed them to their house. The bikes were damaged, but they made it home.

Hope you see this TG57Roadmaster.

[Guest Robin Coleman]

Not exactly an act of kindness per this post, but.... Here in Eastern Arkansas there are numerous crop duster strips in the sticks. In 1972, my girl friend and I had a favorite one we would park on late at night to watch the stars. I managed to get my nearly new '72 Formula 400 Firebird stuck deeply in the mud. We had to walk nearly nine miles home to borrow my parent's car so I could get her home, 30 miles away. Needless to say, we were very late and her father simply asked what had happened. The next morning, I went to a farmer's shop, borrowed his Farmall tractor (no one was around to ask permission) and used it to pull the 'Bird out. I returned the tractor to its shed. The next day I was at home washing the car when the owner of the air strip drove by and stopped. I just knew I was a dead teen, for I rutted the strip up pretty badly. All he said was "I would appreciate you filling up your ruts". Since the ruts were nearly 1/4 mile long I could not see doing that with a shovel, so I again borrowed the tractor, hooked it up to a blade near the shop and did the job. I later dropped by and told the farmer what I had done, offering him 10 bucks for fuel (at the time 15 cents a gallon). He refused the money. I should add here that my mother was a rural letter carrier and everyone around knew my parents and me. In this day and age of rampant crime and vandalism I believe the outcome would be very different.

What happened to the girl? We married in 1974, had two daughters and a wonderful life together until the Lord called her home in 1998.

[Dan Marx]

As a vendor at many swap meets, I have been asked for ignition parts for cars that won't start. More than once I have provided points and condensors for the cars. Hey if your sutck, and need the parts to get the cars going, the best I could charge was a Diet Coke, the next time we meet. Ya know, I probably had less than a dollar in those parts. Remember, I do swap meets for fun. I tell my wife it is for adult conversation (about cars).

Hey, many cola's showed up over time at other swap meets.

[ex98thdrill]

Back in June, 2001 we were in Johnstown, PA for the spring meet. We had just joined AACA and we'd never been to a national meet before. After the truck was judged, a couple of older gentleman (wearing denim AACA judging shirts) pulled us aside and showed us areas where we could gain additional points with our truck ('37 Plymouth). We followed their advice, made the corrections and went all the way up to Senior Grand National without breaking a sweat. We were good enough for a 1st Junior, but those guys helped us go all the way.

They didn't know us from a bum on the street. I wish I knew who they were, but those guys took us under their wing and we've had an active presence with AACA ever since. The way we were treated by these guys (along with Janet Ricketts) was really appreciated, and it's never been forgotten.

[stock_steve]

Couldn't get our '54 VW started one chilly Hershey car show morning, and the "clock was ticking" to get our car out onto the show field in time...

AACA President at the time Sam High happened to be walking by, and dove right in to help us push-start it!

We've never forgotten Sam's extremely gracious gesture, and I am happy to say that we remain friends to this day!

[stock_steve]

Also friends like Doug Walters who stopped to help when our '54 VW ran out of gas on Hersheypark Drive a few years ago (after having gotten lost taking "the long way" around Hershey, trying to find our way back to the show car trailer parking field at the conclusion of the car show--I think it might've been the first year for the car show on the golf course, and as I recall, we had to take a *right* out of the field, and we had no idea where we were going...).

Edited December 12, 2010 by stock_steve (see edit history)

[oldcarfudd]

I was in eastern Vermont on a PATC (Pioneer Automobile Touring Club) tour several years ago, driving a recently-restored 1906 Buick. I had a young couple as passengers; they'd been in the host hotel and asked about the brass-era cars, so I invited them along. Almost at the top of a 7-mile upgrade, way out in the boonies, the drive chain snapped. A young guy in a pick-up truck drove the three of us many miles back to the hotel so I could get my trailer. Wouldn't take a dime. The young couple were game enough to go back with me and the trailer to help retrieve the Buick.

More recently, in Maine on the steam car tour and in Ontario on another tour this summer, I was rescued twice by good samaritans when my inexperience caused my Stanley to fail to proceed.

There are lots of good people out there. Not all of them are helpful, even when they mean well. I had a pretty good excess-fuel fire going in the Stanley in a parking lot, and a guy came rushing up with a bucket of water screaming: "I'll put it out!" I almost had to tackle him!

Gil Fitzhugh, Morristown, NJ