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[Alan Drover]

This morning I noticed 2 cars just down the road, facing each other and bonnets up. The drivers were trying to jump start one of them. I watched with interest while they faffed about then I gave up. Later the dead car was on its own the drivers having given up. Should I have offered to help as I wondered if they were jump starting correctly by connecting the earth lead on the dead vehicle to a suitable point on the engine to bypass the possible dead battery? I suspect I would be labelled as an IOG so I didn't. Several hours later the dead car is still there.

[diffwhine]

I work on the basis that if the other party is going to be receptive to advice and not be a complete pillock, then I'll try and help. On the other hand (unless I am specifically asked for help), if its a bunch of youfs with some rubbish badly maintained car and an attitude problem, I will steer very clear.

An excuse to have my rant about fire extingushers.
I've never had cause to use one on my own cars. The one that did have a thermal event blew up so fast that the fire extinguisher would have been pointless. I have however, just in the UK, now put out 4 car fires belonging to other people. I am supposed to be able to claim the cost of the fire extinguisher from the owner's insurance. Not once have I had any success with this and only once have I grudgingly had any thanks. All I can assume is that they actually wanted their vehicles to burn.

If you are on fire and want to use one of my fire extinguishers, it will be cash in advance from now on. I might take a bank payment or a PayPal transfer, but suspect that by the time that faffing about is complete, the "thermal event" will be over. That or the thermal event brigade will have turned up.. Trumpton's Finest...

[Alan Drover]

Like my towrope.
If I unknowingly were to aid the remobilisation of a stolen vehicle would I be guilty of aiding and abetting?

[Wittsend]

No 

[Alan Drover]

It's still there. DVLA records show it's currently taxed and MOT'd. I wonder if some piece of expensive electronic junk had expired rendering it beyond economical repair. It's on a 14 plate. I await with interest. It's a Ford S Max thingy.

[diffwhine]

No 

Agreed. I have a friend who is  retired traffic cop. He once got somebody going again on their way only to find out that he'd inadvertently helped somebody pinch one of the local farm Land Rovers. He was driving a full blue light marked SD1 Rover proper jam sandwich traffic car as well. You have to admire the balls of some people.

[geoff]

Should I have ??

Well years ago I would have offered help ( notwithstanding a quick and cautionary glance to see if the folks concerned could be classed as the local " fc*kwitts " )

But not now !

A friend offered help once ( maybe ten years back ) and a few weeks later he had a summons to small claims court with the accusation that he had caused damage to the electrical systems of the helped car requiring assistance ... lots of hassle and no cash paid out luckily.

Too many chancers about !

[Alan Drover]

That's why I won't offer to tow anyone whatever the circumstances unless requested by a police officer who would then be a witness.

[geoff]

Moving a little off topic but still to do with " help " ....

Years back I used to hitch hike a lot including all over Europe and later on would have also over many years picked up hitch hikers as and when.

Never thought anything about it back then but these days ... wow ... things have changed and you can land yourself in difficulty  all too easily ... 

[Genem]

I try to think the best of people and live in an area where professional recovery will be a while. I often get rung by the National Park Rangers to recover people from ditches, jump start Camper vans that have flattened their battery overnight etc. A reasonable response in terms of "tokens of gratitude, folding" and bottles of wine etc. Once a French couple sent us a case of nice Red when they got home.

 

[w3526602]

Hi,

A long time ago, driving home from work, I saw a crowd of people gathered round a front gate. Front door was open, smoke pouring out.

I took a deep breath, rushed into the house, found a curtain, behind the stove, in flames. There was a handy sauce pan bubbling away, so I threw it over the curtain, and evacuated. I doubt that I was in the house for more than 20 seconds.

As I was climbing into my car, I could here the fire engine's bell, departing the fire station about half to three quarters of a mile away.

End of story .... apart from smoke insulation problem, sore throat, sore lungs, so I assume that I forgot to keep holding my breath. I did not feel myself to be in any danger, but I might pause to think, next time.

602 (Who doesn't like heights).

Would I do it again? Probably

[Supercal2007]

Moving a little off topic but still to do with " help " ....

Years back I used to hitch hike a lot including all over Europe and later on would have also over many years picked up hitch hikers as and when.

Never thought anything about it back then but these days ... wow ... things have changed and you can land yourself in difficulty  all too easily ... 

I agree, wouldn't do it nowadays. The last hitch hiker I picked up must have been 14 or 15 years ago. Moffat to Edinburgh via "the Beeftub", which is the quickest way to Edinburgh as long as you know the road. I knew and still know it like the back of my hand. Young guy, heading to Edinburgh for a Friday night out with his girlfriend. I warned him he would have to hang on and he got in. He lasted as far as Tweedsmuir before he asked me to stop and let him out! Lol! He would probably have tried to sue me nowadays for some kind of trauma induced by my driving!
The car? Passat, 2 litre, petrol, turbo. The best driving car I have ever owned. I put 100k miles on it and everyone of those miles put a smile on my face.

[Davidss]

I agree, wouldn't do it nowadays. The last hitch hiker I picked up must have been 14 or 15 years ago. Moffat to Edinburgh via "the Beeftub", which is the quickest way to Edinburgh as long as you know the road. I knew and still know it like the back of my hand. Young guy, heading to Edinburgh for a Friday night out with his girlfriend. I warned him he would have to hang on and he got in. He lasted as far as Tweedsmuir before he asked me to stop and let him out! Lol! He would probably have tried to sue me nowadays for some kind of trauma induced by my driving!
The car? Passat, 2 litre, petrol, turbo. The best driving car I have ever owned. I put 100k miles on it and everyone of those miles put a smile on my face.

Taking the original thread even further off route ...

I thought I ought to 'know' that route, so used Bing maps to view a set of Directions on my PC screen.
I was right, I recall travelling some or all of the route at different times, in different vehicles, both solo and with different colleagues.

Living in north Derbyshire I was scarcely local, so cannot recall the fine detail, but the route was interesting as well as scenic, if the speed was adjusted to suit the requirements of the occupants and the vehicle in use.

I have no practical experience of a Passat, but can understand that a 2 litre petrol turbocharged 'Golf with a boot' would be an entertaining drive, capable of brisk progress.
I suspect that in travelling from Moffat to Tweedsmuir, on a brisk drive, the hitch-hiker had endured the most interesting (challenging) section of the route!
Overall, I'm sort of jealous of your experiences there :-)

Regards.

[w3526602]

Hi.

Many years ago, on a rainy night, I was hammering down the M4. I had the road to myself.

Suddenly, and only briefly, my headlamps picked up a distressed white face, and a white hand with it's thumb up. I reckoned the face was about 12 years old.

Stopping within in a reasonable distance was not an option, so I phoned it in, at the next roadside emergency telephone.

Similarly, but more recently, again on the M4, 80mph bumper to bumper traffic,  I saw a Commer 15cwt camper van, parked on the central reservation, with a bloke standing in front, trying to wave somebody/anybody down .. NO CHANCE! Again, I phoned it in, after I'd managed to reach the Slow Lane. I was told that I was the first to report it.

602

[Old Hywel]

Hang on, you can’t class a Passat with a Golf, boot or not.
The Passat is a larger beast altogether, often driven by the more mature, discerning owner.