Is Chivlary dead? (Page 3)

a flight back to Australia...and an Australian passport...

Thanks much!

and as I learned so quickly after moving to Texas...they don't really care to see cyclists on the road. I've had people slow down and drive along side me yelling at me to ride on the sidewalk (despite the fact that the only thing around was a field...and I didn't see how I could ride in that)...been buzzed by a semi...numerous honkings and yellings...and that's not even when I'm in my car!

I am of the opionion that the people of Missouri, once out of Joplin are the nicest drivers. Could it be the 75mph speed limits and the lesser population, or is it something in the water.

When I moved from Virginia to San Diego, I asked for sweet tea....the waiter looked at me funny and pointed to the sugar packets on the table!!!  It's the little things you miss.....

but most sure lack that aspect of their genetic code. Same goes for any kind of manners anymore. Not sure where this planet became 'all about me' but it needs to get a grip on the reality of it all. Being the social creatures we are...we're just cutting our own throats if we resort to the dog eat dog mentality so commonly found. So many people with so little regard for the other guy. It makes no sense to me at all. If for no other reason but to potentially gain a contact (and therein potentially many more related to them) if you have something to sell (for those of enterprising minds).
That said I toot my own horn here and ask...would you loan your $5000 bicycle out to someone you don't even know for three months? I did. If you see someone (possibly doing their first event) really upset about bike mechanical problems in transition before a race...do you try and help them fix the problem? Do you offer your backup bike when it's obvious there is no hope for their bike (also in excess of $3000)? I did. In fact I always bring an extra everything (and I do mean everything) just in case this happens. And it always does. Does it hurt my equipment? Not any more so than if I was using it. Heck..it's already paid for. Does it make a difference to the person on the other end of the offer? You're darn right it does. Having already finished my, shorter, race I stood at the bike exit at a race last summer..to watch the fun. A guy comes out and climbs on his bike only to find his front wheel had been damaged in transit to the race. His race over he looked around with hopeful eyes that someone would come to his aid. I took the wheel off my race bike (worth more than his entire bike) and rolled it towards him (helping someone out directly is an automatic DQ at our races). Thankfully his stunned look only lasted a short time and he swapped out wheels and sped off. I kept a mental note of the bike and the race number he was wearing but didn't give it that much thought otherwise. While he was out racing I took the wheel to one of the vendors on site (also a good friend of mine) who proceeded to repair said front wheel. He came back and went onto the run and I reswapped wheels..hoping no one would see me. He tracked me down after the race was over (so much for anonymity huh) to ask me why I did it. That kind of threw me...I had no real answer. I asked how his race went. Seems he won his age group (the thought of having such a racey wheel gave him a mental boost and he set a new PB fior the bike). His smile was so huge that my reasoning just had its answer. You want to know why I loaned it to you? That's why.
As a side note..he didn't notice until he got home that his front wheel had been repaired. He spent the next three weeks trying to find someone who had done the race that knew who I was (he asked the RD...and he knew exactly who would do such a thing) so he could thank me again. And if he asked me why I did that...him calling me to thank me was all the reason I needed.
Sometimes it's not about what people can do for you but what it feels like to do something for them. To see that look of unexpected, unbridled, genuine thankful awe is more reward than one can hope for.
Is chivalry (and too kindness) dead? No. It's out there..very rare and often unnoticted. But it is there. Next time you're in my neck of the woods and you rush back to the parking meter to put more change in it before time runs out...don't be surprised to find I already came along and dropped another quarter in it for you. I'm funny like that.
Keep the faith...it's worth it in the end

Im not even sure what to say to that. Impressive.

If my bike was worth $5000 and I could afford to buy another I would lend it out to a total stranger. Otherwise you better be my best friend.

I do agree with the total surprise and smile from a simple gesture of kindness as being reward enough. It might make them think twice next time about being generous to someone else.

This world is cyclicle. Whether it be a smile or violence. Either way we spread it one person at a time.

He might not have been my best friend when we first met but rest assured he is one now. He didn't even know what I was lending him when we first met up to get him fitted he just thought it was a bike I thought would fit him. A small Softride Powerwing (full Dura Ace 9STI, Renn disc, Ksyrium front wheel, Kestrel bars..blah blah blah). I pulled out an old road bike from the back of the truck first and he was...wow..cool bike. He had a funny look when I told him that wasn't the bike he was going to borrow that it was too small for him. Pulled out the 'other' bike and his eyes popped. First question was 'you're going to lend me THAT'. As luck would have it we had the same shoe size and the cleats were already pretty dialed in too..so I loaded him up and we went for a spin to make sure it was fit right. We're flying along and he asks what kind of ID I wanted to hold on to until I got it back..and did I want his social insurance number too. He just couldn't figure out why I'd be doing this. Since I was unable to race that whole year it made no sense for me to have this race bred machine collecting dust in the basement. I did warn him the ride was so addictive he'd want his own when he gave it back to me. He came to bring mine back (having been completely tuned up, cleaned, and brand new tires installed..plus an offer for dinner and a gift certificate to the bike shop the work was done at) and told me..find me one now too please. Found one and as a method of thanking me he loaned it to me for another friend to ride at a race last fall. She was so impressed with it she bought his..I gave him my back up and now I have two connections who love me like a brother. That he is only a year or two away from being a doctor doesn't hurt much...and she is a pilates instructor (whose husband is my chiropractor..who is in the process of helping get an amazing new job) so anyone who says being nice doesn't pay..well..you be the judge. His bike is sitting in my basement waiting for the snow to clear...as a thank from the girl who borrowed it..it now has all new cables and brand new tires. What goes around comes around...indeed.
As a side note...the race in which me borrowed my bike (a kayak, swim, bike, run event in which he had never taken part in before) he posted the third fastest bike split overall and wound up finishing a stellar 4th place overall. And he had been thinking he'd have to ride his beater mountain bike in the race.

Edited by kentiger 2005-02-12 2:00 PM

wow. I guess chivlary is not dead.

certainly is not...wanna borrow my bike..I'll even let you break in the new Corima wheels. Never really understood why more people don't lend their stuff out. If you could afford it in the first place you'll likley be able to do so again. Funny how when I offer people who stare at it in transition to take it for a ride..how many decline. It's like someone saying..hey..you like my Ferrari...here's the keys take it for a spin. I figure if I have the confidence to lend it to you the least you could do is have the confidence to ride it. The girl who borrowed my back up last year said afterwards she didn't want to ask what it was worth before the race...and I finished her sentence with..because then you wouldn't have ridden it the way it was meant to be ridden.
Come on up to Ontario this summer for a race..I'll show you chivalry is not dead first hand.

You know she is originally from Canada. Right. It'd be like going home.

but I do now...all the more reason to come here to race..be assimilated again;-)