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A Stranger Bails Me Out

Joined
Oct 21, 2010
Messages
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Location
Waco TX
I posted this in the ride report for the GDR, thought I'd put it in a common area also.





Friday morning I gas up in Steamboat and take off for the west. Every year I go to Colorado and say I'm going to Utah, every year it's too hot and I stay in Colorado. Not this year, I'm going. I don't care how hot it is, this is the year.
I pull into a convenience store/gas stop in Rangely, CO about 9:30am. Pull the helmet and gloves off, reach into my left pocket.....two tubes of lip balm and a pocket knife is all I find. What I don't find is my money clip w/ a couple of hundred dollars cash, credit cards, atm card, drivers license, insurance cards, basically everything you need. Apparently I left it in Steamboat(not likely) or I forgot to zip up that pocket and it fell out in the 154 miles between Steamboat and Rangely(more likely).
I sit down to collect my thoughts. I look up and call the station in Steamboat. No one has turned it in, they go look near the pump I was at, it's not there. Well, that saves me a trip

Ok, I'll find a bank and have funds transferred from my bank. I find Bank of the San Juans a couple of blocks down on main street. Surprisingly, there's a bit of a crowd, two people in front of me and one comes in behind me. Since my request is going to be a bit on the unusual side, I consider letting the man behind me go before me. Luckily, the line moves quickly and before I decide it's my turn.

I step up to the teller. " Hi, I need some advice. I've lost my wallet. Cash, credit cards, ID, everything. I'd like to see about transferring money from my bank to here. Can you help me?"
The teller is a young lady and very nice. "I can't do that if you don't have an account here"
"I'll open an account."
"You can't open an account without an ID."

By now, the man behind me and myself are the only customers. The other teller comes over and offers that maybe I could use Western Union. She calls the hardware store in town that does western union and asks if I can set up a password instead of an ID. No such luck, no ID means no funds.

Feeling fairly defeated and completely frazzled, I go sit in the lobby and pull out my phone. I'm trying to decide who to call or what to look up when the gentleman that was behind me comes over and sits down beside me.
"Tell me your story again."
I go through the whole spiel again...gassed up in Steamboat, lost wallet, etc.

"How much do you think you need?"
"I can't take your money." About then I realize that I'm going to have to take someone's money. "I don't know. I'm two nights from my truck and then home, gas to get there, gas for the truck to get home, something to eat..."
"$500 get you there?" And he opens up his wallet and pulls out 5 crisp, new hundred dollar bills.

I thank him,get his info so I can mail him a check. I try to give him my name and info.
"It doesn't matter." He's already figured out that I'm either going to send the money back or I'm not. Having my possibly made up info isn't going to change whether or not he gets repaid. I shake his hand, thank him again, and he leaves.

I ride to Mexican Hat, spend the night. I decide that I'll ride to Silver City the next day, retrieve my truck, and drive straight through. I'm not sure $500 is going to be enough for two nights and gas. I think it will, but what if something else goes wrong?
I leave Mexican Hat about 6:30 am Saturday and I'm pulling in my driveway at 5 am Sunday.
And I have $138 left. Another hotel room would have almost wiped me out.


TL;DR
I lost my money and ID and a complete stranger gives me $500 to get home. And won't take my info.

There are still good people in this world. I ran into one of them Friday.
What would have happened if I had let him go before me at the bank? He'd have never heard my story and I guess I'd still be there.
__________________
 
I've often been surprised at the generosity and goodness of strangers. I think we hear in the news constant bad stories and expect that to be the norm. We don't realize that at any given point we're actually surrounded by a lot of good people.

Thanks for sharing the story.
 
Great story Phil

(I would have done the same thing for you, at 30 percent shark, plus I get the bike as collateral)
 
I am very glad such a graceful stranger bailed you out of a tough predicament.

I ask myself if I would have such grace and generosity?
I am jaded, living in today's world that is constantly on guard against scams and charlatans. We are exposed to it every day that it has left such a dubious nature in me. I want to trust man, but struggle to do it.

I would like to think I would take the situation in context, looking at the individual in need and make a sound decision.
Then there are jokers like these guys:
"No Money, No Problems: Pockets Empty, We Road-Trip in a Rolls-Royce Across the South
How far can two guys get with a retractable Spirit of Ecstasy and a whole lot of BS?"
http://www.caranddriver.com/feature...rip-in-a-rolls-royce-across-the-south-feature

What a time we live in.
Again, glad you were blessed by a stranger and got home safely.
 
I've often been surprised at the generosity and goodness of strangers. I think we hear in the news constant bad stories and expect that to be the norm. We don't realize that at any given point we're actually surrounded by a lot of good people.

:tab Totally this... People make a big deal about the "thin blue line" being all that stands between us and chaos. I disagree. If it weren't for the basic decency of the bulk of the people in society, that thin line would crumble in an instant. What holds us together is the basic respect for other people and a willingness to work together. The media and those in power want us to exist in a constant state of fear and anxiety. They seem bent on dividing us and making us all fear each other. Turn off the news and pay attention to the people around you. You will see the world in a whole new light.

:tab People like this guy give us hope and set an example for us to follow. We get to choose whether or not to pass it on.
 
What a great story and what an amazing turn of events.
Yes, there are kind and generous people in this world.

I hope that you might point him to this thread and all TWTer's thank this person for helping a person in need.

Thank you sir for helping my friend.
 
Small world?

Last Monday night I lost my wallet. It was last seen at the gas station I used to fill up the bike,,,rode into Austin, taught class, rode home at 10:30..stopped to fill up bike (as its thirsty and only gets 100 miles to a fill up, meaning I'm 1/2 way home and out of gas and have no funds of any type. emergency cash was .....in wallet.. ) As Im on the phone with my back trying to cancel cards and figure out how to get cash,
a young late teens couple walk up...Id been keeping an eye on them as they fumbled around in their car last 30 min or so at the pump..."Hey,
so we kind of heard.....would it help if we paid for gas to get you home.....we found enough change and a few bills in the car to fill up your bike we think(thats what they were doing in the car).

I said think you, but that a friend was already on the way to help out with that, i was just using my waiting time to get other stuff done.

So while I did not take them up on the offer, that two youngish teens would
offer to help a random stranger on a motorcycle in the middle of night was pretty awesome. :giveup: Id say someone was doing the parenting thing right.

I posted this in the ride report for the GDR, thought I'd put it in a common area also.





Friday morning I gas up in Steamboat and take off for the west. Every year I go to Colorado and say I'm going to Utah, every year it's too hot and I stay in Colorado. Not this year, I'm going. I don't care how hot it is, this is the year.
I pull into a convenience store/gas stop in Rangely, CO about 9:30am. Pull the helmet and gloves off, reach into my left pocket.....two tubes of lip balm and a pocket knife is all I find. What I don't find is my money clip w/ a couple of hundred dollars cash, credit cards, atm card, drivers license, insurance cards, basically everything you need. Apparently I left it in Steamboat(not likely) or I forgot to zip up that pocket and it fell out in the 154 miles between Steamboat and Rangely(more likely).
I sit down to collect my thoughts. I look up and call the station in Steamboat. No one has turned it in, they go look near the pump I was at, it's not there. Well, that saves me a trip

Ok, I'll find a bank and have funds transferred from my bank. I find Bank of the San Juans a couple of blocks down on main street. Surprisingly, there's a bit of a crowd, two people in front of me and one comes in behind me. Since my request is going to be a bit on the unusual side, I consider letting the man behind me go before me. Luckily, the line moves quickly and before I decide it's my turn.

I step up to the teller. " Hi, I need some advice. I've lost my wallet. Cash, credit cards, ID, everything. I'd like to see about transferring money from my bank to here. Can you help me?"
The teller is a young lady and very nice. "I can't do that if you don't have an account here"
"I'll open an account."
"You can't open an account without an ID."

By now, the man behind me and myself are the only customers. The other teller comes over and offers that maybe I could use Western Union. She calls the hardware store in town that does western union and asks if I can set up a password instead of an ID. No such luck, no ID means no funds.

Feeling fairly defeated and completely frazzled, I go sit in the lobby and pull out my phone. I'm trying to decide who to call or what to look up when the gentleman that was behind me comes over and sits down beside me.
"Tell me your story again."
I go through the whole spiel again...gassed up in Steamboat, lost wallet, etc.

"How much do you think you need?"
"I can't take your money." About then I realize that I'm going to have to take someone's money. "I don't know. I'm two nights from my truck and then home, gas to get there, gas for the truck to get home, something to eat..."
"$500 get you there?" And he opens up his wallet and pulls out 5 crisp, new hundred dollar bills.

I thank him,get his info so I can mail him a check. I try to give him my name and info.
"It doesn't matter." He's already figured out that I'm either going to send the money back or I'm not. Having my possibly made up info isn't going to change whether or not he gets repaid. I shake his hand, thank him again, and he leaves.

I ride to Mexican Hat, spend the night. I decide that I'll ride to Silver City the next day, retrieve my truck, and drive straight through. I'm not sure $500 is going to be enough for two nights and gas. I think it will, but what if something else goes wrong?
I leave Mexican Hat about 6:30 am Saturday and I'm pulling in my driveway at 5 am Sunday.
And I have $138 left. Another hotel room would have almost wiped me out.


TL;DR
I lost my money and ID and a complete stranger gives me $500 to get home. And won't take my info.

There are still good people in this world. I ran into one of them Friday.
What would have happened if I had let him go before me at the bank? He'd have never heard my story and I guess I'd still be there.
__________________
 
North Western Colorado is full of good people , been there twice and am headed back for three weeks next month . And no traffic jams . Stayed one night several years ago , two weeks last summer and going for three this year .
 
I am very glad such a graceful stranger bailed you out of a tough predicament.

I ask myself if I would have such grace and generosity?
I am jaded, living in today's world that is constantly on guard against scams and charlatans. We are exposed to it every day that it has left such a dubious nature in me. I want to trust man, but struggle to do it.

This 100%.

FYI, a tip I was given long ago was to take out some money and hide it somewhere on the bike just in case when on a trip by yourself. Nearly had to use it once. Bank cut off my credit card because of "Suspicious small transactions every couple of hours." Told them "Yea, I'm on a motorcycle trip and have to fill up with a little bit of gas often." Got turned back on and was headed home, but the lifeboat was there.
 
This 100%.

FYI, a tip I was given long ago was to take out some money and hide it somewhere on the bike just in case when on a trip by yourself. Nearly had to use it once. Bank cut off my credit card because of "Suspicious small transactions every couple of hours." Told them "Yea, I'm on a motorcycle trip and have to fill up with a little bit of gas often." Got turned back on and was headed home, but the lifeboat was there.

I do this also. Try to keep a little just in case. Sometimes you forget you have money on the bike and when you find it feels like you hit the jackpot:deal:.
 
:tab Totally this... People make a big deal about the "thin blue line" being all that stands between us and chaos. I disagree. If it weren't for the basic decency of the bulk of the people in society, that thin line would crumble in an instant. What holds us together is the basic respect for other people and a willingness to work together. The media and those in power want us to exist in a constant state of fear and anxiety. They seem bent on dividing us and making us all fear each other. Turn off the news and pay attention to the people around you. You will see the world in a whole new light.

:tab People like this guy give us hope and set an example for us to follow. We get to choose whether or not to pass it on.

I agree completely.
 
This 100%.

FYI, a tip I was given long ago was to take out some money and hide it somewhere on the bike just in case when on a trip by yourself. Nearly had to use it once. Bank cut off my credit card because of "Suspicious small transactions every couple of hours." Told them "Yea, I'm on a motorcycle trip and have to fill up with a little bit of gas often." Got turned back on and was headed home, but the lifeboat was there.

I always kept $50-100 in the tube under the sargent seat on the FZ. Never transferred it to this bike because there isn't an obvious place for it.
 
This is so cool Phil, I would lend you emergency travel cash based on the honest eye and handshake. I bet you have helped someone in the past with a pay it forward act, probably often.

So, if you had kindly let the gentleman do his business before you he would have missed your situation....
 
Bank cut off my credit card because of "Suspicious small transactions every couple of hours." Told them "Yea, I'm on a motorcycle trip and have to fill up with a little bit of gas often." Got turned back on and was headed home, but the lifeboat was there.
I notify my bank before each trip. I just go online and tell them which card(s) and what state(s) they will be used in between (start date) and (end date). I've never had a card issue.

But I'm definitely going to hide some cash on the bike along with a photocopy of my DL.
 
Cool story Phil! I usually stash a couple of twenty's up inside the removable lining of my helmet.
 
While it had not occurred to me until reading this story, setting up Apple Pay or an equivalent on your phone might be helpful in this situation as well, especially coupled with keeping some real cash in your helmet or on your bike.:ponder:
 
I am glad it all worked out for you and THANK YOU for posting this as it made me realize that I should take the advice of some of our brethren and stash some cash on my bike for that rainy day.
 
Back in the 90s when I began pulling a race car to venues around Texas and Oklahoma, I kept $20 stashed for emergencies ... fix a flat or a tank of gas.

I bumped that to a $50 bill in short order. Today, I'm not sure $100 bill is enough to help find my way through an emergency.

Stupid inflation ... er ... economic, not atmospheric
 
Keep us up dated. What a great ending it would be if someone fines your billfold Gives you a call and returns it, with everything enclosed.

Made for T.V. movie.

Justacruisin
 
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