[Closed] Tales of random kindness from strangers?

... And a time gap/inexplicably sore bottom next morning... 😊

I once changed a car tyre for a young lady in the car park of a supermarket. I went in to do my shopping and when I came back out there was a thank you card under my windscreen wiper. Which was nice.

Once left my jacket on the beach with wallet and phone in the pocket. Got a call from a man with two kids who had found it. When I went to pick it up he would not let me give the kids some of the cash that was in the wallet.

Went to supermarket with obviously pregnant girlfriend many years ago, we'd both come out without any money but another shopper insisted on paying for us at the checkout. We both assumed our other half must know them but nope was just a random stranger 🙂

When I came back out there was a thank you card

Admit it, you were hoping for more than just a card!

It's usually me being nice to other people (to make up for my hideous disfigurement and Northern brogue).

Just before Christmas I was stocking up with food/booze at Tesco. Fella 2 people in front of me spent about £150 and when asked for his Clubcard, turned to the girl behind him in the queue and asked if she had one. Put the points on her card, wished everyone a happy christmas and walked off. Thought that was decent of him.

Left my tablet and phone when changing trains in Holland.

Didn't realise until my next train had left.

2 days later I got a call at home from a Dutch gent, who had simply called "home" on my phone. (I don't bother locking my phones as I always know where they are...). He posted them to our Dutch office and I donated 20 euro to his chosen charity.

Years ago at Bristol Temple Meads Station the old duffer in front of me had forgotten/lost his wallet and was getting increasingly upset/disorientated as the jobsworth twit in the booth told him it wasn't his problem and to move along. I ended up buying the guy a ticket and giving my address. A few weeks later I got a PO in the post along with a lovely card from his daughter. I'd completely forgotten.

Few weeks ago I found myself getting upset/disorientated in Aldi as I'd forgotten my card. Lady behind me in the queue insisted on paying for my shopping (about a tenner). What goes around, comes around!

Years ago we purchased a customised, framed print. It went missing in transit. A lady vicar noticed it in a ditch when she was out walking her dog. The packaging was all damaged, she took it home, cleaned it all up and repackaged it. She couldn't find sender details but she could see our address so she jumped in the car and drove 40 miles to drop it off at our house. It was three days before Christmas and filthy weather. All she wanted in return was to see us happy and to use our loo before jumping back in her car and driving home.

Many moons back (late 90s) as a poor impoverished youth working a good-but-low-paid job with the Youth Hostels up in the Dales, I spent some of my hard-earned cash monies getting the train down to Brighton to go see one of my best mates from back home. Due to a combination of ****ups and rail replacement buses, I missed the last train out of Euston at 8-9pm on a Sunday night. Wasn't in the best of states/moods, there weren't any more trains back down to Brighton that evening either, and I definitely wasn't going to be back for work in the morning, so went reluctantly to a cash machine to get some of my minimal shekels out to use a payphone (pre-mobile era) to a) try and get hold of my boss and b) try and get hold of a friend who lived in London to see if I could kip at theirs for the night.

Things didn't improve when the cash machine then swallowed my one and only card.

I despaired quietly on a bench, possibly gibbering a bit, trying desperately to work out where the hell I was going to spend the night and how I was going to get home the following day. A Hassidic Jewish gentleman in full garb sat down just along from me, and after a few minutes of silence asked me if I was okay. I admitted that, no, I wasn't really, and explained the situation. He listened, then pulled out a wallet and to my utter surprise handed me a tenner note and another couple of quid in change for the payphone. A bit taken aback, I asked for an address so I could reimburse him when I got sorted out and got my card replaced, he shook his head, smiled and walked off.

When on tour in the USA I spoke to a few Harley riders at a gas station in the midwest. Back on the road they returned 5 or 10 minutes later to warn me there was an unsigned bridge closure on my route.

My heavily pregnant wife was trying to change the wheel on her car in a pub car park. Bloke walking past stopped and did it for her and would not take the £5.00 she had in her parking change pot. She said his hands were filthy and she felt really bad for him, but he was just pleased to help....

One day I will pay it on and am always on the lookout for people struggling to change a wheel, but in the meantime I have to be happy with the two wallets and two phones I have managed to return to the owners - Both times I have been offered a reward and both times I have suggested they pop some money into a charity box instead 🙂

On Sunday, me and my boy went for our weekly bike ride and I dropped my Garmin. We were trawling the trail trying to find it and there was a fella coming the other way - told us he'd found it and tucked it off to the side of the trail next to a post. Found it easily.
It's an Edge 1000, so not a cheap item and he could've nicked it, but nope, kind enough to help us out. Nice one, walker bloke. (Was the only person we saw on that trail too!)

My heavily pregnant wife was trying to change the wheel on her car in a pub car park.

You should have finished up your pint, went outside and offered her some helpful advice.

It's what I would have done

When i was in my early twenties, I moved to the US in order to study at University of California, Santa Barbara. Seeing as I had used all my money for accommodation, I had to take the cheapest route from Aalborg to California. It went like this: Aalborg – Billund – Brussels – New York – Los Angeles. Due to a delay in Brussels, I arrived in New York just 15 minutes before my plane to LAX was about to leave. The immigrations clerk processed my student visa lightning fast, grabbed my bag, and sprinted with me through JFK, clearing a path for me with his employee ID. I arrived at the gate just at the plane started taxiing away… The clerk then offered me a ride and a bed at his house for the night, and he even arranged for a seat on a transfer flight the next day. So I spent some very enjoyable hours in a big, African American household, and made it safely to LA the next day.

Great start to a great period of my life!

Ex and I were in a cafe in Church Stretton, I went to pay for our lunch but was told it was cash only, I only had my cards with me so I excused myself and ran to the nearest cash point. In the meantime a lovely lady had paid for our lunch, when I got back to the cafe she wouldn’t take my money and asked me to pay it forward. She obviously had cancer, I really hoped she wasn’t doing nice things before she died and that she’s still with us.

Many moons ago, as a dumb 20 something back packing around Thailand, I managed to misplace my passport and all of my money whilst losing myself at a full moon party. My main luggage was even on a different island, so I was left in just a pair of shorts and t-shirt with no idea what to do.
Through a combination of local charity, I was given a bungalow for the night, some rice and a few baht to get me on the boat back to my luggage.
Then another charitable stranger lent me money to get back to Bangkok to the embassy to organise a new passport. This guy was reimbursed directly by the embassy (I'm guessing I wasn't the first) but the hotel workers and hut owner on Ko Pha-nGan fully went above and beyond.
I learnt a lot through that episode!

On a lighter note, talking bikes with an old school MTB'er a while ago, I mentioned I had an Ibis and a fondness for the brand. Next time I saw him, he gave me an Ibis handjob and footjam (bottle opener and pump holder) Treasured possessions to this day

Years ago I was travelling from Dover, where I lived at the time, to home in Dundee on Christmas eve. Somewhere in the borders I stopped for petrol and found a chap sobbing in the car park. He was on his way home to see his wife and kids after working away for a month and had turned the wrong way on the M6 and driven about 140 miles before nearly running out of fuel. At this point he didn't realise he had turned North instead of South and couldn't figure out why he hadn't seen the signs for home yet and got very upset when I told him.

He had been unemployed and had taken the job away from home to pay the mortgage and buy his kids some christmas presents so he only had a few pounds left until he got paid again the following week.

He was properly upset about his mistake and the prospect of missing seeing his kids on christmas day. This was in the days before mobile phones were very popular so couldn't even phone to let his wife know he was OK.

It was quite heart breaking so I bought him dinner, food for the trip and filled his car with fuel before sending him off in the right direction.

About a week later I got a lovely thank you card from him with a picture of his family having a great time on christmas day.

I often wonder how many people had passed him by before I spoke to him but I am really glad I did as seeing how happy they were in the photo was worth every penny.

I have been on both sides of this one -pay it back folks

Probably the best example where I was the recipient: Many moons ago when totally impoverished me and t'missus decided to hitchhike to the med in November. We detoured via Switzerland. No money for accommodation we intended to sleep in the railway station in Bern. At midnight we were kicked out of the station. So there we are standing in the station concourse putting on as many clothes as we had so as not to freeze to death sleeping on the streets of Bern. A chap came up to us, asked us what we were doing and when we explained insisted on putting us up in his house overnight.

thats one of many times folk showed us kindness on that trip - including staying at the workers camp for a nuclear power station and the hippies who went out of their way to take us to Calais

Paying it back: Perhaps the funniest was returning on our motorbikes from a holiday and we got chatting to an Austrian biker couple in a cafe in the borders. Where are you going" " Edinburgh" "where are you staying?" " Nothing booked - we will find a cheap hotel." Only issue this was at the end of August - peak festival time! There would not be any hotel rooms anywhere near the city let alone cheap ones so we put them up in out flat for the night

I have very thankfully received a fair few random acts of kindness - a couple on here too! Do my best to pay it forward turn.

I can be a bit of a bellend sometimes - but hopefully sometimes a kind bellend.

Helped numerous stranded cyclists with punctures. Once gave a lift to a lovely old guy and his lovely retro bike which had wrecked it's crank somehow, he was parked up not far off my route so I gave him a lift back to save him a 7 mile walk.

As a kid I handed a wallet in at the Police station and got a fiver reward from the owner.

Also benefited from strangers - when Jnr was 8 or 9 I'd taken him riding at the local country park, ordered food at the cafe and suddenly discovered that the tenner I know I'd picked up wasn't in my bag. Woman behind me paid for us as a favour, in the hope that if she ever needed it, someone would do the same for her.

I try to help where I can. Bloody hopeless at accepting help and favours in return though (thanks again Tracey :O)

I was home alone one weekend and it was honing down with rain. I decided to go and do some chores so I could veg on the sofa in the afternoon with a beer and a curry. On the way home I came onto a dual carriagway to see someone changing a tyre on the hard shoulder with their arse hanging out into the inside lane. I saw two cans swerve to avoid so decided I better stop and help. I only had to stand in the rain for 5 mins looking obvious to oncoming traffic whilst the chap finished changing the tyre but still almost got taken out by several other drivers not paying attention. It turned out the driver had been cut up on the previous roundabout and got driven into the curb by a white van driver. He was worried about what his wife was going to say as the alloy was totalled so I politely pointed out he was still alive and it was only a wheel.

Coming back from seeing friends in Manchester we got stuck in a bit of traffic. A guy in front on a bike went to pull away and his crank fell off. He didn't appear to be a regular rider from his set up but it happened that I had my tool kit in the car as we'd been holidaying with out bikes. I pulled in, jumped out the car, grab the tool box and had the crank back on in no time. Think formula 1 pit stop speed. He stood there fairly speachless as I wished him well with the rest of the ride, jumped back in the car and headed south.

On the flip side I did a mate a turn the other day transporting some bike racks out of a warehouse to another location for him. Whilst in the warehouse I noticed some old bike workshop kit and tools walls. Well, I now have some workshop kit and some tool walls :O)

Treat people how you want to be treated and I think we'd all be in a better place.

I had a lovely opportunity to pay it on when I saw a road rider round the corner from my house struggling to change his snapped gear cable. I took him back to mine and his face lit up when I took him into a garage full of bikes, work stands and tools. He told me that his mate had recently died and he was doing a sponsored ride in his memory from Cardiff to Lands End in a day. I felt it was the least I could do to give him the hot pastie I'd bought for lunch and later opened my front door to find a four pack he'd left on his return drive.

I found a very nice GPS device couple of years ago in North Wales.

Owner had marked home location - lovely small village in middle of nowhere - but difficult to narrow down to which house in a little street of cottages.

Saw it was near a local church so phoned them up and said "anyone in that road keen outdoors kinda person who's been to Wales and lost something" - priest said yes they thought who it could be and inquired and yes they had lost GPS so I posted out and got a nice Cotswold voucher in return 🙂

Managed to leave my wallet in a taxi many years ago. I wasn't even drunk or anything! Anyhow got a phone call from a stranger who told me he had my wallet. Went and picked it up and offered him a tenner for his honesty/kindness but he wouldn't have it.

Lot's of MTB related items where I've given a random person a tube or left them borrow my pump etc.

Also changed a fair set of car wheels in my time. People really seem to struggle with it for some reason, not sure why. When it was a bloke was a bit reluctant to offer help but he was making a fist of it.

A few years ago I was on my hols visiting family in California.
They have great biking out there and I was in the car along a dirt road to start a ride, fairly early in the day but bloody hot.

Came round a corner and found 4 uni-age girls, trying to get a wheel off their bright pink Jeep.
I hosestly thought I was being set up on a candid camera type thing - they were great-looking, all in ded skimpy gear and broken down on a road you can get a normal hire car along.

Anyway, they had no idea about the wheel - hadn't even worked out the jack yet. I replaced it for them and we all went merrily on our way.

... and the only way "blown-off" or "shagged" get into the story is in relation to the tyre 🙁

*from a long, long time ago, one of dads mates was a lorry driver and he didn’t usually do hitchers but it was a bad, bad Scottish wet day and he took pity on a bedraggled bloke walking along, anyway off they went, the bloke said thanks but didn’t speak much, as they went along a charming policeman stopped him and was a complete and utter ********, a rear light Was out so that was a charge and on it went, checking paperwork, and generally being an officious jobsworth ( they hadn’t provoked him), the policeman took all the details in his notebook and sent them on their way, again pretty much in silence, at the blokes village they stopped, the bloke said thanks, then as he got out, He said don’t worry about the policeman, nothing will happen, and he handed the lorry driver the policeman’s notebook, smiled and said I’m a pickpocket.

Last year, out with the dog, a young lad rode past me as I was walking up a hill.

A few minutes later, I heard a call behind me and turned round to see the same lad, red faced, out of breath, holding my dog’s lead, which he had found at the bottom of the hill.

The hundreds of people who've given me a lift when hitch hiking, some going beyond just giving a lift. I pick people up but they are rarely going far these days, cheap flights have made hitch-hiking across continents more expensive than flying.

Love this thread. Great stories. I have a few - this is my favourite.

I was in my late teens and got the bus into town one day to buy a frame for a poster (Frank Zappa IIRC) to give to my friend for Christmas. I bought a 70 x 100 cm aluminium frame which, along with being mahoosive, weighed a ton - I really didn’t think it through! I got to the bus stop to head home, when I realised it would be extremely impractical to try to wrestle it onto the bus and fit it into a seat with me without causing chaos for the other passengers, so I opted for the train home … momentarily forgetting the mile plus, somewhat uphill, walk at the other end. By the time I got off the train it was pouring down, and the wind was a howling fury - this proved problematic as the frame was more than half my height and double my width … I couldn’t carry it in front of me due it’s less than ideal aerodynamic properties, and it was too big to fit under my arm. I had to walk half sideways, holding it out to my side, stopping every dozen paces or so to rest my poor arms which were being stretched to orangutang proportions. I battled on, cursing my congenital lack of common sense, when a driver, sporting a vaguely visible halo, pulled up beside me and offered me a lift. I’m not in the habit of getting into cars with strangers (unlike Edukator ^ 😉), but it turned out he was the father of a boy I had known at school (who, incidentally, had been the subject of a moderately severe crush in my hormonal years - although I didn’t mention that to his father in the car that day 😊). I still say a quiet thanks for the man’s kindness whenever I happen to walk past his house.

Left my front wheel by the roadside and a bloke who just happened to pull out at the same time I did, saw it, stopped, got out picked it up, then followed me for a couple of miles while I tried to ignore the crazy flashing car behind me... Until stopped at traffic lights I noticed a wheel in his car that looked just like mine! Thanks mate! Apologized for not realizing sooner what was going on.

I did the flashing to try and get attention of a woman who had some kind of car issue, (can't remember what, maybe all rear lights out) who also didn't stop. She pulled in to a little trading estate so I followed her and told her what was up, she was also grateful but obviously had been reluctant to stop for a random bloke in the middle of nowhere, (A66 across Cumbria).

Only when I got back in my car, having stopped the engine, I realised that the alternator had failed on my journey and it wouldn't start again. 🤣 Karma not in my favour that day!

Racing the Highland Trail in 2015 I gave my spare gps to a French guy at the start as his would not work. He returned it with a fantastic bottle of red.

Last year in the Tour Divide I again gave my spare to an American chap who had lost his. He contacted me to return it. I told him to keep it as I’d had to buy another. No wine from him.

So if you need a new gps just line up at any bikepacking race I am in.

I found a wallet in Heathrow airport one morning - it was stuffed with cash. I handed it in and left my details. Months later several crates of beer arrived on my doorstep and a nice note. Wallet got reunited with its owned, who worked for a brewery and was very grateful to get his wallet back 🙂

Some good tales, here's one I like to tell when the daily fail readers start going on about teens today, inner city sink estates etc.
I used to have a regular weekly commute into Nottingham city centre. On my way out of town one day I stopped at a shop in one such estate, then continued home. Got home and found I hadn't zipped up my saddle bag and my phone, wallet etc had fallen out. My wallet had about fifty quid in it. Within 30 minutes of my discovery I had a phone call (landline) from a woman whose son, with his 3 mates, had found my phone and wallet. He had failed to spend the cash and empty my bank account, instead handing them to his mum who found my home phone number in the wallet. An hour later I collected my valuables and tried to give the lad a reward, which he wouldn't accept.
Never got my multitool back though

On the subject of lost tools, I stopped to help a dad with his two daughters in the local country park - his chain had snapped on his BSO and he had a couple of miles to push it home.

I brushed off his protests and fixed the chain, suggesting politely that he might want to put a drop of lube on it now and then, and set off on my way after about 10 mins (it had been a bit of an awkward job).

When I got back I realised my tool pocket on my backpack was open and my chain tool had bounced out.

I could have felt bad about this, but I prefer to think I did two good deeds - got the dad on his way and donated my chain tool to a stranger as well.

And I got to buy a new Park one which was nicer.

Which thread do I need to link to? There's so many I can't choose. I think I have had more kindness from 'strangers' than most over the past few years and I'm still more grateful than ever. I've linked an earlier blog post of mine where I highlighted this. I really need to make an updated blog post as so much as happened since then. I've not been posting as much as I should lately, been a tough few months. Thankyou again for all you have done.

https://brighteststarinthesky.com/2018/08/20/human-kindness-from-strangers/

gnusmas - good to hear from you - lovely blog post.

Glad to see this thread resurface. I was reminded of another kind stranger yesterday, when I had to phone a well-known company to sort out a household issue ...

... Some years ago now my partner died suddenly and, in the aftermath, I had to phone a lot of companies to change all the household bills into my name - not an easy task at the best of times, but in those circumstances it was pretty horrendous - having to explain over and over what had happened, and then jump through whatever hoops each company had in place to deal with these sorts of occurrences. Most were helpful enough, but the lady I spoke to at one place listened patiently to my story, and then, instead of going straight to the detail changing, she told me she had a son the age of my partner, gave me her condolences, and chatted sympathetically for a bit before sorting out my query. Then, as she was hanging up, she said … if you need a chat any time, just give me a phone, my name’s M-, just call the number you phoned today and ask for me. It was powerful at the time and has stayed with me.

A few years ago I was in Blackpool and found a phone on a wall. As it was unlocked I called 'Mum' and said "I've found this phone and I think it's your childs, could you call a friend of theirs and tell them?" and this daft woman started having a go at me saying she was busy, didn't have time and that I'd need to sort it out. I told her I was just a member of the public and didn't actually know her kid. She was too thick to understand so I just said it would be left a Mcdonalds if her daughter wanted it back. Another time I found a pbone in the kids play area and scrolled through messages which were clearly about drug deals. We had a problem with dealers at the time so I texted the last one back to say I'd found the phone and could they tell their friend that it would be left at the Police station. Ha.

About 25 years ago my car (dodgy battery) cut out on a dark, miserable winter evening in the pouring rain.

I was trying to push it myself (no mobiles in those days to call for help) to a hill to bump start it as lots of cars sped past. Eventually one stopped and a gorilla got out covered in piercings, tattoos and generally pretty scary looking.

I couldn't have been more wrong about him. He was brilliant, gave me a hand pushing despite the fact he got soaked and totally understood when I said that if the car did start I wouldn't be able to come back and say thanks properly.

Top bloke.

I've lots, however one stands out. When I was 25 I drove right across the US in a car lent to me by an bloke I got drunk with in a small town bar. He lent it to me so I could see more of the States than my meagre budget would otherwise of allowed. I did over four and half thousand miles in it.

I've been the kind stranger too, but never to any extent even close to that. I'll be paying that one back/forward for life.

Wife did sdw today from winch to Eastbourne on her own. Got a bit lost and ended up on monarch's way. 2 very nice gents not only gave her directions but rode her back the right way and made sure she was on track. Made her (and mine and the kids as we were picking up) day much better....

Next time I saw him, he gave me an Ibis handjob

Hope you returned the favour? 😀

*from a long, long time ago, one of dads mates was a lorry driver and he didn’t usually do hitchers but it was a bad, bad Scottish wet day and he took pity on a bedraggled bloke walking along, anyway off they went, the bloke said thanks but didn’t speak much, as they went along a charming policeman stopped him and was a complete and utter ********, a rear light Was out so that was a charge and on it went, checking paperwork, and generally being an officious jobsworth ( they hadn’t provoked him), the policeman took all the details in his notebook and sent them on their way, again pretty much in silence, at the blokes village they stopped, the bloke said thanks, then as he got out, He said don’t worry about the policeman, nothing will happen, and he handed the lorry driver the policeman’s notebook, smiled and said I’m a pickpocket.

You should write a story about this. Oh no, wait. Roald Dahl already has...

A few years ago I was in Blackpool and found a phone on a wall. As it was unlocked I called ‘Mum’ and said “I’ve found this phone and I think it’s your childs, could you call a friend of theirs and tell them?” and this daft woman started having a go at me saying she was busy, didn’t have time and that I’d need to sort it out...

Thought that this story might might end like this one:

Quite often I find bits and bobs on the road side when out for a ride and on one day it was a mobile phone. All working so I phoned the owners 'mummy' and was then able to ride to where the owner worked. He was very grateful, but why he thought I might like a small ball of cling film for my efforts was a bit of a puzzle.

found a phone on the ridgeway , guy rang for it after 30 mins or so and started jibbering on about find my phone, riding towards each other to pass it back etc
i got him to text me his address and posted it back , he was training for Ride London

lot's of kind acts from people on STW:

Years ago someone sent me a hat for my young nephew.

Tracey from here sent me some bits and bobs for the same nephew.

Binners made me some great business cards and would not accept payment.

Just recently a lot of you paid into our 'scrubs making charity'. The scrubs have gone all over the country, to nhs, care, dentists and key workers.

Thank you. x

edit; Just realised binners is not a random stranger to me. But his act of kindness was worth mentioning.

A mate and I once drive out to ride at The Trough of Boland. On getting there I discovered I’d left my spd shoes at home. We packed up and we’re going to head to Merlin to buy some new uns. We passed a group of riders and stopped to ask them if there was a nearer bike shop. One lad said he had a spare pair I could use then drop them off where they were staying when we were done.

So amazingly I took his Specialized shoes and we had an awesome ride. I dropped them outside on my way home (no one was in)

That’s so trusting, I could have ridden off into the sunset in them

Top guy!!

My own story but quite funny (I think)

It was at Mountain Mayhem prob in the early 2000's, and I was in a none too competitive / serious team, doing the last lap with specific instructions to not get back before 2pm. As I was finishing the last bit of singletrack, just the fireroad climb and then arena descent to come, I was aware of someone coming up proper fast behind me. As we turned on to the fireroad he stood on the pedals and ...... snapped his chain. He was off and running straight away and as I caught him up I asked him why the rush - turns out they were in a battle for 3rd/4th and desperately needed another lap. Spotting we had the same pedals I offered him my bike - not sure if really allowed, I know you can offer parts but a bike's worth? Anyway, he readily agreed and we swapped over and he hammered off up the fireroad. At this point I noticed how bow legged he was - as he was abou 6" taller than me but couldn't be arsed to take the time to adjust the saddle.

Which is then where I had the opposite issue. The fireroad was a walk anyway, but the freewheel zigzag back into the arena....the saddle / seatpost was some sort of lightweight carbon weight saving thing that I couldn't adjust. So my reward for offering up my bike was death by a hundred tiny impacts on the nuts as even standing my ballbag was just in reach of the super unpadded racing saddle that inevitably he'd fitted.

(he also gave me a half eaten pack of Clif Shotbloks when we swapped bikes back. The glamour of these sponsored tider teams!!)

Never got my multitool back though

Kid nicked it obvs.

Was cycling to Bromley one dark winter evening on my old Orange P7 and I managed to get a puncture in the middle of Catford. I found myself perched on the pavement trying to fix the flat and was approached by a crowd of MLE accented hoodie yoofs.

"Ya got a puncture innit?" says one.
"Your frame and brakes are well cool!" said another. Uh oh.

"I've got my bike pump with me, need a hand?" said the biggest of the party as he stepped forward and helped me lever off my tyre and find the hole in the inner tube. The group of yoofs and I spent the next twenty minutes talking about bicycles, shiny Hope kit, their aspirations for the future and in doing so they restored my faith in humanity. Whoever their parents were, they raised bloody decent kids. Chapeau.

“I’ve got my bike pump with me, need a hand?”

Did he have a bike? Obvious questions arise otherwise.

Eventually one stopped and a gorilla got out covered in piercings, tattoos and generally pretty scary looking.

I couldn’t have been more wrong about him.

Appearances can be deceptive. I've learned this from spending most of my drinking years in rock / biker bars, the only time I've seen bother is in places like Yates. It's never the tattooed man-mountains you need to worry about because they've got nothing to prove, it's the Begbies of this world that are trouble.

Rewind to 1990, Monsters of Rock at Donington, my first ever 'proper' gig and still hard to beat. Me and a mate got randomly molested by a marauding group of Begbish Scotsmen. "Hey ye," the lead Begbie went, prodding me in the ribcage, "has ye go' any beer?"

"Erm, I'm terribly sorry sir," 18-year old me stammered, "I'm afraid we don't."

He looked me in the eye with a stare like mining lasers. I genuinely thought "christ, this is it, this is how I check out, mullered by an angry Scotsman for the crime of not being able to provide him with free alcohol.

A moment passed. Galaxies could have formed and died in the length of time I felt passing. Then he suddenly gave a big drunken grin, went "well, here ye 'kin go then laddie!" and thrust a gallon container of ale into my hands.

One of our customers has just popped in and handed us a card with a £100 in it.

Thank you very much!

WOW! ^^^ nice one zippykona!

Regarding random kindness from strangers, my Wife & I have been in touch with a lady 3 doors down who lives on her own since lockdown.

She keeps herself to herself but there is the odd flurry of messages.
We have had some messages in the last couple of weeks that make us think she is quite down, but we can't visit her & feel a bit helpless.

My dad once saw a "lady" place her purse on the roof of her car after shopping, get in and drive off. The purse fell off the car. The way the car park was designed meant that my dad could easily intercept her on her way out, which he did, while waving her purse at her. To which she responded with the middle finger and drove on.

As an act of kindness my dad took her purse to the police station instead of handing it in to the shop, in the hope of causing her a bit more hassle.

On a similar note to the above, I once tried to alert a man in a repmobile that he had left his briefcase and files and McCoffee on the roof. He must've been distracted by the phone call he was still on as he drove out of MaccyD's. He probably thought I was beeping and pointing at his phone rather than his spreadsheets when he flipped me the bird. I assume his paperwork is distributed down the side of the A1 now as I didn't persue the matter after his ungrateful reaction.

A moment passed. Galaxies could have formed and died in the length of time I felt passing. Then he suddenly gave a big drunken grin, went “well, here ye ‘kin go then laddie!” and thrust a gallon container of ale into my hands.

😃

The way the car park was designed meant that my dad could easily intercept her on her way out, which he did, while waving her purse at her. To which she responded with the middle finger and drove on.

This has just reminded me...a mate and I were cycling into Oakham after doing a lap of Rutland water. We passed a Police car parked up with a speed radar gun clocking people coming out of Oakham (it's a wide 30 road, but easy to get up to ~40).
Further down the road a chav kid in a Mini came hoofing it towards us - must have been doing 50 and still accelerating.
Both of us waved our hands and then did the downwards waving sign of 'calm it down' at him. We were met with a middle finger and a further prod of the accelerator. He must have got done by Plod the speed he was going.

I have just remembered another one where I benefited. A few years ago on an offroad tour in the highlands we bust a sidewall on the rear tyre of the tandem - a combination of the weight of us and the bike, a lightweight tyre that was a bit underinflated and a rough track taken at high speed meant the sidewall had fretted and the bead came away from the carcass. We limped into Bridge of Orchy, went into the pub and asked if anyone had a tyre we could buy ( Bridge of orchy is a tiny settlement) Ten mins later we were given one, the chap refused payment and that enabled us to do another big offroad loop rather than limping on to the next town or giving up.

We left a tenner behind the bar for the chap who gave us the tyre