... if I don't have too.

Like most bikers I will almost always pull over to help another biker on the side of the road.  But I just wish more bikers would give me a thumbs up if they are not in any type of need so I can just ride past.  I have even turned around and gone back to help others who I thought were in need to find out they were just taking a water break.

A good pratice when on the side of the road is to give another biker passing by a "Thumbs Up" if you don't need any assistance, especially if you see the other biker slowing down to help.  I know sometimes youare busy doing whatever you pulled over for and don't notice another biker appraoching to give the Thumbs Up, and that's okay...  just wave me on when you see me stopping.  One thing you don't want to do is wave to a passing biker when your stopped on the side of the road... me, when I see someone waving I assume they are waving me to stop for them.

Usually when I see someone on the side of the road I put my hand up rotating between "Thumbs Up" and "Thumbs Down" to get them to let me know if they need help. 

I often slow down and kind of point to 'em to get their reaction. It normally works.

Peaced

I remember when my stator disconnected while riding, and I didn't know it until I found myself on the side of the road with a dead battery. I was 1,000 miles from home, all my bags on the ground by the bike, and even had the seat off. And not one bike even slowed down...they just waved at me as they went by.

That day, my hand gesture for "Yes, I could have used some help" was my middle finger straight up in the air. >:)

But, sometimes, being the damsel in distress doesn't really suck! Over a week ago I found myself facing the task of pushing a bike uphill for half a mile in 95° heat (long story). Thankfully, someone DID stop to help. He was kinda cute, too! This past Sunday, we went out for a ride, stopped and had a picnic in the park (a surprise HE put together no less!), rode some more, and ended up having a couple drinks before going our separate ways. Tomorrow we have plans to get together again.

..and THATS the UK you are talking about too!  EXACTLY what you just said!

I usually slow way down and give them the thumbs up or down and they repond in kind. I once had a lady yell back at me "we don't need any help" at that time I put away my thumb and resorted to my finger. What a "B" I remember thinking.

I pulled off to the side of the road yesterday to get a pinch (between my cheek and gum). Wasnt there more than a minute when all of a sudden I hear somebody asking if I was ok. The guy pulled up on one of those new stealth bikes. I told him all was good and thanked him. If I would have heard him coming I would have just waved him on.Funny thing is I think I actually jumped when he started to talk to me.Guy had a nice looking all white goldwing but couldnt hear him coming or going.

I will pull over also for just about anyone like most here. I really don't care if they don't need assistance as I ran into one poor sole last year in Vermont and pulled over and wouldn't you know it his first comment was i'm the only one that had stopped yet. The rest just waved (like hi, no thumbs up or down) and passed by. Needless to say he was a little pissed and disappointed. He was right there were more then a few riders going by doing the same as we there along the side of the road with weekend gear all over the place and the bike apart.

So I've had more of my share of I'm ok's which is ok with me as its made up for when there is that one you can help.

This happened last week to me,slowed down to ask a rider if he was ok. He said no problems n thanks for asking,typically I just slow down n flip the visor n ask.The last 3 times I have slowed down to ask they all said thanks for asking,I just hope they pay it forwards !!!

When your on the freeway/highway if you leave your lid sittin by the front tire upside down,that is another way of indicating you need help.Usually folks zip bye,yet if they see the lid sitting there upside down it a good way to git their attention.Has anyone else heard of this distress signal?

I'm glad that you posted this. I'd never given it any thought when I'm pulled off to the side of the road. I'm guessing a lot of bikers don't know this. I'll definitely use the thumbs up or down signal from now on.

Had a chance to try this out, it worked well.

 – A lass was pulled over on the shoulder tweaking w/ something on her Sportster.

Always hesitate to approach females, am really big & something less than fair-of-face. - Frankly I scare the shi stuffing out of them. + Ulysses is industrial strength mean looking.

Pulled over on shoulder opposite and gave the “thumbs up/thumbs down” – She gave me a thumbs up & big smile. 

Hubby and I will normally either pull over or slow way down to check and see if help is needed. We do this when on the bikes or in the car.

I was surprised a couple weeks ago in the Dallas/Ft Worth area when somebody pulled over to check on me. I was busy getting a rain jacket out of my saddlebag and didn't see him until he was right in front of me.I just pointed at the thunderstorms a mile or so up the road and we took off together.

Where to you folks live? Geeze all the time I had troubles over the years strngs and string of bikes just blew past, at one point I sat for 4 hours hundreds if not thousands of bikes went by to or from Rolling Thunder and not question of dy ya need help, not one. I've never recieved help from anyone on a bike EVER, its always a dude with a baby. So there may be a few knights out there but there are far more passer-you-by- typse. I would love to be able to give thumb up or down but hell no one even slows down........................have a great one "T"

Bikers need to look out for one another because most cagers won't give you the time of day. Heck, we are lucky if they even see us. Thumbs up is a great way of letting a fellow biker know that all is well.

I would still rather pull over and not be needed than not pull over when I could have helped.

Yep same here. Even when driving in my truck I will not pass a bike - or even a car - stranded on the side of the road. I have even been on long empty roads and blew by someone before I realized they were there and turned around to go back and see if they needed help.

I'm glad I'm not the only one that does this. Just sorry, I wasn't around when you need help "T". I've always stoped when on a bike or in my cage. Sometimes I'm needed and sometimes I'm not, but I feel better knowing I tried. A thumbs up is all I need and I'm on my way.

After all, I am the one that runs towards the S#!t when everyone else is running away.

Medic

There are only a few of you here, but think of the hundreds of thousands out there, trust me I road old AMF junk that shit would just shake itself a part cause it could and felt like it. Shit the easy stuff was the mirriors that would just pop off the little ball thing and fly at ya eay deflect with the arm and take the ticket later, or fly gas gaps, but the stuff like blown tires, freaking broken brakes, slipping clutches that left ya sitting there as hundreds passed ya by. Hell when I pull over to read a map folks go by and don't say word boo still. Could it be cause I'am a female and they think my make "chauffer" is in the bushes? hell I don't know, but when I do get folks to want to help is usually when I'm already on the phone to help. Heck the flat I got last month, I was on the phone to the tow truck driver, when I guy pulls up in the gas station behind me at the air pump and tells me I need air in the back tire, really ya think? Then as I was tell the driver where I was located the dude was talking to me and didn't get I was talking to someone else, He wanted me to know he knew how to put air in my tire as if I didn't have a ******* clue that I had a flat really I just pushed a road king loaded for a weekend trip 2 mile into a gas station on a flat back tire and he wanted to tell me I needed after the fact. However later when he said wow this tire doesn't hold air your going to need a truck or tow or something, do ya know anyone? WTF man done had it coverd but thank you. But that was a record cause I don't think I was there for 30 minutes yet, usually its hours.............have a great one! "T"

I don't mind checking on folks...Has anybody else heard to tie a red rag from your left grip to signal to others you need help? I check because not everyone has a red rag handy for a signal.

T... I wonder how much this does vary from area to area. I know here in California and pretty much throughout the Southwest, I have never been on the side of the road without at least 1/2 the other riders (if not more) checking in some fashion to see if I needed help.

BlackTop - never heard that one. I have heard to set you hemet on the ground toward the rear upside down.