Being a good person

[Zenzone]

So I got to thinking today after I helped a random person change their tire that I bet the guys on CCB have tons of cool stories from when they helped a person out. Owning and working on our Bronco's have taught us many things, so tell your story about when you used your skills to help out a complete stranger just because you could. Please share your stories about when you went out of your way to help a random person, either off road or in the city. I know we have a lots of great people on this forum and I'm sure we can all recall that time when we were someone's savior and helped them out. Its all about Karma in this world. I know I have helped lots of people with their stuck cars and I have had people stop to help me.

I will start with my story from today. So today I was at a golf course in Phoenix, AZ and after I was done playing golf (about 6:45, close to the last person to leave) I headed out to my car, and I see two guys trying to fix a flat/shredded tire on a Ford truck. I Looked over at them as they seemed to be struggling and I asked if they needed a hand. They said sure, do you have a jack? So I take my Honda Accord jack over and see what the issue is. The tire tread had started to peel off and to make matters worse it was his spare tire he had put on a few days before. The tire was just dead from dry rot and should have never been used. So now the only option was to jack the truck up and take the tire off. They wanted to see if his buddies Dodge truck spare would fit (since all tire shops close around 5). I doubted it would but they wanted to try so I let them. So we tried it, it was just a faction to big to fit correct but they insisted if they tightened it down it would go past the threads. Well it did and as we all know it messed up the threads some, but it worked enough for us to limp his truck down to the local Big O Tires (only a mile or two away) in hopes they would still be there to fix it. Luckly they were and got the correct tire and rim back on even though they were closed for an hour already. So with our makeshift fix the guy was able to get home (20 miles away) for the night safe and sound. Good thing I was there to lend them a hand and keep them from really screwing up or hurting themselves and others. Who knows what they would have done maybe tried to drive it home like that. It felt good to help the guys even though they didn't do it the correct way or the way I would have.

I can't count on one hand how many times I have used my jumper cables to jump peoples dead cars. I know every time I'm on the trails and I see a truck thats broken or stuck I stick around to help. Only exception is if they are really drunk and posing a danger to me if I stay. I have used my winch to help pull people out if they are stuck and even give them a tow off to trail if it cant be fixed. The strangest event I can remember is from nearly 10 years ago when my dad and I towed a flooded Bronco II out of Caribou Trail. The guy was going across the creek (only two feet deep) and was not sure he would make it so he gunned it across and flooded the engine. The guy was clueless but we still helped him out. It was pretty funny to see the Early Bronco pulling the Bronco II out.

Another interesting story was when my dad and I went to Rampart Range to ride our ATV's in the snow. Well as we were about to load our ATV's up to go home here come the Search and Rescue team. They said there was a rider that was about 5 to 7 miles in and needed emergency help and could we take them in on our ATV's (the road was closed for the snow season so only ATV trails Open). Without a doubt we helped them and when we got there the girl was seriously injured from rolling her ATV without any safety gear. It was her first time ever riding. She couldn't feel her legs and they took her out on a flight for life helicopter.

Another story is from when my girlfriend and I went camping on seven mile trail (near Fort Collins) in her CRV. We were heading out after a night of camping to find the Big Horn Sheep Club working with the Forest Rangers to recover a rolled vehicle. It had rolled hundreds of feet. The guy was also taken to the hospital in a Flight For Life helicopter because he had broken his spine. They used several vehicles and winches to get it off the trail with the least damage possible Picture below. It was pretty cool to be part of this recovery.

I know I have more stories and I will post them as I remember them. Lets hear those stories guys!!!

[gslack]

back in july my dad and i went camping and we had got my bronco just three months prior, and these dudes who had just bought an international scout ran out of gas halfway up the mountain at tailor resevior. so when we were going over the pass to tailor resevoir we stopped and we gave them our five gallons of gas.

[777mechanic]

i did something i've not really told many people about , my son had a friend in jr. high how used to come over and would never smile and would't eat after getting now him i found out that he problems with his teeth and was embarrassed to smile and eat in front of people . so after knowing him for 2 years i could see the he was very shy and introverted . so i went to the kids orthodontist to setup a plan to tell him i won a golf tournament and the prize was free braces , knowing his parents made very little money but where proud parents and would never let me do it , so hence the tournament . my payoff was to see this kid change in high school to an out going and confident kid . it's the greatest payoff i've ever had in my life what it cost me is nothing as to what it has done for him since he graduated high school . i know it's not 4x4 helping but that's my story .

[Brianut]

A good many years ago when i was in High school oout in California we would go play at Pismo Dunes(now called Oceano dunes)
Had my 92 Big Bronco and some buddies were cruising around.
one of the main sand "roads" out of the back area was blocked by 2 sand rails that were stuck.
1 Stuck and his buddy trying to pull him out and up the hill (down was a fence) with a peice of dry rotten dental floss.
it was tied in many knots from where it keft breaking.
Other folks were pissed, honking horns yelling to get outa the way etc.
we had no where to be asked if they wanted help, Huge yes was their reply.
hooked up my proper strap, 4 low with 10 lbs in the tires and that tiny buggy was easily inched outa his self dug hole and back onto the sand road where they thanked us and offered money
(common as a dune tow truck bill is expensive)

We politely denied and told them to just pay it forward some day.

lotsa other similiar stories, pay it forward is the only payment needed.
Someday it might be me (has been, dead alternator as one example)

crazy thing is when you stop to help someone and they get all paranoid and worried you are there to do them harm. Sad people have become that way (predators) causing others to shy away from help when needed.

[Zenzone]

Thanks guys for all your stories. They made me smile when I went through and read them. Sorries like this are good to hear about, it gives me hope there is still lots of good in the world. I knew my fellow bronco owners and friends were good people. I get tired of hearing only about how the economy and world are tough these days. Yes I know they are but when people are good to each other and pay it forward we can help each other.

gslack-- Great story, I bet you made those guys day and they will do the same for someone else.

zillacon-- I bet you have a ton of good stories, cant wait to hear them. I bet that lady never forgot how to put the jeep in 4 low again. Its funny how often those on board air systems come in handy.

777mechanic-- Thats a great story, I'm glad you shared it with us. That was a great thing you did for that boy, you really helped him out. Taking the time to get to know somebody can make all the difference in the world to them.

Brianut-- I have seen that same situation before when people would rather complain than get out and help. I personally love the challenge of trying to get a stuck vehicle free. It is sad that our society has changed to where people feel they could be preyed on when they are stuck and get robbed. Pay it forward is the best motto, thats what I always say when people offer money.

[Zenzone]

Oh Brianut your story reminds me of another story. So a few years back my family and I were down at Rampart Range riding our ATV's when we found a guy who needed some help with his broken atv. He was about 5 miles down the trail when we found him. He didn't want to leave his ATV there while he went to get parts to fix it, so we gave him a pull out to his truck. I used my Polaris 425 expedition to pull him, it did amazing going up those hills with dead weight (he had a big ATV). The guy offered me money for helping him out, I told him no thanks it was fun. He kept insisting so I told him there was a donations box at the entrance to the trails and to put it in there on his way out. To this day I don't know for sure if he did put the money in the donation box but I would like to believe he payed it forward and it went to helping to keep the trails open.

Another story I remember is from the winter of I think 2007 when it snowed like three feet and closed down the airport for a week. Well the first night it snowed the roads got so slick and snowy that many people during rush hour going home from work could not get home and were getting stuck. We went around pulling people out left and right. We got to 92nd and Wadsworth and there were numerous cars backed up for a few miles because they couldn't get up the hill going southbound on Wadsworth. The police were there trying to give cars pushes up the hill and everything. So myself and another random built offroad rig pulled cars up the hill. The other guy even ended up pulling a large tow truck up the hill. The tow truck was so heavy and stuck the guy had to use full throttle and snow flying everywhere to get the tow truck up the hill. His truck was way more built than mine in the drivetrain so i let him do it. We were able to clear all the cars from the road and the police shut down the road for the night. It was so fun to help out.

Keep the stories coming guys.

[Moab Mike]

I pulled a girl out of a burning car one time after her boyfriend wrapped it around a telephone poll one time. He punched it just about the time he ran through a water puddle. Both were in pretty bad shape but he was able to get out on his own, I left when the cops showed up to investigate the accident.
I have helped countless mom's holding baby's and toddlers with loading and unloading their groceries or hardware store purchases. They appreciate that very much. They like it too when they're trying to unload the grocery cart at the check out counter.
I used to to rude to homeless people because I always thought they wanted to in the predicament they were in. Not anymore, I give enough to get a meal when I can, I don't really care what they spend the money on.