The Kindness of Strangers

[Colin Morgan]

Yesterday evening on the way back from a short run out, my Ruby's engine suddenly became unwell.  Fortunately I was close to a local petrol station, so I pulled onto the edge of the forecourt and switch off.  

I had look under the bonnet.  Clear blue coolant was dripping from the carburettor inlet!  No chance of starting the engine again - so I would need recovering (for the first time).

A driver from one of the cars filling up on the forecourt came across.  He said he was a trainee mechanic, asked me what was dripping, and we discussed possible diagnoses.  He then kindly offered to use his old Fiesta tow me home.  Using a long piece of strapping I always carry, the car was back in the garage fifteen minutes later.  He said he was pleased to have been able to help - saying 'I will probably never get the chance to do this again'.  

Today, when I removed the head, the gasket had a chunk missing between cylinders two and three.  There is also some water in the oil - which wasn't there when I checked yesterday before the run.  Now I think about it, there had been a bit more 'condensation' than usual from the exhaust whilst warming up - but that had been the only sign of the impending trouble.  The engine has been in the car since before 1970, so there is always the potential for problems - for example, I have no idea of the state of the 3-bearing crank - however, the head gasket was last renewed in 2017 when no.3 big end bearings were replaced with the engine in the car.  

So, I was lucky to be opposite somewhere ideal to stop, and even more lucky on a quiet evening to have someone on the spot who was willing and able to help, and even better that it was someone in their 20s taking an intelligent interest?

[Nick Salmon]

Great story. I am a strong believer that what goes around, comes around. He  will benefit from that some day...

[Peter Naulls]

I have been on the receiving end of similar kindness several times. Once a teenage couple in a boy-racer Ford stayed with me whilst I carried out roadside repairs to my Mini very late at night - they were concerned for my safety as it was an area where there had been several muggings. Very heartwarming and it taught me not to judge people by their age or appearance.

I hope your repairs go smoothly.

[gezparton]

When on our several travels with Josie and Poppy I have always been amazed at the kindness of strangers. Even just stopping to see if we are alright and not just older motorists!
When in Brittany several years ago Josies gear stick broke and a Breton, with very inquisitive goats and a welding set, helped me repair it.
I offered him 20euros and he declined giving me his mobile number to contact him on my safe arrival home.

[Graham Barker]

I have been surprised several times by the generosity of trades people when they know they are helping keep an old Austin 7 on the road. An automotive paint supplier gave me a small can of paint for touching-up, including old-fashioned colour matching by eye free of charge. A weld testing laboratory crack-tested two steering arms free of charge. In those cases I made a donation to the guys alledgedly for their social clubs. There are some other instances too.
There was no such free help with the Jaguars that used to own.

[Andrew Fallon]

In August 1970, I picked up my recently acquired Seven to drive it from Witton Gilbert over to the Netherlands.
Just south of Durham, I had to stop on the hard shoulder of the A1 to change a flat tyre. Before I could even loosen the wheel nuts, a heavy goods vehicle had pulled over behind me, protecting us from oncoming traffic. The driver wielded a massive hydraulic jack and the F1-style pit stop was over and done with in a flash.
This kind and thoughtful stranger’s non-verbal response to my words of gratitude was simply a whopping great smile which accompanied me for the rest of the two-day, thousand km drive.

[Duncan Grimmond]

It used to be standard fare when I was a biker(old British bikes break down!), one never passed a biker in a lay-by or at the side of the road without exchange of thumbs up or down. A biker pulled over when I broke down in the BSA trike the other week... I'm pleased to say it still seems to obtain in classic car and bike worlds though not with moderns. Not surprising really, there's not much under the bonnets of modern cars I could recognise and/or repair!