The cycling community is a helpful bunch.

[peterlip]

Murphies law strikes again. I had a flat on the weekend (faulty tube, but that's a whole other story), and used my last tube. At the same time I rearranged my saddle bags of my two bikes, and I don't know what I was thinking, but left both puncture repair kits in the one bag. Of course, it was the bag that wasn't on the commuter bike.
This of course I didn't know, until riding in this morning.
It was my first ride since the weekend, and I was actually thinking about the tubes I needed to buy at lunch today, when I got that horrible feeling that the back wheel wasn't as stable as it should be. Sure enough, flat.
I stopped, removed the wheel, managed to extract the tube and find the hole. During this time, I think FOUR cyclist slowed and asked if I needed a hand. I thanked them, and waved them on. Then I discovered no repair kit.
I took all of 30 seconds for another cyclist to ask if I needed a hand.
I had to confess my unpreparedness, and he helped me with a spot of glue, and a patch.
I thanked him, and off he went. While I was putting it all back together, two more people asked if I needed a hand.
I this point, I have to add that I'm a 40yo not-so-attractive guy, and I'd like to think that I didn't look that helpless, but it's nice to know that the cycling community is looking out for one another.
Thanks everyone who offered, and did, help this morning.

[thomas_cho]

I myself would not enjoy being stranded with a flat or other mechanical problems, so I always ask if I can help when I see cyclists on the side of the road.

Of course the favor has been returned as well.

So far, 99% of cyclists I have come across are nice and wave, or just nod/wave as we ride past.

One not so nice experience, was copping some snot from a cyclist ahead of me.

[::dom::]

I always stop and ask if a stranded cyclist needs help, even if I'm driving. I usually have a track pump and and roll-up tool kit in my vehicle (used for cycling support on the weekends). I've only needed help once when I forgot my frame pump and got a puncture. This was 5am on the Paramatta Rd in Sydney on Good Friday morning. Apart from a few motorists the only other person I saw on my 5km walk back to the place I was staying, was a guy carrying a full size crucifix in bare feet.