Pause for thought & appreciate yer buddies!

[Rock Ape]

This morning something happened that made me reflect on friendships and old friends in particular. approx 04.30 i was wakened to my wife saying "Someones been stabbed !" I looked out of the bedroom window to see a group of lads all standing around a lad on the floor who was screaming "Help me Chris, I've been stabbed, oh god help me!" I watched as this lads assailant then kicked the victim in the head and ran off. Whilst this was happening a group of about 6 lads all stood around with no offer of help at all. (Later found out these were his so called friends) I Grabbed my dressing gown n fluffy slippers (Dont laugh!!) told Mrs ape to get some towels and ran outside, called an ambulance and started to apply the dressing as a compress to stop the flow of blood. (Two wound to the stomach n kidney's) by this time the lad had passed out, so i woke him and awaited the ambulance, police ,etc. (Found out since he's on life support) What got to me the most and leads me to this is the fact that all the time this was going on the 6 lads (Chavs i might ad) were this youths so called friends and all i could here were them trying to get there story sorted out for the police. I even asked them to give me something a shirt,jacket anything to cover the wound. "Get blood on my jacket, Its Cold,etc" ?????????? What?? These were these lads m8's. Fuck the Jacket n the cold. Save his life!!!! Then i started to think about some mates that i had, close mates and good friends. friends that i've lost through club/ patch Politics. In a way my own fault and through threats of a certain nature were distance was best for all. I dont need to explain this and i dont expect simpathy. But it made me think, if this was to happen to me? who'd be there? Could i put my trust in the people that i know now? The answer is no! I don't mean i'd be left to die or have help when needed. But who are your friends? I will miss my friends for the rest of my life, the laughs, the comradery, the rides, the falls. So when your out with your's take time to remember they are your friends and appreciate them. Because you never know when they wont be there? I know that if what i witnessed was in the biking fraternity, then the cold would not have come into it...Thats the way we are, thats who and what we are and thats not why i just enjoy riding bikes i enjoy been a biker and the people i meet. The people that even if you dont no them, you can sit by there fire and talk about what we all have in coman..Our way of life! Anyway thats my essay over, just made me reflect and needed to get it off my chest! Ta!

[Sir Ewok]

I don't think there is any closer bond between peeps (except in the forces, where it is literally a matter of life and death) than between bikers. Went to the Farmyard for the 100% meet a couple of years back and stopped twice for bikers we thought were in trouble. As it happens they wern't but appreciated somebody stopping for them. Been in a few shoite situations, where I was glad to be a biker and not a norm. What you describe above is just one example of 'modern yoof' though they are not all the same.

[kitkatman]

always apriciated my buddies, i've helped them out and they have helped me, took a kicking because of one being a twat! but forgave....
why....because there myy friends

[mr.chaz]

There's "them that do and them that don't" in any walk of life - not just bikers.
I take my hat off to you Mr.Rockape - and would "stand your corner " any day of the week.
huge respect to you.....

[Bosun]

Mr chaz says it well


in the end you did what you felt was right... well done to you

[krammer]

well done ra. it would have been easy to just shut your curtains and 'not get involved' you deserve tremendous credit for what you did by possibly saving the lads life. it is also true that the bond amongst bikers is a phenonenom that i'm not sure exist's any where else and it is important that we all strive to keep it that way.

[saxman]

well done that man...

[pete lee]

well done ra and you certainly have made me think about my present mates and give me the kick up the arse to get in touch with some of the past ones
again well done and thanks

[STEViE]

Here's to good mates everywhere. My mates, your mates an' our mates.

CHEERS !!

There really ain't nuthin' better :)

Has to be said once more. Well done Rock Ape (you from Gib by any chance ?).
I hope the guy lives to realise what a bunch of to55ers his so called mates are.

[Friar Tuck]

Well done RA! Not defending any of his mates here, but you do have military training, which makes hell of a difference! But no excuse for them to ignore the poor bloke and try and get their story right. I'm surprised they hung around and didn't bugger off!

[memnoch]

it is also true that the bond amongst bikers is a phenonenom that i'm not sure exist's any where else and it is important that we all strive to keep it that way.

Said it before and I'll keep on saying it...'True Bikers are the best peeps in the world and there is a common bond that is unconditional. I'm proud to have been a biker for nearly 30 years and will continue to be one until my last breath. As someone else has already said too, the only other community where I have found a similar bond has been the forces.

Well done to ya RA - huge respect m8, and no worries, here's one who would back ya!

[Bag Lady]

I also say well done Rock Ape....I can also say that bikers are unique among friends.

When I met Shep 20 months ago I had a couple of "problems" I wont go into them here - just suffice to say I suffered abuse as a child. I had never been able to relax and enjoy parties,work do's, and had serious problems at events that combined drink, drunks and men I did not know. (Good canditate for rallies then......) Sheps friends were BRILLIANT...they did not ask questions - they just accepted me like no other "friends" I had ever had did. Eventually I was able to explain to some of them why I reacted to certain situations as I did. It made no difference - they seemed to know instinctivley that I needed protection and were there for me. Some of them got so attuned that even before I realised I was in trouble one of them would steer me smartly into the "Ladies" where I could "count to ten - take a deep breath and face the crowd again".
I have now dispensed with pills, counselling and everything. I can let my hair down at rallies, go to pubs and stay over at parties - this is ALL down to bikers. I know I will be safe cos you are all great people. You all gave me back my life - THANKS from the bottom of my heart.

[Rock Ape]

To all the replys! Thankyou for your comments and it only reinforces what i said and to use a well known Frog saying (But, very,very true) All for 1 and 1 for all! As for the Lad, he is still on Life support and critical. As for what i did i dont feel special, i just did what i would hope someone would do for me? Without thought & Without selfish reason. (That could have been one of my 4 daughters lying there after all)

[BikerGran]

What everyone else said.

I don't really have 'close' biking buddies, cos I'm married to a non-biker and it makes a difference, also I don't belong to that kind of club.

But when I went to the Hex rated rally back in October I was walking badly with a stick cos I was about to have an op on my leg, and even amongst a crowd of drunken bikers I felt safer than I do in the local shopping centre!

They didnt know me, they didn't know what my problems were, but they saw the stick and made sure I has a chair, made sure that the even drunker ones didnt knock me over, helped me put my tent up.....

Best folks I've ever met, bikers!

[Mitch]

Mrs R sez:

Wide words indeed BG, I also feel safer at bike rallies than I do out and about in general. Our last house in Horsham was like being in the middle of a war zone, I wouldn't even let the cats out at weekends.
Me and Mitch always get involved if we can. I remember giving someone mouth to mouth resuscitation in Guildford once when a guy had a heart attack in front of me, I was stunned and amazed when as I was doing this people were walking around us and stepping over us without a second glance. I'm pleased to say the guy lived :)
Another time I stopped to rescue a cat someone had run over and put in on my coat to transport it to the vet, someone actually stopped and said, "You can't put that on your coat, it'll be ruined" :confused: :confused: Bloody hell, what's more important - a living thing or a piece of material that can be dry cleaned - feckin' mental!

[Grav]

With friends like that, who needs enemies.......... :mad: How the hell anyone could stand back and do nothing while their 'friend' is being stabbed is beyond belief. What the hell is wrong with these callous bastards? :mad:

Respect to you, Rock Ape, for your actions. It makes me glad I chose to be a member of the biking fraternity.

[Sir Ewok]

I also say well done Rock Ape....I can also say that bikers are unique among friends.

When I met Shep 20 months ago I had a couple of "problems" I wont go into them here - just suffice to say I suffered abuse as a child. I had never been able to relax and enjoy parties,work do's, and had serious problems at events that combined drink, drunks and men I did not know. (Good canditate for rallies then......) Sheps friends were BRILLIANT...they did not ask questions - they just accepted me like no other "friends" I had ever had did. Eventually I was able to explain to some of them why I reacted to certain situations as I did. It made no difference - they seemed to know instinctivley that I needed protection and were there for me. Some of them got so attuned that even before I realised I was in trouble one of them would steer me smartly into the "Ladies" where I could "count to ten - take a deep breath and face the crowd again".
I have now dispensed with pills, counselling and everything. I can let my hair down at rallies, go to pubs and stay over at parties - this is ALL down to bikers. I know I will be safe cos you are all great people. You all gave me back my life - THANKS from the bottom of my heart.

My second wife had been abused by her father (along with her sister) as a child sexually, physically and mentally. She was violent and used to hit me when she could not express herslf. I used to let her because knew that when she had worked the rage out, she would be able to tell me what was bothering her. I helped her get therapy and finally hypnotherapy and she said that it might change her and the way she thought of me. I said her welfare and happiness was more important than our relationship. It did change her and we ended up divorced, last week I met her for the first time in ages and she is doing very well.

MITCH
I remember when I was 17 (many years ago) and we were down in Brighton waiting for the 'festivities' to kick off and a geezer collapsed in the street. It looked like he was having a stroke and I took my leather off and put it under his head while a mate went to look for a phone (or a copper, not too hard to find then). Meanwhile people were stepping over us, tut-tutting about drunks and hooligans, without bothering to stop and help or find out what had happened. Peeps, especially norms don't give a flying fuck about each other and are only too willing to think the worst. My parents bought me up right and I couldn't leave anybody laying on the pavement, wether they are a mate or a stranger.....

[Sir Ewok]

Just thought of something that happened a few months ago. I black guy approached me at the local Tescos at around 2am asking for directions to a local hotel. I knew it well and tried to give him directions, but it is a difficult place to find, especially in the dark. get in i said and took him to the door. he was so grateful that he offered me some petrol money, which I declined. I asked him to help somebody else if he got the opportunity, that way a good deed goes on forever.....

[memnoch]

Just thought of something that happened a few months ago. I black guy approached me at the local Tescos at around 2am asking for directions to a local hotel. I knew it well and tried to give him directions, but it is a difficult place to find, especially in the dark. get in i said and took him to the door. he was so grateful that he offered me some petrol money, which I declined. I asked him to help somebody else if he got the opportunity, that way a good deed goes on forever.....

Yeah, I'm a great believer in the 'Pay it Forward' method...who knows, it might take off. They may write a book about it or produce a film even... :p

Ok seriously, it's a good method.

[GarrysPhrogg]

last year there was a young girl in and out of our shop all day with her friends (some of em think we're a bloody youth club LOL) anyway I heard her say to one of her pals "Im dead, i cant go home now, he'll kill me" well she was on about her dad who had told her to be in by 2.30pm and now it was 2.45pm anyway about one hour later, i was looking out of the shop window and saw this bloke dragging her and all her friends scarpered, he was built like a body builder and she was a tiny thing, he was banging her head of a wall and puncking her in the face (obviously not full strength otherwise she would have died) but nevertheless it horrified me, (i was brought up on mega beatings by an alcoholic mother) so I ran outside screaming for this man to get off her, he told me to "f_uck off and mind my own, shes my f_uckin daughter" he carried on hitting her and dragging her, so I shouted mike from in the shop and these lads to help her, well they did approach hgim but they were all scared of him, he was sat on her and challenging us all, we were all calling the police and the poklice still never came, he dragged her off around the corner and took her home, talking to her pals and her later i discover ythis is regular for her and it makes me so so sad cos I know, ive been there. I still feel crap that I couldn't do anything, but she comes in my shop still and I talk to her, shes still at home, her dad has pubs in darlington and aparently people and police fear him, but I dont fear him not one bit, he comes in my shop from time to time buying stuff for his daughter, and if i thought it wouldnt affect her I wouldnt let him in, but I thought about the implications on her and I know thres nothing I can do except offer her a friendly smile when she comes in and she knows she can talk to me whenever she wants, she will be ok.

[Rock Ape]

I know thres nothing I can do except offer her a friendly smile when she comes in and she knows she can talk to me whenever she wants, she will be ok.[/QUOTE]

Thats all you can do and though she might not say it, you are probably a sanctuary and she knows that. where for a brief time she has some respite and can forget her worries. we all need a place like this and weather it's at home, on the telephone or in a shop, its welcome and she will know that.

[Sir Ewok]

That's why i love this place so much, whenever I am on a downer or the pain gets too much, I can come on here and I'm guaranteed a smile from the guys and gals that haunt this forum. listening and sharing is important, it's what seperates us from the animals. A good heart and a caring soul is worth more than gold. If we can help just one person in our lifetime, then our lives are not wasted. selfish peeps don't know how to live, just to spend....