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Original poster

Rescued Today By a Man. Feeling very grateful

362 replies

NeverGoingToBeThinAgain · 12/02/2026 17:36

I have a reliable little car (had for 7 years old) and it has never given me any trouble. A few weeks ago I thought it was taking longer to start than usual and thought I better take it into kwik fit to get checked but then it seemed to be starting fine again and I have to admit it slipped down my priority list.

Today the battery died on me while I was out with the dog and had a full shop in the boot (with frozen stuff). In the interest of cutting costs/saving money I cancelled my green flag membership a few years ago. Mainly because I only drive about in our local town and hardly ever do long journeys now and also because up to now I've never had a days bother with my car.

Obviously I was regretting that today. I was sitting in my car helplessly trying to start it for 5 mins and coming to the conclusion I was probably going to have to phone up the AA and get charged a huge fee to join and get jump started.

I then realised the man at the next car along was talking to the shop worker and asking if he had jump leads to try and help me. I was so touched to realise this complete stranger was taking it upon himself to help me when I hadn't even asked.

Anyway shop worker said they weren't allowed to give us jump leads due to insurance but they sold them in shop. Shit - I had no money with me as I had just popped down to collect shopping (done online all paid for). Stranger Man was on phone to his mum asking how much jump leads were in Tesco and they were £15. He then went into shop and bought jump leads and insisted I take them home with me. That was after he used them to start my car. He had already diagnosed the problem while we were waiting.

I came home and cried because I couldn't believe how kind this man had been (I'm in my fifties and overweight, so not some hot young thing).

So if you are married to a train driver from Fife who shops at Tesco (his wife was a train driver too he said) your husband was my hero today. I'm back home now and of course will be taking out an AA membership before driving anywhere and also going to kwik fit to get the battery changed asap.

The man was also with his two young children and so it was not convenient for him to help me as he had to look after them and he had just collected his own shop too.

We read on here bad things about people all the time and I have to say I never expect kindness from strangers. So for all those that have lost faith in men (or people) this is my story for you.

Meanwhile I pledge to play it forward and help out someone just for the sake of it.

So Mr Train Driver from Fife. At Tesco's today at 4pm - thank you very much.

Anyone else like to share a nice story about help from a stranger

OP posts:
Original poster
NeverGoingToBeThinAgain · 15/02/2026 10:48

GrumpyUngulate · 14/02/2026 19:16

Thank you for sharing this. Since taking early retirement, I've enjoyed having the time to stop and offer help when I see a broken-down car. RAC & AA are often very slow, some people don't have any cover at all. I've fetched petrol, changed flat tyres and jump-started cars - it costs me 30mins at most, and helps me feel like I'm still a good & useful fellow.

How nice of you to help others and yes it is nice to feel useful. I'm retired too and I understand this. Keep up the good work!

OP posts:
Original poster
NeverGoingToBeThinAgain · 15/02/2026 10:49

DailyMaui · 14/02/2026 19:22

My brother is a genuine, lovely man. He looks like he'd mug you, but he'd do anything to help really.

Once a woman posted on the local Facebook page that she wanted to say thanks to the man who had helped her at the train station when she was feeling faint, then carried her bags all the way to her house which was the opposite way from his. He's a chatty lad, so she knew his very unusual first name and why he'd been on the train. Loads of people knew him and responded to her with tales of him helping them out. I was a proud sister that day.

What a nice brother! Well done to him.

OP posts:
AmusedGreyRaven · 15/02/2026 10:51

God bless him, that was truly a beautiful act of kindness. Reading your story really restored some faith in humanity, and it’s amazing how a stranger stepped in without hesitation just to help you. I had a similar experience recently when I was stuck and someone helped me without expecting anything in return, and your post reminded me of that moment again. It made me realise there are still genuinely good people out there. These small acts mean so much more than people realise. I’ll also try my best to pay it forward and help someone whenever I get the chance.

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Driving & parking
Original poster
NeverGoingToBeThinAgain · 15/02/2026 10:52

cassie2and2 · 15/02/2026 08:30

was at an out of town shopping area, came out of a shop and the rain was coming down in stair rods, stood and looked at the rain (under shop canopy) when a man dashed over putting an umbrella up over me.......did i say thank you...... no, just....thanks I have my own umbrella........still feel guilty to this day.

this reminds me of the old adverts for impulse body spray in the eighties. 'Men can't help acting on impulse'

You might be too young to remember them but your post just took me right back.

OP posts:
Original poster
NeverGoingToBeThinAgain · 15/02/2026 10:54

GaIadriel · 15/02/2026 03:00

What a legend! It's always worth having some jump leads as it's much harder to find somebody with a set than it is to find somebody who'll let you quickly connect to their battery.

Hope you ran the engine for a bit to recharge it else it might not start next time. If you didn't then I'd try and start it ASAP and go for a good drive.

Yes I was worried it would not start yesterday to get me to kwik fit to get the new battery. It was a bit stuttery but thankfully did start and I got my new battery with no drama.

OP posts:
Original poster
NeverGoingToBeThinAgain · 15/02/2026 10:56

Horsedoglover59 · 15/02/2026 08:27

'look at asdas breakdown recovery. it’s £75 for the year or thereabouts and just as good as the aa only half the price."

I was going to say that I'm with Green Flag, they've always been helpful if I've needed them and I pay about £10 a month.

Helpful people seem to exist everywhere, I was saying to my sister on the phone that people seem to be kinder now than they were. My partner of 31years died just before Christmas, he was quite a bit older than me, and even when he was unwell, little things that people did mattered so much to us. We have a young man with a large family living close to us and he couldn't have been kinder or more helpful to both of us. I usually go out for breakfast now to see people as much as having coffee in a well known coffee chain, and recently, unfortunately dissolved into tears. The waitress came over and comforted me and the man queuing to get his coffee asked them to get me whatever I was having, but he was gone before I could even thank him. I'm very lucky, I have family and friends even if not local, on text and phone. My late partner was very good at helping others when he was healthy, I remember us shopping in Tescos and wheeling our trolley full of shopping back to the car, and him seeing a girl struggling with a pushchair and shopping and asking if he could help, and he took her shopping back to the car and folded up the wheelchair and put it in the car for her. He was a good man.

He sounds lovely. RIP. Glad others are helping you out now.

OP posts:
Original poster
NeverGoingToBeThinAgain · 15/02/2026 11:00

BlackBeltInOrigami · 15/02/2026 10:42

Would you be ok if someone shared a screenshot of your post to Fife Jammers group? Maybe that would be seen by him?

I don't want to embarrass the guy though. He probably just wants to get on with his life in peace. I wouldn't be surprised if his wife or mum doesn't read it here anyway.

OP posts:
Original poster
NeverGoingToBeThinAgain · 15/02/2026 11:01

mondaytosunday · 14/02/2026 22:04

My Dad was this kind of person. Saw a couple lads fighting and stopped the car to intervene - dodgy area and they were black and he was white (and middle aged) but he didn’t hesitate - they were really going at it.
There are good men out there. My Dad was one, my late husband another.

gosh how brave of him.

OP posts:
Original poster
NeverGoingToBeThinAgain · 15/02/2026 11:02

KJD2025 · 14/02/2026 21:57

I just love this - people in general are intrinsically good! We need to remember this, especially when we’ve have had weeks of shittiness!. And I really believe there are more of us than there are of ‘them’ xx

I hope so.

OP posts:
Original poster
NeverGoingToBeThinAgain · 15/02/2026 11:05

Thanks to everyone who has posted. I've read your post even if I haven't replied to it personally. I didn't expect such a huge response but clearly this man's act of kindness has touched many of your hearts. Nice to see a few men on it as well.

OP posts:
GlosGirl82 · 15/02/2026 12:31

That’s lovely! I am never surprised by stranger’s kindness - I actually think that most people, most of the time want to be kind and help. He sounds like a keeper!

Katie0909 · 15/02/2026 12:35

It's always so nice to hear about kindness from strangers and decent men. My husband's always disappearing off to help someone - once he got home really late after going back the other way on a motorway to help a stranded family and another time I totally lost him abroad as he picked up a pushchair to help a woman down into the subway. He may not be tidy and helpful at home but at least I know he's decent in public!

Katie0909 · 15/02/2026 12:39

Also, you can get jump starters which are more powerful than jump leads off another car battery and mean you can do it without needing another car. You just need to keep them charged up from the cigarette lighter. I'd highly recommend them after my car was started by one after it failed to start from another car.

bettyboo9 · 15/02/2026 13:55

your post made my day. So beautiful, restores faith in humanity. There really are beautiful people out there, so glad you were on the receiving end of a beautiful experience. Kudos to you both ☺️

wouldratherstickpinsineyes · 15/02/2026 14:58

Many years ago I lived overseas. Had driven with my parents and 3dds (ages 1, 7 & 9) to neighbouring country. Was driving around a huge roundabout in the centre of the last big town before our last overnight stop on the way home, and smoke started coming out from under the dash - got everyone out but this was in an African country and a group of very dodgy looking hawkers started approaching the vehicle. I was terrified they were going to rob us, but one of them realised what had happened and told the rest to back off. Turned out he’d worked as an auto electrician and he traced the fault to my handbrake rubbing on the wiring. He patched it up enough for us to get in our way, and whilst he was doing this a very posh lady in a very expensive car stopped in front of our vehicle and came to make sure we were all ok - she wanted to pay for us to stay in a hotel nearby whilst the car was being fixed so I didn’t have to drive to the next town where we were staying. Two people from literally the opposite extremes of life who both just wanted to make sure we were all safe. 20 years ago and I’ll never forget either of them.

Sadworld23 · 15/02/2026 15:52

Hrft, kind thing he did.

But great tip, carry jump leads, you can nearly always find a car to jump from, but not everyone carries leads.
It also gives you great street cred with neighbours and colleagues when you say, yes I'll get my leads out, no problem. Suppose the EV crowd have different issues but regular petrol and diesel drivers, definitely recommend.

crazeekat · 15/02/2026 17:14

U might get a better chance to thank him or show ur appreciation by putting a Facebook post up x

Daisythepussycat · 15/02/2026 21:51

Do yourself a favour and find a nice little friendly honest local garage rather than Kwikfit!

MoonChild111 · 15/02/2026 22:09

What a star!!!! Lovely to hear he helped you 😁

ChiaraRimini · 16/02/2026 09:15

that’s lovely OP. Don’t beat yourself up about the AA membership- they can be very slow to come out so it may not have helped. I’m not sure it’s worth the money. Halfords can come and fit a battery on your driveway so you don’t need to drive the car to kwikfit.
Do try and find a local garage that you can trust for future repairs and servicing though.

Skibbgirl · 16/02/2026 09:54

It is so lovely to hear about the good things that happen. There are some truly great folk out there but, sadly, good news is often viewed as 'no news'. We should all try to be more 'Train Driver from Fife'! 😀

GrumpyUngulate · 16/02/2026 12:03

400rider · 14/02/2026 19:18

There are knights in armour still. Being a biker I find it strange that all sorts will stop to offer assistance, if I’m alone, but if it’s my husband on the side of the road, he gets little attention.
I was left with my husband’s bike once while he walked to get help and I had a car of four old ladies (I do mean old, 2 walking frames in the boot) offered help with their tool kit. Other bikers I’ll accept help, but never from van drivers or guys in flash cars.

It’s not usually my bike that breaks down, it’s usually his, and always when I borrow it!

That's a shame. I'm a biker too, and I always stop if I see someone who appears to have broken down or crashed. I've experienced the reverse more than once, and been very grateful for the help.

Magnificentbeast · 16/02/2026 13:25

Thank you for sharing. Would be good to hear more stuff like this more often.

Ratatouillenights · 16/02/2026 18:18

Thank you for sharing your lovely story about that kind soul. There are many about but often their kindness is rebuffed by those who are cynical or bitter, or both.
What a blessing he was in your moment crisis ☺️

Horsedoglover59 · 16/02/2026 19:32

Well add one to the number of people now with jump leads in their car. I wouldn't know how to attach them but I would certaintly offer them to anyone broken down (plus my car to attach them to obviously!)

Just so you know for the future and maybe can be of help to someone else!
If someone needs jump starting :
Get both cars as close together as possible, battery to battery.
Make sure both cars are turned OFF
Then put the jump leads first on the car that is being jumped from - very easy black lead is NEGATIVE - and the Red lead is POSITIVE +
The batteries usually have either red and black terminals or + and - signs on them. Put the black lead on the minus clipping them onto the battery terminals then attach in the same way to the car battery that's not working. Then start the car that's working and let it run for a few moments. Then have the driver increase the revs for a little while, then while it's still revving, try to start the other car. It may take a few attempts depending on how flat the battery is. If successful remove the leads from the cars - be very careful not to let the clips touch each other! And make sure you keep the car that's had the flat battery running, best thing for it is to take it for a fairly long whizz for a few miles up a dual carriageway or similar, where you can legally get a bit of speed up. Batteries tend to flatten quickly if they're just pottering a mile or two to the shops etc, they need to be used! Hope this is helpful.