Rescued Today By a Man. Feeling very grateful

[NeverGoingToBeThinAgain]

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

Oh thank goodness. I have a huge fear of my wee dog getting run over.

So many lovely and kind men. I had no idea.

I am always put off any men who aren't kind to animals. I think it says alot!

That's so nice of him, nice to see there are still kind people in the world.

I had a guy few days back who was an absolute star, he made a difficult situation easier on me. I emailed his company he worked for how amazing he was

so nice. How awful it is that we feel anxious when men approach us to offer help. Not me today because I was in a safe place and the man had small children with him. In a situation like yours though you want help but are scared in case they are up to no good. How sad the bad people make us all scared.

I remember the AA had an advert for a while that went 'to our members we're the fourth emergency service'. I thought that was a good and meaningful message to get across in their advertising.

I've never heard of them I admit. I will look them up tomorrow when I am investigating. Thanks for the tip.

how nice. Being sick is horrible.

going to have a busy day tomorrow with all these good tips that people are offering. It's really nice to see such a supportive mumsnet thread.

I love all of these stories. Many years ago my flashy for me car broke down on the box junction equivalent (we call them filters) at rush hour. Loads of cars overtook, sounded their horns and drove on. A lovely man in a lorry stopped, got out and after speaking to me, stopped other cars and got the drivers out to help him push my car. The following day I entered his details into a radio competition and he won! My late dad always used to stop at the bus stop and offer people a lift.

i always try to be kind - when walking always say good morning thinking that some people live alone and I might be the only person that speaks to them all day.

how nice. Small acts can make a huge difference to the lives of others.

I have to admit if I see someone with a buggy struggling to get on a bus I always try and help them as it looks so difficult.

What a brave and well brought up boy.

You are obviously doing a great job with him.

Gosh - they really do surprise us sometimes don't they.

To all the men reading this don't be scared to ask us if we need help when we are stuck. We do really appreciate it.

It's quite humbling isn't it. Strangers coming to your rescue.
Especially if you are divorced/widowed etc (like I am and you are) as you do feel more vulnerable.

goodness small world. How nice though you got to thank him.

That is so lovely. My husband once broke down in works white van, it ran out of petrol. A lady with her child in the car stopped to give him a lift several miles away to petrol station, then said I'll see you on the way back and did so. She actually looked out for him on her way back. He was ever so grateful.

I'll have to have a read of that.

It's true though - how many times have I judged someone only to be completely wrong.

The most miserable, unkind, unloving man I ever dated was a policeman. That was a real shock that I had bestowed huge amounts of trust and admiration on him by virtue of his job only to find out he did not deserve it at all. When I was vulnerable he was dismissive, cruel and I felt horribly rejected. I have other stories about him but I won't ruin a thread about nice men. (sorry to all the nice men who are policeman. You do a hard job and I do really appreciate what you do it's just this one was a mean spirited, arrogant one)

Then you get the 'rough diamonds' who would give you the coat off their backs.

You definately should not judge a book (man) by his cover although we all do it.

it's very sad that we are all so cynical when someone tries to do something nice.

When I was a young, hot thing (many years ago) a postman came to my rescue at the scene of a minor car accident.

An older man had hit the back of my car and jumped out and started shouting at me for going too slow (the traffic light had turned red).

I had just not long passed my test and was utterly speechless with shock and fright. This postie came flying to my rescue and told the guy to sod off. He took down his registration and gave it to me and told me to phone the police and my insurance company. I never forgot that even though it was 34 years ago.

Anyway many months later it turned out the older driver had no insurance which was why he was refusing to give me his details and going mental. It all got fixed in the end but I will always be grateful to that postie for sticking up for me.

I did have to think mind you because there is a train service called the 'Fife Circular' or at least there used to be. I was busy wracking my brains trying to remember if there was an actual station called Fife but I'm pretty sure there is not.

Many years ago I was away on a business trip and not long into it I lost my money and all of my cards. I had a nightmare couple of days scrabbling to get by and eventually got back to my home city. I got on the bus with 65p and wailed when the bus driver told me the fare was 67p. Something then caught my attention at the lower edge of my vision and I looked down to see a very small child reaching up with 2p in their hand.

This is very true.
Years ago my car broke down at traffic lights one evening (pre smartphones and people being able to see your location) and a man who happened to be walking along the pavement gave me a push into a side street. There was a big event happening on the other side of town and the usually relatively busy area we were in was totally deserted.

The man started looking under the bonnet whilst I rang one of my siblings and tried to nonchalantly urge them to come quickly (they were about 20 minutes away) because I was alone in a side street with a stranger. Said sibling turned up and it turned out the man who helped me recognised them from a shared hobby. So the pair of them fixed my car and chatted away together.

The strange man turned out to be a lovely person who refused to accept any money off me for his help and just wanted to do a good thing. I always thank my lucky stars that I crossed paths with him that day in such a vulnerable position.

gosh how scary to be stuck in the dark on your own. So glad you got it sorted.

two very nice stories. thanks for posting.

actually you just reminded me that when my mum was still alive but couldn't walk much due to heart failure I used to take her out in her wheelchair. Drivers used to let us across the road and pedestrians were very polite as well.

So lovely to read all these stories. OP I would recommend one of these to keep in the car, we have one and it has been a lifesaver on many occasions. Its basically a power pack that you can jump start your car with, without needing another vehicle. www.amazon.co.uk/Hilka-Tools-83850400-Starter-Power/dp/B076615FJZ/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.8ND-d6VGGOTC13r8MAlWaHn_5DDFB59fdeZ5CMfu2qwrHjUc7zgFUnZsLKzdlI43g5v3gGJOZL4s5QCbYfkk-xeKJTWLDEhFJIqayjdiXoimtXbV5TQ2I9PvX7fDAXCvrrX6ERZBlRp5IMGXgf0aTGdcML2fo4qiZFVzsEcBUzDRcwx0UcUDJWX9ikznQjA6GhYq6j27wXUntDo2M8O9pA.Nb32VqOpDyoQR8meEPrkgdGbZ1i5Yb3OHUpIfoSbmRQ&dib_tag=se&keywords=hilka+battery+charger&qid=1770936579&sr=8-2

that so nice. Many of them are very lonely as well and so when I am out with my dog if I see an old person who looks quite frail out with theirs I always pass a few words in case they don't speak or see anyone else that day.

I don't mind helping people but like you say you have to be wary of your own safety as well. I have to admit I'd be more likely to help an old person than a 40 year old man. I know that is not right or fair but I suppose I hate feeling vulnerable. Obviously if it was in a safe space then it would be okay but on a dark, empty street I would probably be too frightened to approach a strange man.

I also be more likely to help a woman than a man and I know that is not fair either. Sorry men. It's just once you have a bad experience or two you realise how fast your safety can be compromised.

funny how people being kind when you are vulnerable makes you well up. it does that to me everytime.

I'm actually annoyed that my car was not showing the battery light on my dashboard. You know how they light up when something is wrong usually. I would have thought it would stay on or something as a warning that there was a problem. I know my tyre light comes on if one of them needs more air.