help for stranded motorists (forum members)

i was thinking that it would be real handy if a directory could be compiled
of members who wish to be helpful to other members when they are traveling.
i mean, if i am driving my wagon on a 1000 mile road trip, and suddenly have a mechanical problem far from home, it would be nice to have a list of phone numbers of any members who might happen to live nearby that could give advice or lend tools or just to recommend a reliable mechanic in the area.
or maybe some people who would be able to help out by giving diagnostic advice over the phone, no matter where they are.

i am a pretty private person myself, when it comes to giving out my phone number, but this would be something
i would gladly participate in. i am in north florida, and there are probably a lot of you yankees driving down
here for winter vacations or whatever. i'd be happy to help out, even put someone up for a night if necessary
if their car broke down.

it would offer a small measure of comfort for all of us as we drive our 15-19 year old cars with 100-200,000+
miles on them on a long trip.

that's my 2 cents.

anthony ackrill
gainesville florida

hmm kinda like the goldwing riders group

Anthony, I think that is a great idea! I am sure other people will be commenting.

Now it is up to you to "run" with this idea.


Tom C.

That is a great Ideal,.. But the privacy thing is the key. Just can't make that list public IMO. I see many "car stolen from" threads on other sites,...and that just sucks. We would just need to figure out a policy/system of sort.

There is great comfort in knowing you have the potential of being taken care of on the road though.

unfortunately, i assumed someone on this site would have a good, easy way of knowing how to do it, through this site.
i am not computer savvy, so i don't know how these things work. but how about having a place on this site where people can go to in order to register their contact information if they want to participate. i don't know HOW to make that available. would a moderator do it? i don't know. i just have the idea, not the know how to do it.

i am astounded and pleased by how many of you have such arcane and detailed knowledge about these cars, and are so willing to help anyone else on line. i have seen an entry or two on forums from someone who was traveling and had a problem and posted an emergency plea for help on the forum and got replies. but so often, as with any kind of posting, the replies create more questions and more replies which could take a long time to get to the bottom of things, while one phone conversation can nail things down pretty quickly. and for someone like me who doesn't travel with a computer, getting to the forum on line in the middle of nowhere could take a long time, while a quick phone call for advice could potentially save someone hundreds of dollars.

so, i don't know about the privacy issue. i would just go ahead and post my phone number and city/state
and not be too concerned about it. i don't know of any way to prevent someone from abusing the info, but it seems unlikely to me, this being such a small and isolated group of people who own these cars and look at this website.

i am thinking of making the same suggestion on the buick forum because obviously there is a big crossover there, with the roadmaster/caprice sedans etc being the same mechanically.

it could also be stated, and hoped, that no one would use the information until they had exhausted all of their own knowledge/resources with their problem. you don't want someone calling you because they ran out of windshield wiper fluid.

this idea of a directory occurred to be when i had a problem far from home recently and felt rather helpless and humiliated standing there at the turnpike plaza holding my homemade cardboard sign requesting mechanical
help. only a trooper finally stopped, who gave me completely wrong advice.

as i said in the beginning, i don't know how to bring this into being formally, but for now, here's my name and phone number: anthony ackrill, gainesville, florida 352-395-7569

if i don't answer, it's because i am out in the front yard installing my new optispark!

We already do something like this......

"I'm in savannah and going to Denver.....anyone enroute?" Those that are willing to help will speak up.

Anyone passing through Austin on the way to Padre Island is free to drop me a PM. Glad to help and love to see the toys!

-Mike

Krzdimond wrote:

We already do something like this......

"I'm in savannah and going to Denver.....anyone enroute?" Those that are willing to help will speak up.

And some of us Yanks take advantage of this, even if only washing off Love Bugs!!! LOL..... BTW Robert I realized after I left that the cup of coffee on the table in the family room was for me. Thanks again!!




Or in a parking lot outside of St. Augustine FL. Thank again for dinner Glen!! Hope to see you at WF Mid-Atlantic





Or picking up seats and tailpipes.



Or just meeting up to say hello and breaking bread together. Sprocket got his toy car to take home, everyone was happy.


************************

Seriously I am in Central PA, about 15 minutes south/east of Rt. 81, 10 minutes east of Rt. 15 and 5 minutes from Rt.83. ANYONE traveling north to south or south to north on the east coast goes by my place (unless you foolishly run 95).

The "Barefoot Garage" is always open for help where I can. I travel for a living so be sure to e-mail me to see if I am home. If I hear you went past and did not stop for a coffee and to let your feet breathe I will be upset.

If you break down, post your location and your phone number, and you can expect the calvary to arrive as soon as possible. Once you're saved, (not the Baptist kind) edit your phone number out of the thread.

We're a pretty connected group, and for most of us, our network of contacts exceeds this one site.

Bewber wrote:

If you break down, post your location and your phone number, and you can expect the calvary to arrive as soon as possible. Once you're saved, (not the Baptist kind) edit your phone number out of the thread.

We're a pretty connected group, and for most of us, our network of contacts exceeds this one site.

What the Doctor said.

We also have one of these on Badass, only accessible to members and its a neat little thing.

As for me, I am in western Massachusetts. My city is directly off of I-90 and I am about 5 minutes from I-91. Also, I am about an hour from Boston, 45 from Hartford and 2 hours from NYC.

You may be shocked but I have always been able to stop at a Funeral Home and feel safe.

I highly recommend it to all of you,as they answer the phone 24/7 and most of them have had these cars in their fleet at one time,so they would know the local guy to call.

Just make sure to look for an independent one in the book.

Guys I live about an hour away from the resort city of Va.Beach and am only 10 minutes away
from I64.I would more then happy to help any member with a problem if needed.Dont know
how much I can do physically but I have any and all tools currently made by Craftsman and
Snap-On.We have breakdown trucks that patrol our interstates that offer free assistance but
again would be glad to help.
JG

lornejay1 wrote:

You may be shocked but I have always been able to stop at a Funeral Home and feel safe.

They have drive thru service??
nice airconditioned spot for a nap?
I hear people are dying to get in those places,.
Really quiet at night too,.
room for the whole family,.
Kids love the 'upper' bunk




Nick

Is there something in the way of a section that can be made so that it can be seen on this forum by ONLY by logged in Members?
If a non-member were trolling, they would not even see the heading or thread. No trolls or fishermen catching a quick meal of information.

A similar concecpt already exists on many forums for an "Admin and Moderators only" section that others never see.

Just trying to think out of the box here to keep our privacy intact. Ultimately deletion of each call for help thread would help.

The posting your route and then PMing each other contact info works too....and keeps it all up to date as some people head out of town, change phones, etc.

The site is active enough that if you get stuck and post a request for phone help it should probably come in a decent time frame.

I'm in SE Florida by the way and do get to G-ville once or twice a year...

lakeffect wrote:

Is there something in the way of a section that can be made so that it can be seen on this forum by ONLY by logged in Members?
If a non-member were trolling, they would not even see the heading or thread. No trolls or fishermen catching a quick meal of information.

That what I was thinking. The lurkers would not get this info. Just couldn't think of how to do it. Well done Dave, I think you got the right ideal.

phantom 309 wrote:

lornejay1 wrote:

You may be shocked but I have always been able to stop at a Funeral Home and feel safe.

They have drive thru service??
nice airconditioned spot for a nap?
I hear people are dying to get in those places,.
Really quiet at night too,.
room for the whole family,.
Kids love the 'upper' bunk




Nick

amazing isnt it...essentially a storage box for a rotting body that is decked out only to be see for 3 days. and costs as much as one of our cars!

I would be happy to give a hand to someone as well. I am in midwestern Florida, near Tampa. Set up the "Ghost" category, and lets go with this.

I would help out to, if your in my neck of the woods. But nobody travels this way North much.

Some people pass through the North country to/from Canada as well. Being so close to I-81 and the border, you may be more help than you realize.

As Tim pointed out, it may have secondary value for parts swapping runs as well.

i am pleased by all of the good replies here, and all of the alternative suggestions to having a list of phone numbers available are good ideas as well, but they all require a computer. my whole point of wanting to have a telephone directory is for those of us who don't have internet access while driving (am i the only one?) so you can just make a call right away and get busy solving your problem.
anyway, should it be possible to do so and there is enough support for it, i hope it can be made to happen. but unfortunately, i don't know how to do it here on the site. that ball will have to be picked up and run with by someone else. but it is heartening to see all of the generous offers posted so far even if the directory never comes to be.

thanks,

anthony ackrill

I assure I don't have internet access in the vehicle, and no cell phone either, just recenlt signed up for Onstar after my February accident showed mt it's value.

I'd have to make a list of people along the route I'd be traveling by posting in the "Travelers Ghost Thread" ahead of time, to get phone numbers. No doubt you'd need to do the same or similar thing as well.

Parts are simpler, as I would imagine That would be set up a head of it's actual happening.

Maybe two threads, one for help, one for non emergency parts runs.

Before the invention of web accessible phones on surf trips upcoast, I could always call one of my friends/family and have them access links over the phone for me. Case and Point,

I drove 2.5 hours to Cocoa Beach and the promised swell wasn't there. I called a non surfer friend and told him what websites to look at in and in an hour I was in chest plus swell at Ponce Inlet. Same goes for travel here. Get a few key phone numbers (happy to PM you mine as I have at least 8 forum members numbers in my phone already.

I'll go a step further, everyone pm me your contact number/location and email address.
I'll compile a list and email to everyone. That said as people join and leave the list will have to be updated. I'll do the first round but someone else will need to maintain it.

Good didea,. i think everyone on this forum would help out any one that asked for help if they were aways from home,.

Nick

lakeffect wrote:

Is there something in the way of a section that can be made so that it can be seen on this forum by ONLY by logged in Members?
If a non-member were trolling, they would not even see the heading or thread. No trolls or fishermen catching a quick meal of information.

A similar concecpt already exists on many forums for an "Admin and Moderators only" section that others never see.

Just trying to think out of the box here to keep our privacy intact. Ultimately deletion of each call for help thread would help.

As I said, we have this on Badass and it's only accessible to logged in members.

Thanks for the info cadet. Not knowing if all forums are created equal... I have no idea if it is something that might be an available option here. I would hope so.

You give me hope on this happening. Thanks

lakeffect wrote:

Thanks for the info cadet. Not knowing if all forums are created equal... I have no idea if it is something that might be an available option here. I would hope so.

You give me hope on this happening. Thanks

No probs. I think it would be possible as this forum and Badass both use PHBB.

Well who is the super mod here to set this up. Would it be Cadet's buddy? or did he empower others to admin level?

This list will be useless to me, as I've decided to just go ahead and never break down.

This (member only) thing can be done. I will work on it tonight after my school work.

Anthony, you already have (or should) my number and as I have said before, everyone here is more than happy to lend advice regardless of experience.

Would gladly help out anyone that was in my area and needed help. Have plenty of tools, equipment and even some spare parts.

Someone log out and try to see this thread as a guest. If not, then I can make a "members only" section for personal info.

Krzdimond wrote:

Someone log out and try to see this thread as a guest. If not, then I can make a "members only" section for personal info.

I tried it. The whole "wagon general discussion" forum disappears when you're logged out.

Whoops!

I'll fix that.....

standby.....

Krzdimond wrote:

Whoops!

I'll fix that.....

standby.....

Well, either way it would hide the member list.

I can only set permissions for sections.

Members only will be up in a few minutes.

Please stand by........

Cool! Thanks for the quick response on this issue.

check out the new topic page.....

https://gmlongroof.4umer.com/t4527-test-of-the-new-members-only-topic

Krzdimond wrote:

check out the new topic page.....

https://gmlongroof.4umer.com/t4527-test-of-the-new-members-only-topic

Works over here!

shows up when logged in, and dissapears as a guest?

Krzdimond wrote:

shows up when logged in, and dissapears as a guest?

Correct.

I was a member of the Gold Wing Road Riders Association for a couple of years.* Every year, they send each member
a half-inch book listing members' names, phone numbers, and most importantly, information about how the member
can help.

The information included:
- Has trailer or other transport for broken Gold Wings
- Accepts phone calls
- Has camping space
- Has indoor sleeping space
- Has tools
- Can be local tour guide

I once had someone move to Albuquerque, and called they me out of the book because I had the same phone exchange
as they did, so they knew we were neighbors.

The point is that everyone who put his or her name on the list received all the other names. If there were interest, we
could do that here.

People could send me their name, city and state, phone number, email, and what sort of help they could offer. I would
then compile the list and email it to everyone who sent me their name.

There are tens of thousands of Gold Wingers. There are fewer than a hundred active longroof people, so it could be printed
on a couple of sheets of paper.

It would also be self-sustaining, because if I left the forum, everyone else would have the same list. Someone else would be
able to take over in a moment.

What do you all think?

(* I dropped out of GWRRA because it was a different class of people from me. The local chapter would have their monthly
meeting, and hold their monthly raffle, and all these guys would buy $50 or $100 worth of tickets. I couldn't afford to run with
that crowd.)

Must have been hard to read that half inch book!
JG

Nope. It was sorted by state, and then by city. There were 50-60 people listed in Albuquerque alone.

I would have no reason to look up anyone in Yorktown, VA.

nick danger,

personally, i think that's an excellent idea! it's exactly what i had in mind when i first posted.

anthony ackrill

Robert, Member's Only section works via my phone...logged in for the first time since April...been reading on my phone just lurking while at work...apparently having a job has made me busy, lol. I don't know if its an option, but when I first read this thread, I was thinking along the lines of how the ISSF does the Cabaret/Street Racing sections (a "forum password" is needed in addition to being logged in).

I think this is an awesome idea and I'd be willing to help out any fellow members in my area (Milwaukee, WI) as well...I (usaully) have access to a lift/hoist, lots of tools, shop, and a truck/trailer if need be...

This particular thread still shows up when logged out.

However, when the database is ready for sign-ups, I'll add my name and number. I mostly lurk here, but I'm in Muskoka, Ont. Canada and have an extensive selection of tools -- everything from diagnostic equipment to a small home machine shop -- have factory manuals for the 92 and 95, and would be willing to help a stranded traveller.