Thought I'd done the right thing.....?

gradiric

Cycling into work early yesterday morning (ie in the dark) almost hit a black object in the road, which I realised was a cycle pannier as I went past.

Carried on for about 100 metres before deciding to turn around and pick it up, on the basis that 1) someone less honest might take it before the owner returned to find it 2) another cyclist might hit it and fall off - found out it was pretty heavy! or 3) it might get flattened by a bus or lorry - found out it had already been hit - credit cards were trashed.

Lugged it to work, looked inside, determined the identity of person and where he worked and called his office. Turns out he cycled all the way to work, back home and back to work again looking for his pannier, before I reunited him and his pannier.

But, he didn't seem particularly pleased with my actions (begrudging thanks), so I was left feeling a bit miffed and thinking that perhaps I'd done the wrong thing picking it up. Maybe he blamed me for having to go all the way home and back again. The way I see it is I potentially prevented his stuff being stolen or damaged further, (incl c£100 cash), his identity being used (bag contained payslips with national insurance number, address etc etc) and a whole lot of hassle replacing the items. Maybe he was just knackered after his triple journey commute..?

Did I do the right thing picking it up? What would you have thought if it had been your pannier?

chromehoof

gradiric wrote:

Did I do the right thing picking it up? What would you have thought if it had been your pannier?

of course you did and chapeau to you for it.

I just wonder if he'd have been happier if you hadn't bothered going to the effort you did.

sounds like he wasn't a very nice person.

Jen J

gradiric wrote:

Did I do the right thing picking it up? What would you have thought if it had been your pannier?

I think you did a very kind and noble deed. He's an ungrateful idiot

Seriously, if it had been my bag, and I'd been panicking about where it had got to, I would be very relieved to discover it was safe.

I imagine he was probably just infuriated with himself for losing it and took it out on you.

If you had left it, or moved it to the pavement, who knows if he would ever have seen it again.

ansbaradigeidfran

Yes, you did the right thing. He was probably still flustered having cycled around in a panic, but you did make sure the unthinkable (HGV rollover, etc) couldn't happen.

rjcastillo

Remember you did it because you felt it was the right thing, not because you were after a particular reaction from the guy. Whilst it's disappointing I recommend you find comfort in knowing you acted with integrity.

Well done.

Massimo

You'd have got a huge sloppy wet kiss on the nose from me and I would have been in your debt forever. You did the right thing - the bloke you helped sounds like a kn*b

gtvlusso

You should have torn off his bra and strangled him with it........

*some of the above mayn not be legal*

chuckcork

Sounds like a right ungrateful t*sser, but well done and very community spirited of you.

If it had been me there would have been a heartfelt thank you and so here's one in case you ever need to do it for me!

Thank you, people like you put faith back in humanity.

dirk_van_gently

Absolutely the right thing to do.
Does sound like he was a TW@T, of the first order.
Don't let it sully you for any future good samaritan actions.

Sewinman

I think you did the right thing. So well done and I am sure the universe will repay you as and when.

rjcastillo

Do you think he subscribes to this forum, and is following this thread?!? hehe

Stewie Griffin

If that were my stuff you would be in possession of a bottle of your favourite tipple by now.

hisoka

I agree with the positive responses here. It was the right thing to do I think mate. It would more then likely have been gone before he would have gotten to it, or it would have been squashed and spread over the road.
Pah to his reactions, you did well.

spen666

Stewie Griffin wrote:

If that were my stuff you would be in possession of a bottle of your favourite tipple by now.

broken into their face for stealing your moneyeh?

pintoo

You done good. Not your fault the other guy's an ingrate.

The Chingford Skinhead

You did the right thing. For him and for others who may have hit his bag and come off. The fact that he is an ungrateful gimp, while frustrating, should not dampen your will to keep doing the right thing.

If it had been my bag you'd have got a fair chunk of the £100 cash. The way I would have seen it is I'd lost the money anyway so getting some of it back was a bonus and people like you should be rewarded for your public service effort.

don_don

I wouldn't be surprised if there's a thread on another forum somewhere, entitled "Someone found my pannier but I didn't say thanks properly and now I feel really guilty"!

risi

Vancouver via Putney?

http://vancouver.en.craigslist.ca/bik/908611824.html

The Chingford Skinhead

don_don wrote:

I wouldn't be surprised if there's a thread on another forum somewhere, entitled "Someone found my pannier but I didn't say thanks properly and now I feel really guilty"!

Or some git stole my pannier, trashed my credit cards, took half my cash (or so the insurance claim will say) and then expected me to thank them for it Lets hope he does feel guilty, but I wouldn't bank on it.

cee

Of course, had you not bothered to try and find him yourelf and just handed it into a police station you would have been entitled to a minimum of 10% of the cash that was in there.....

my missus once left her purse in a phone box which was handed into the police, who removed 10% of the cash immediately and gave it to the finder.

Stewie Griffin

spen666 wrote:

Stewie Griffin wrote:

If that were my stuff you would be in possession of a bottle of your favourite tipple by now.

broken into their face for stealing your moneyeh?

Eh?

ellieb

Interesting about the reward thing. I lost my wallet & got it back again, giving a 20% tip via the police. They said that they expect you to leave a 10% reward. I wonder what the legal situation is? Surely they cannot force you to give a reward. (Although you'd have to be pretty mean spirited not to.)

lost_in_thought

gradiric wrote:

Did I do the right thing picking it up? What would you have thought if it had been your pannier?

Of course you did - I'd have been thrilled and offered you money/beer.

linsen

you are one of the people who makes our society a better place

he was clearly having a bad day, and I expect by now he's feeling guilty.

next time, take the cash, credit cards and .......

On second thoughts

Kieran_Burns

You completely did the wrong thing.

Are you not aware that you not to get involved and leave all such actions to the PCSO's and Police officers?

If you see something like that happening again. Report it immediately and leave well alone, knowing that you have fulfilled your civic duty according to our great leaders.












For those NOT sure - that was sarcasm


Good on you for taking the time to help. Just remember that all such actions are their own reward. The owner was probably relieved / embarrassed / knackered / an ingrate, but this in no way detracts from your own selfless actions.

saveswalking

rjcastillo wrote:

Remember you did it because you felt it was the right thing, not because you were after a particular reaction from the guy. Whilst it's disappointing I recommend you find comfort in knowing you acted with integrity.

Well done.

I agree. 8)

We all know whats its like to lose something don't we ?

sw

Jay dubbleU

lost_in_thought wrote:

gradiric wrote:

Did I do the right thing picking it up? What would you have thought if it had been your pannier?

Of course you did - I'd have been thrilled and offered you money/beer.

Absolutely the right thing - but I would have offered you more money/beer than LiT

TRADESIZE

i got two things to say:

1 Karma - you'll help when you need it sometime in the future, mark my words
2 its doing the right thing that counts not the reaction of the other dude.

I found just under £100 once in a wallet, sevreal credit cards, driving licence, keys etc, it he was on a beach just about to be washed away by the sea! Went to to local police station, coppers said they have had the people in reporting a missing walllet but they said there was £400 in there! I assume they said that for insurance purposes?? No thank you letter even though coppers passed them my address. I dont care i know i done the right thing

toshmund

Sounds like he had a bad morning, and you did do the right thing. Does not make it feel any better for you though. I agree, you don't expect the falling at the feet/have my eldest daughter treatment from the bloke, but a bit of gratitude goes a long way.

To be hopes the next time his pannier comes off, it is not near/on the railway station. All he will get back will be a bit of debris, after the bomb disposal crowd have shot at it with a shotgun/mechanical wheelbarrow! Depending where you are, possibly lucky this did not happen this time as well...

discurio

left my wallet in a phone box once when i went out and luckily there was a mobile number for one of my mates in it who was with me. went round to the dudes house armed with wine beer and flowers not knowing if it was a bloke or girl. got all my cash back and he was suprised to get the reward from me. since then ive found two wallets at my place of work and on the beach and returned them intact, no reward yet but grrr

woodford2barbican

You did the right thing and he sounds like a miserable sod.

I did exactly the same last week when I came across a mobile in the road. I took it with me and waited for it to be rung - found out whose it was and returned it on my way home - he only lived 50 yards off my route.

He was grateful, and he also tried to give me some money for returning it.

So, not all people are miserable.