Turbo's Anti-ridicule post got me thinking about how our preparedness has helped others - either in an emergency or when someone is just in a bind. Specifically, when it has helped someone who had previously made fun of our gear. I'd like to read your stories! Not to toot our own horns but to learn from others' experiences. Here's mine:

We had a Church Single Adult outing, a bike ride and picnic in a state park near Houston. I had scouted the trail, an easy dirt path throught the woods, on a previous visit. Knowing that there would be some on the ride who were not very experienced riders (including some who had borrowed bikes because they didn't own one) I packed my usual first aid kit and bike tools, extra water, powerbars, etc. in the bike bag on the cargo rack on the back of my bike. Met by multiple teases of "preparing for an invasion?", "expecting the world to end while we're here?" and the like, I just smiled and got set to ride.

A couple of miles into the ride, some of the more experienced ATB riders, fueled by testosterone, decided to race each other down the trail. They took off ahead of the group and I dragged up the rear keeping an eye on the unsteady "amateurs". Well, we came around a bend in the trail and everybody had stopped. One of the hot-doggers had wiped out and struck a tree, head first - hard. His helmet had shattered from the impact. Still conscious but obviously in bad shape, he was sprawled out on the ground, scraped and cut up, bleeding and going into shock. My girlfriend and another one of the ladies went to his aid and I brought over the first aid gear.

While we were treating his injuries, it became apparent that he wasn't going to be able to make it out of there on his own or even with our assistance. I left the kit with the ladies and cycled to where the Ranger office was located, about 3 miles back, at top speed to summon help. Unfortunately, no cell service was available! Finally, I reached the office and gave the location of the incident. They dispatched a Ranger who was on the other side of the park and would be coming from a different direction via a fire road. I rode my bike back to the scene of the incident and arrived about the same time as the Ranger truck. Luckily, the rider had only superficial injuries, no broken bones, but we were concerned about a possible concussion. The rest of the riders continued on to the picnic area to enjoy the rest of the day, but my girlfriend and I rode back in the truck with the Ranger and the injured rider. The Ranger dropped us off at our car and we took the rider back into Houston to deliver him to the Emergency Room. (He refused to go the the small-town hospital just down the road from the park.)

Epilogue: The rider was very lucky to have sustained no serious injuries from the accident and will live to tell the tale to his grandchildren. Nobody made fun of my gear after that day.

BTW, I ended up marrying that girlfriend who helped administer first aid!

We had an old man fall outside of Burger King. I ran outside with the manager who was helping him up. He was bleeding from his head and his wife had a bad cut on her finger from trying to catch him. I asked a little kid to go inside and ask the counter girl for my backpack(Camelbak). I pulled out the PSK, asked him to open it while I held her finger. He ws amazed when he saw everything in there when I dumped it out on the round. I wrapped her finger in a bandaid and started gathering everything up when the EMS arrived. It was cool and everyone watched as I packed it up.