Sorry, can't help you!

Yesterday was a lovely day for a ride. I had only a couple of hours free so I set out from Perth over the craig towards Forteviot and Dunning. As I ground my way up the big hill I realised the world had suddenly become bumpier and glancing down, saw I had a front tyre puncture. I pulled off to the side of the road and set about replacing the tube. (I never repair punctures on a ride, but carry spare tubes instead).

As I worked, I spotted a lady cyclist working her way up the hill towards me. As she passed I smiled and she called out "Sorry, I can't help you." Now that was an odd thing. It's normal practice for cyclists out on country roads to offer to help any rider they see dismounted and working on the bike. The usual reply is "No thanks, I'm fine", or something like that, although occasionally the stranded rider will be glad of some help with a tricky repair.

In this case, I didn't need the lady's help with a straightforward puncture, but it was surprising to be told in advance that no assistance would be forthcoming. I can only assume that she meant the hill was too steep for her to stop, or something like that. I hope this sort of thing doesn't catch on. For me, it's a fine part of the camaraderie of cycling that we all offer to help, even if sometimes we rather hope to be turned down!