Graham
Certified autist (might bite)
- Joined
- Feb 9, 2023
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I was walking back from work and some woman was riding her bike and exclaimed somewhat loudly as she turned up the same road I was going to walk up. At first I thought it was just something to do with the cars at the junction, but as I was walking up the road I noticed she'd pulled over a bit ahead.
As I walked closer I was debating whether to go and see if she needed help. On one hand it seems just like a good thing to do, but on the other hand I'm really fucking ugly and I'm also autistic so my social interactions are kinda awkward and I really struggle with small-talk, so I didn't want to be "that creepy guy that approaches them" that women talk about.
I think if she was an old woman I think I would as when I've helped them before they don't seem to care that I'm really ugly and just seem thankful, but this woman seemed to be in her late 20s early 30s and I didn't want to risk being "that weirdo".
I couldn't quite tell what was wrong with the bike - if the chain was slipped off I could probably easily get it back on with some of my work equipment I was carrying, but she had still cycled a fair bit up the road, so that wouldn't have been possible if it was a slipped chain. If it was a puncture then I doubt there would've been anything I could do anyway.
I've only ever been in that situation once though, so part of it I do regret a bit as maybe she wouldn't have cared and might've been chill to talk to / help repair the bike with.
I guess it didn't matter in the long term though as within 2 - 3 minutes of breaking down a man in a white van driving past pulled over to help repair her bike.
As I walked closer I was debating whether to go and see if she needed help. On one hand it seems just like a good thing to do, but on the other hand I'm really fucking ugly and I'm also autistic so my social interactions are kinda awkward and I really struggle with small-talk, so I didn't want to be "that creepy guy that approaches them" that women talk about.
I think if she was an old woman I think I would as when I've helped them before they don't seem to care that I'm really ugly and just seem thankful, but this woman seemed to be in her late 20s early 30s and I didn't want to risk being "that weirdo".
I couldn't quite tell what was wrong with the bike - if the chain was slipped off I could probably easily get it back on with some of my work equipment I was carrying, but she had still cycled a fair bit up the road, so that wouldn't have been possible if it was a slipped chain. If it was a puncture then I doubt there would've been anything I could do anyway.
I've only ever been in that situation once though, so part of it I do regret a bit as maybe she wouldn't have cared and might've been chill to talk to / help repair the bike with.
I guess it didn't matter in the long term though as within 2 - 3 minutes of breaking down a man in a white van driving past pulled over to help repair her bike.
