Helping my fellow welder

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So I was driving down the interstate, relieved in the fact that I got today's work done by lunch time.  I noticed that the truck I was coming up behind had some sort of welder in it.  As I got next to it I saw that it was a Lincoln Ranger GXT on an aluminum skid.  I'm starting to collect photos of welding trucks, so I pulled out my digi-camera to snap a picture when all of the sudden "Wa-Bammmm".  His tire came off, wheel and all and he was trying to keep it on the road while dragging his rear brake rotor on the street at 70mph.  Naturally I pulled over behind him to offer assistance.Turns out that the guy was a welder from Houma Louisiana, and spoke with a very thick Cajun accent.  If there is one thing that I have learned from living in the South, and close to Louisiana, is that the people from the "Cajun" part of the state are some of the nicest and honest folk that you will ever meet, and they will literally give you the shirt off their back if they thought that you needed it, and they always treat strangers like family.So, we walk down the interstate to fetch his 24" custom wheel with low profile rubber.  When it came off, it bounced down the highway, into the median, and struck the "car catcher".  If you have never heard of a "car catcher" fence, they are about 4 feel tall and are made of 4 strands of twisted square cable meant to grab on to a car on the loose and keep it from going into the oncoming lanes.  Well, the cable bent his rim, and cut his tire.To make matters worse, he had no jack, no tire tool, the spare was under the bed on the cable thing with no way to get it down other than cut it down with a grinder, and the spare was flat.  I reach in my truck and grab a floor jack, scissor jack, and 4-way tire tool.  After investigating the cause of the separation, it was found that the 1 1/2" aluminum spacer behind the 24" wheel was not flush with the rotor hub.  The stock lug bolts were sticking out 3/16" and not letting the spacer fit all the way down.He asked if I could run up to the next exit for 2 cans of fix-a-flat while he cuts out the (flat) spare tire.  I said sure, as he hands me a $100 bill.  I'm thinking to myself, "Dude, you don't know who I am or if I will ever come back with your $100".  Realizing that a gas station would never allow my to use a $100 bill, I asked if he had something smaller.  He gave me a $20 and I was on my way.  When I came back, he had the spare almost mounted up.I help him finish up, then I suggested that he might want to take the spacer off the other rear tire too so that it doesn't come off as well.We got everything done, took 1 1/2 hours.  I reach in my cooler and tossed him an ice cold Gatorade.  We stood and talked for 15 more minutes.  Then he tries to give me a $100 bill for my "trouble".  I refused 3 times, but he insisted and was getting angry.  Then I remembered something else about these Cajun type people.  DO NOT REFUSE.  If they offer you dinner, a dog, a beer, their daughter, whatever, you'd better take it or it will insult them to a strange degree.  He finally opened my tool box and threw it in there.I told him that I was glad to help.  Here are some pictures. Attached Images
Reply:crazy 1.5 hours and no cop stopped by to help?www.burdettenetworks.com
Reply:Originally Posted by kburdcrazy 1.5 hours and no cop stopped by to help?
Reply:That was very cool of you to stop and help.  I don't think people would stop to help up here even if you were severely mangled in the middle of the road.  Just a thought...you might want to blur his plate....
Reply:Lucky he got to walk away and not roll the truck
Reply:Hey guys, what's a Cajun? I know the term cajun food, but what's a definition of a Cajun? Is it an ethnicity thing? Location? Just curious.ScottYeah, I carry.House keys, wallet, some change, usually a newspaper, maybe a pen.
Reply:Deeeeeep south Louisiana of French Canadian decent with their own unique dialect, can navigate the swamps and marshes and never get lost but could loose you in them in a heartbeat if desired, tell the funniest jokes and stories in the world and where the food is even better and yes they're the kindest, friendliest folks you'll ever meet!Hat's off JC.MM200 w/Spoolmatic 1Syncrowave 180SDBobcat 225G Plus - LP/NGMUTT Suitcase WirefeederWC-1S/Spoolmatic 1HF-251D-1PakMaster 100XL '68 Red Face Code #6633 projectStar Jet 21-110Save Second Base!
Reply:French Canadian? How on earth did they end up down there?I've found all Americans to be friendly and hospitable when I've been over there. Of course, they talk funny and the beer is lousy, but I don't hold that against them.Yeah, I carry.House keys, wallet, some change, usually a newspaper, maybe a pen.
Reply:Originally Posted by scott brunsdonFrench Canadian? How on earth did they end up down there?I've found all Americans to be friendly and hospitable when I've been over there. Of course, they talk funny and the beer is lousy, but I don't hold that against them.
Reply:Originally Posted by DSWI believe when the British took "Canada" from the French, they gave the French the option to leave or submit to British rule. Those that chose to leave migrated to Louisiana and the French around New Orleans.
Reply:try this Google cajun, lots of sites.
Reply:Originally Posted by transittry this Google cajun, lots of sites.
Reply:Originally Posted by JC'sWeldingSo you DID pay attention in History class?
Reply:On a personal note - It's great that JC was able to help his fellow man work through his trouble. That's great.On a technical note - What a POS tire, and wheel mounting arrangement!Reduce load capacity and safety, while increasing costs!  What a deal.That's terrible.To me, truck wheels should be stamped steel and directly bolted to a hub, just like the design that Motor Wheel™ proved with millions of units. What an embarrassingly wimpy Mickey Mouse piece of junk to put on a work truck. Good Luck
Reply:Originally Posted by JC'sWeldingAlso try "creole", or locally they are called "coon-a$$"
Reply:Originally Posted by JC'sWeldingAlso try "creole", or locally they are called "coon-a$$"
Reply:Tire/wheel??????Screams idjit!!  Cajun idjit, Okie idjit, California idjit!!!!Any part of the planet idjitAnd, I'm speakin as a TRUE IDJITFully seasoned, fully trained, and with vast amounts of experience"Any day above ground is a good day"http://www.farmersamm.com/
Reply:Yeah, not a good setup.  He said on that model that the rear wheels were 3" more narrow than the front.  I suggested just getting some wheels with off set and forget the spacers.