Do you mean to suggest that we should live with civility?

Awesome. They probably had tons of orange vests back in the hunting department.

On a related note, everyone should learn how to change a tire in the event you're not near a Gander Mountain store if/when it blows. Do it in your driveway or parking lot. It will take about 30 min, but save you a lot of choice words and panic if it happens to you on the interstate.

Not surprised at all. I get great service every time I shop at Gander.

Things worth nothing:

1) This occurred in Texas. In my experience, people looking out for each other is a little more likely to occur there than in some other places.

2) Gander has a little bit different breed of employee due to the type of store they are and what they sell. They'd probably be a lot more likely to know how to change a tire and be willing to help than your average, say... Bed Bath & Beyond employee.

Great company, great store, great people - glad to see them getting some positive press.

The Gander Mountain by my house while understaffed at times is very helpful! I go to Gander Mountain not for the 10%-40% markup on everything but for the great service and well stocked shelves.

@merkidemis: Seriously.

If it's a nice day where you are and you don't have anything to do right now, go outside and learn how to change your tire if you don't already know how.

The poster deserves a nod as well. He went out of his way to help, even though it turned out she already had help.

If they really did help him, it is very refreshing to see a story like that!

@Real Cheese Flavor: It's possible they knew how but didn't have the necessary tools.

Learning to change is tire is important; but there are those, like me, who are physically able to drive but not physically able to change a tire. I would if I could. Kudos to the employees of Gander Mountain and the poster.

Last time I blew a tire near Bed, Bath and Beyond, they didn't help me at all with it but I got a hell of a deal on a new dish rack.

I refuse to live in a civilization where people assist each other, with little to no concern for getting paid or being compensated in some way. Thankfully, I live in Atlanta, and therefore it is not a problem.

@merkidemis: this is why I have roadside assistance.

@merkidemis: Am I the only one who finds it sad that we actually have to advocate knowing how to change a tire?

Snark aside, it's a valuable skill - just like changing your own oil or other simple auto maintenance. Knowing simple techniques like this will help you and save you a lot of money in the long run.

Gander Mountain is awesome! I shop at their Kansas store as much as possible. They are always great to work with.

Gander Mountain employees wear orange vests as part of their uniforms. Doesn't surprise me though, the type of people they hire there tend to be of the upstanding, rural, can-do sort. People are like that in the south for the most part. I moved from Delaware to Alabama and the first time I was in a Lowes down here another customer offered to help me as I was trying to figure out which type of electrical switch to buy. The guy's advice was spot on too!

To the OP, just remember to pass on the kindness whenever you have a chance to help someone in trouble.

I love Gander Mountain. I don't think I'm their usual clientele, but they're always very helpful and very nice. Last time I was there, I saw a cashier very politely defuse a VERY belligerent dude who was just mouthing off to be an ass, and who was frightening the special-needs teenager in line behind him.

For those of you not in the hunting/camping world, Gander Mountain is great for cast iron cookwear, some kinds of sporting/fitness equipment (especially water bottles), emergency preparedness stuff (first aid kits), winterwear and winter accessories (balaklavas, those chemical handwarmers, good socks), and outdoorsy clothing/coats/etc. Oh, and tackleboxes. For storing stuff. :)

This is cool. I like it especially since I work at a company that prides itself on customer service, but for liability reasons, won't even let employees jump a customer's car while they're on the clock.

@Wendy Sloan: You have roadside assistance so you can wait an hour or two for someone to come by and do it for you instead of performing a very simple task yourself and going on your way?

@Wendy Sloan: Roadside assistance is sometimes anything but. A friend of mine had a battery go dead in Chicago. Not out in the middle of nowhere, but literally in the middle of the city. It took AAA 4 hours to get there and then was a jerk. I know, she could have flagged someone down to give a jump right away. If you have a flat tire, and are relying on AAA, you could get it fixed yourself in minutes, as opposed to hours.

I've changed my own tires in the past, but with my new car (which is now, at 5 years, probably not a new car anymore) I can't figure out where to rest the jack. The only time I've had a flat tire in this car, I tried to jack it up 2 or 3 times and only ended up bending things. It's a good thing the state of Virginia has crews roaming the interstate to help with just this sort of problem.

I should probably take the time today to figure out exactly where the spot is where I can rest the jack so I'll be prepared next time.

@reservoir_dog: I live in Massachusetts, and people just tend to ignore people in need here. The difference in manners and civility is noticeably different between the two states, or even between say PA and MA (I grew up in PA).

Enjoy your southern hospitality while I'm stuck up here in the worst state in the nation.

@razremytuxbuddy:
Are you in Wichita? I love their store near the river. They always have ammo even when Walmart and everyone else is sold out.

@nakedscience: I wasn't referring to anyone in the story. I was agreeing with the other poster's statement that if any readers don't know how to change a tire they should learn how to.

@reservoir_dog: I agree with you on both counts. As far as #2 goes, I've been to Gander Mountains and found the same thing. I've also experienced good service at Cabela's (my favorite store on the planet) and Bass Pro.

It's the same culture of politeness and respect that I've experienced at gun shows and the two NRA conventions I've attended.

@gggtur: My thoughts exactly. It's a sad state of affairs when people trying to help is unusual.

@karmaghost: My store was the same way. I could go on break and help someone, but couldn't while on the clock.

According to the posters description of the location of the store it looks like its this one. I put in the contact info incase anybody wants to say thank you to the store for their kindness and let them know about the good press they got because of it.

Houston/Spring, TX Store #403
19302 Interstate 45
Spring, TX 77373
(281) 288-2620

[www.gandermountain.com]

@merkidemis: 30 minutes!?

I take less time than that for a full tire rotation, including swapping the full size spare during the rotation!.

Assuming you're not going through a six pack while doing it, shouldn't take more than 10 minutes.

Even less time if you're familiar on how to get the tire out of the trunk or wherever it's stored, especially if you get a 'real' jack.

@squinko: I have roadside assistance for a variety of reasons, but when I needed it for a tire issue they were a hell of a lot faster than I would have been in changing a tire. And that's why I have roadside assistance rather than scrabbling around in the mud alongside the road.

I think "Change your own oil/tires!" is the mechanical equivalent here of "Make your own soup!" Since I'm definitely an advocate of the latter, I understand the principle on the first as well. The big difference, though, is that the car tastes the same to me no matter who works on it. So I'd rather not.

@merkidemis: I will also remind everyone to check the air pressure in your spare tire, it's such a common thing to neglect. If you haven't in a few years, it's flat and will do you no good in an emergency. Also donut spares usually take higher pressure (around 60 PSI) compared to regular tires (around 30).

I rember one time a lady came to the store (auto parts store) with a flat tire. (We don't sell tires) So I would do it before going home that day. She didn't have a jack and would not buy one for 25. Oh well, I tried.

@Eyebrows McGee
Thanks for the cast iron tip! The whole Alton Brown thing of finding it at your local small hardware store ended up being a bust so I was hoping to find it somewhere!
I'll head up there as soon as I can to get mah skillet and dutch oven. It feels good to frequent somewhere where you know...employees...CARE *gasp*

@reservoir_dog: I feel obliged to reply. As a former BB&B employee, we were trained, above all else, to NEVER LET A CUSTOMER LEAVE THE STORE WITHOUT BEING SATISFIED. I'm sorry that there are employees/managers/whole stores that somehow didn't get the memo, but the store I worked in, we were expected to bend over backwards for our customers, and "Never Say No" was part of this cheesey acronym about customer service that we had to remember. And I was happy to do it, honestly.

@Fujikopez: But I will admit that typically we weren't allowed to help customers with car troubles, but we'd let them use the phone and a phone book. ;)

If you are going to Gander Mountain and have kids, make sure you have them with you. From what I understand (I have not done this myself) you get a 10% discount for each child you have in-tow (up to a certain percentage - 40% maybe?).

I shop at this location every once in a while, usually for gifts for my dad... They are always very friendly and helpful.. even to a woman who barely knows just enough to ask for what she wants to buy..

I'm glad they stopped to help someone.. I've had car problems on that stretch of road as well.. it's a very scary place traffic wise.

@gggtur: F that. And F you for saying so.

grarrrr.

@floraposte: ..."but when I needed it for a tire issue they were a hell of a lot faster than I would have been in changing a tire."

That's the point though. If you knew how to do it quickly because you practiced, then it would take less time for you to do it than having to wait for roadside assistance. It will also save you from having to use up one of your free assistance "credits" that AAA or your insurance gives you.

@karmaghost:

Back when I was a bagger at the grocery store I still work at, I regularly gave people jumps, checked out car problems, unlocked doors for people, even showed someone how to add some antifreeze. All while on the clock.

At my store it wasn't ever a big deal. If a customer needed help, someone would always go help them, without even needing to go ask permission. It was just an accepted thing.

@merkidemis: I change my own tires, but the time I did it on the NYS thruway is the first and last time I change a tire on the interstate.

There wasn't much shoulder.

It was tense.

I'll wait for AAA, thanks very much!

@gggtur: Do you mean to suggest that we should live with civility?

Civility and a great insurance policy.

I wonder how much they pay for a policy that lets their employees go out on the highway to change flat tires for noncustomers.

@GuinevereRucker: Well, shucks ma'am, we shore are sorry that y'all don't feel welcomed up here in New England. /sarcasm

But you know what? Calling it "the worst state in the nation" isn't going to endear you to anyone here.

Every state has good and bad people, but each person's attitude makes a hell of a lot of difference in what kind of people you'll encounter.

I may be reading between the lines here but I can only guess this lady must have been a knockout.

@temporaryerror: Yup. I love their location and their staff, and I've always gotten good prices there. Both of my kayaks are from there, as well as life vests, cool clothing, and shotgun supplies. And, don't forget, the Rolling Stones have shopped there!

@GuinevereRucker: Funny, I live in Massachusetts too and I've seen plenty of helpful people.

Meanwhile the south has the KKK and Neo Nazis (PA has a especially high population if I recall correctly)

Guess you'll be ok if you're white though ...

@csdiego: There is almost certainly a diagram in your manual. A lot of newer cars don't have easy access to the frame so you may have to rest the jack on a certain stress point that may or may not be obvious to you.

If you post the make, model and year we might be able to help as well.

@reservoir_dog: @reservoir_dog: I have to say that the best type of people to know is the hunters/outdoorsmen. I think it is the way we are raised because we are always thought to act like a gentlemen. If you tell any hunter that you can't pay for food we will gladly get our rifle and get you a month's worth of food. Also if you need help with a car or any other mechanical device we will gladly hook you up with the good old boy network. Since Gander MT is staffed with the good old boys this type of service does not shock me one bit.

@Firethorn: It seems to me that you don't do many car repairs. ;)

@Dillon Barfield: PA is the south? When is the last time you looked at a map?

Ironic that you rail against GuinevereRucker's stereotypes by using asinine versions of your own.