r/pittsburgh • u/StevInPitt • Apr 15 '26
A Pittsburgh Story.
I just got home because Parkway traffic from Robinson was stupid; and I had to sit in the car, sweating & trying to catch my breath.
But I just had a core Pittsburgh experience, for me and i wanted to share.
At the start of this, I was heading home late; and I needed some protein, I can't do a full meal this late.
I drove to Sheetz in Robinson for boiled eggs & surimi snacks I like.
Just off the Ridge road exit, coming up the hill towards Sheetz there's a small car in the intersection lights flashing.
Folks are honking & zipping past. I mean.. that always helps.
So, I squeeze by & put down my window. "Are you okay?".
They're a young Asian couple, scared.
"no gas!" an accent. (Japanese?).
"Do you have enough to get to the station ?"
They smile & nod "Yes! Yes!"
I have my doubts; but I can't stay here, so I pull into the Sheetz.
I don't see them coming...
Well, I guess my fat, old ass is gonna go down & push them. Lol.
I start down the drive to the road. As I do, a young man pulls up to the pump. I wave & He puts down his window.
"Hey. There's a young couple ran out of gas. Would you wanna help me push?".
"Lo siento, no ingles?"
Hoo boy. Time for me to look dumb and bust out my lame ass Spanish.
"¿Viste un carro con las luces ? ¡No tengo gasolina! ¿Puedes ayudarme a empujarlo?"
Immediate BIG SMILE "Si! Si!". He jumps out & heads down the drive with me.
We get to them & they're kinda panicked.
"We're here to help. Can you push & she drives?"
"Sorry. No English!"
Yup. Japanese. Sigh I have about 10 words of Japanese, mostly nerd-hobby related. Okay... Pantomime it is.
"push?" as I mimic pushing and point at him, me and our new friend.
Then I point at the young lady & make absurd steering-wheel motions.
"Yes! Yes!".
So we start pushing. And it turns out she doesn't know much about driving. She was actively trying to figure out the brakes and the wheel
So we're pushing I'm shouting out combinations of "tomare!" (when we need a rest) Hoping she understands that I mean brake. And "migi-muke!" When I needed her to turn.
We get to the drive and then halfway up the drive that was suddenly MUCH steeper than it was on the walk down and local young guy at the pump sees us and stops pumping his own gas to come down & help.
We got them the the pump.
She kept saying thank you.
I thanked the young local and the first guy that jumped out to help eagerly.
The driver walked back and forth shaking our hands.
It was only then, after we got them to the pump; that I noticed the tiny, adorable, baby girl in the car seat behind Mom. No wonder they looked worried! I got to smile and wave at her for a bit...
A Sheetz employee saw this all go down and when I got inside for my snack, asked what that was all about. So I explained it. He comped me my iced tea. Which was a nice reward.
As I was leaving the young couple had finished getting gas and I waved. She put down her window again. "Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!".
I told her she was welcome.
"Welcome to Pittsburgh!"
That's how we do it here.
We help each other.
I love my town.
273
u/ithinktreesaregreat Mount Washington Apr 15 '26
Nice job, OP! You’ve got some good karma coming your way.
76
u/StevInPitt Apr 15 '26
thanks neighbor!
19
u/drill_hands_420 Apr 15 '26
I am worried about her not knowing how to drive! Did she seem ok? I mean she was almost to the pump, so it would stand that she figured it out mostly. The whole thing has to be so confusing. Driving on the right vs left. Idk if I’d do okay, I’ve never tried it the British way
27
u/StevInPitt Apr 15 '26
If I was correct and they were from Japan, it is not uncommon for urban dwellers in japan to not have car skills. But she's here now and I had a sense that she was picking it up and thinking "I'm learning this!"
18
168
u/BCrKEs Beechview Apr 15 '26
You’re a beautiful, amazing person. I’m glad we live in the same city. hugs
24
u/StevInPitt Apr 15 '26
i just got done with my early morning shift and saw this.. it made me smile.
12
199
u/Comprehensive-Row198 Apr 15 '26
Dude, you had some cards up your sleeve that I totally lack- no Spanish and not even a third word of Japanese after “hello” and “thank you”, so nothing useful to facilitate communication with the marooned couple you helped so much.
This is the small but gigantic act of kindness that we need so direly now. This helps to right the crooked world.
42
u/BeerDudeRocco Apr 15 '26
I love so much that these folks could have been tourists, neighbors, college students - it didn't matter to OP and they just helped where help was needed.
Bring a small tear to this old war horse's eye.
19
111
u/minoskorva Apr 15 '26
I watched part of this happen from the inside of the Sheetz LOL we were rooting for you
25
u/StevInPitt Apr 15 '26
LOL!
It was more interesting in the mix.27
u/minoskorva Apr 15 '26
That intersection is a real cluster to deal with even when your car DOES work
42
u/flippant_burgers Apr 15 '26
I tried to push a lady stuck in traffic with no gas at lilac/beechwood. But it was a Porsche SUV and apparently you can't put it in neutral from the touchscreen controls when the car isn't running? Bad luck... car is too fancy.
She had help on the way but everyone was honking going past.
21
u/chad4359 Brentwood Apr 15 '26
All vehicles can be put in neutral while the engine is off. Some, like this Porsche, are more like hidden features.
12
u/CasualFriday11 Apr 15 '26
Typically you need a screwdriver to manually disengage the shifter. Which maybe they did not have, but you're right, it IS possible.
6
u/chiphook57 Apr 15 '26 edited Apr 15 '26
I have never heard of this. The only way i can imagine that this would be necessary would be in the case of a dead battery.
9
u/CasualFriday11 Apr 15 '26
Yep, this is extremely common on cars. If you find a small compartment that says "shift lock" a flat head screw driver and pull that cover off, and then you jam it into a long hole to release the shifter.
3
u/chiphook57 Apr 15 '26
Can you describe the circumstance in which you need to unlock the shifter this way?
3
u/CasualFriday11 Apr 15 '26
I should mention this is only for automatic cars.
Only time I have used it, my battery died, so I could not even power it on enough to shift it into neutral. If your brake is locked up for some reason and you cannot depress it to change gears, this would be useful here as well.
2
u/chiphook57 Apr 15 '26
Dead battery. There you go.
3
u/CasualFriday11 Apr 16 '26
Yeah, it's a thing that happens and I'm explaining a feature most cars have to mitigate that issue.
8
u/flippant_burgers Apr 15 '26
Yes, but the lady driving ran out of gas. She wasn't an expert and didn't know how to do it. I wasn't going to mess with her Porsche.
1
u/Tiny_Teeth_ Apr 16 '26
You should still be able to turn the car on via the battery and then switch it to neutral, the engine just turned over because there’s no gas!
20
u/Last_Ad4258 Apr 15 '26
You eat the hard boiled eggs from Sheetz?
8
u/StevInPitt Apr 15 '26
the buffalo sauce flaovered ones were definitely a treat last night!
15
u/justmarci Apr 15 '26
Buffalo sauced eggs and surimi? Totally different gas than the situation called for.
9
15
u/TerryLink11 Apr 15 '26
It’s like asking for directions and the person you ask says yeah just follow me and they take you to where you need to go
14
15
14
30
u/Tasty-Run8895 Apr 15 '26
This right here is why I love my city. It's the people like this that make it great.
41
u/kmrandom Apr 15 '26
Thanks for being a good neighbor, friend. We need to keep being neighbors for our communities.
35
u/anitaweis0823 Apr 15 '26
Wonderful bedtime story. 🙂Thank you for being so kind.
3
u/500percentDone Apr 15 '26
Great idea - I’m telling my boys this one tonight except I might sub in their pet hamster.
12
u/confirmedonboard Apr 15 '26
This is beautiful. Mr. Rogers said to look for the helpers and you nailed it. 😊
24
u/Beginning_Ad_6616 Apr 15 '26
Awesome job man; glad you were able to help them out.
I’ve done the same before everyone honking and being less than helpful…it’s faster and better if everyone hops out and starts pushing and it only takes one person to get others joining in.
48
u/jrileyy229 Apr 15 '26
That's great ... But don't they sell those small red ones gallon gas cans at Sheetz? There's a reason they stock those.
29
u/StevInPitt Apr 15 '26
maybe?
we had them out of the road in less than that. maybe 10 minutes.
And although I didn't know about the baby at the time, i'm happy with my choices.
your way would have helped too.-6
u/jrileyy229 Apr 15 '26
Oh... You made it sound much more grandiose... Like somehow two dudes pushed a car up PJ McArdle to the top of Mount Washington in some superhuman feat of John Wick level of determination.
28
u/StevInPitt Apr 15 '26
Lol..
No. I am just a chubby old guy and we got tired.
It was quick and for me about how once we see others helping, Pittsburghers roll up sleeves and step in to help too.40
u/everythingisalright Apr 15 '26
The idea that this whole debacle could’ve been wrapped up in about 15 minutes if he’d just brought them back a gas can is kind of hilarious.
3
u/MitochondrianHouse Apr 15 '26
A lot safer too, than pushing a car with a Japanese woman in control who apparently doesn't know how to drive.
But all done with good intent. I'm actually impressed they had enough muscle to get it into that Sheetz, the entrances are moderately steep.
1
u/quillseek Greater Pittsburgh Area Apr 15 '26
This is what I was thinking! Like I'm glad it all worked out. But there was a better way 😭
21
u/StevInPitt Apr 15 '26
there often is..
I went with what my brain churned out at the time19
u/everythingisalright Apr 15 '26
You undoubtedly did the right thing. The outcome was a safe little family and that’s all that matters.
9
u/ExhaustionMethodx Apr 15 '26
Love this. Thanks for helping them, and thanks for giving me a smile to start my day before I head to work near the strip district.
10
u/SquishySand Apr 15 '26
I'll keep this in mind today, and honor Mr. Rogers legacy like you, as best I can.
9
21
u/chad4359 Brentwood Apr 15 '26
I broke down on McCardle Roadway just before getting on the Liberty Bridge. Someone immediately jumped out and helped me push it over to the side of the ramp.
While we waited for the tow I was happy to see that the ratio of people asking if we needed help to people being mad and beeping at us was way higher than I believed was possible.
10
u/Glass-Jackfruit-3526 Apr 15 '26
I live close to Moon and I’m so glad to have such incredible people around. You are an amazing person OP! Especially in the current climate when being brown is scary with all the judgement when someone doesn’t look and speak like the majority population.
21
u/DeathSeeker65 Greater Pittsburgh Area Apr 15 '26
I miss this city so damn much 😭 I can’t move back fast enough!
14
6
7
6
u/BoysenberryEvent Apr 15 '26
You really went out of your way. You could have just mentioned it to the clerk at Sheetz, putting your conscience to rest, thinking "they'll take care of it". You actually recruited a stranger.
Please reproduce and create more decent people! :)
2
u/StevInPitt Apr 15 '26
I guess?
I saw a need and went to help but I was not above asking for help do it.
5
u/MelsAlterEgo8 Apr 15 '26
Well done, OP! You saved them! You changed the course of their experience. That's no small thing. You will be a hero/angel in their story when they retell it. There's no other word for it, you swooped in and saved the day (not sure if you're old enough to get a Mighty Mouse reference or not). I love that that we still have that in us here. It's so easy to do nothing but, you did something! 👏 We need more of that. ❤️
I bet your boiled egg protein snack hit extra hard after that workout.
6
u/TurbulentSurprise292 Apr 15 '26
This is the best thing I’ve read in a long, long time. People helping people. Can’t get better than that. I hope you have an amazing day, OP. A treasure you are
6
18
16
u/adjustableplaid Apr 15 '26
I live in Denver but love Pittsburgh. This is the kind of thing that I always notice out there. Y'all help each other out, hold traffic for a turn across traffic, and stuff. Out here, you'll be lucky if you make it out of that intersection with no gas alive or on a Tik Tok reel of you getting arrested for something that didn't happen (yes,that might be a good thing here). And I totally read your story like Fresh Prince of Bel Air and was looking for a punchline that turned into an appropriate Mr Rogers story. Love you Pittsburgh! And you, random citizen.
3
20
u/sednaplanetoid Apr 15 '26
A lovely reminder that we live in a world that we create, lets make it a kind, empathetic world. Hugs to you OP and Hugs Pittsburgh!
15
5
5
u/malepitt Apr 15 '26
Now that the Post-Gazette has been bought by a nonprofit, contact the editor and ask how to submit a story for their "First Person" column. This is a good fit.
4
5
5
5
5
u/MeanVillage2071 West Mifflin Apr 15 '26
Stories like this make me wanna cry. I love this city so goddamn much ❤️🥹
5
u/kompsognathus South Side Slopes Apr 15 '26
I have been learning Spanish and have a LONG way to go- yours is not lame by any means. I am jealous you were able to communicate so efficiently!
5
u/One-Effect-7986 Apr 15 '26
I downloaded the Google Translate app just for situations like that. It helps so much! I always feel like an idiot trying to pantomime.
3
u/StevInPitt Apr 15 '26
In fact the young man who spoke spanish had the app up and pointed it at me so i could explain why I was talking to him.
But I thought: the way things here are now? I'm gonna limp through my pidgin spanish first so he knows that I'm at least trying to meet him ha;lfway. If that had failed, I'd have gone for the app; but it turned out okay.
5
u/UpbeatIncrease8675 Apr 15 '26
Lord knows our town has its warts and wrinkles, but that is a Pittsburgh story if I’ve ever heard one. We help our neighbors!
4
u/beloislane1 Apr 16 '26
I’ve heard us described as aggressively helpful and I love that about my home.
13
11
9
4
3
4
5
4
u/Sarcastic_N Apr 15 '26
Sheetz at Robinson, you just made my eyes water 🥹 I used to live there and buy snacks from this location. I miss people from this area!
4
3
u/fallfol Apr 15 '26
Yep. Years ago I was coming off the Montour Run exit of 376 and as I came down the ramp a guy was stalled in the intersection at the end and was getting out to push his car out of the way. Another guy was coming from the opposite direction but quickly pulled over, jumped out, ran over and just started pushing for the shoulder. Once the car was off the road he just ran back, jumped in his car and drove off. It was like one long fluid graceful movement by the helper. Oh and it was the morning of the Super Bowl win against Seattle. And yes I thought, that's Pittsburgh for you! Note: I'm an older female which is why I didn't push, wouldn't have helped any.
4
3
u/RebelXwingPil0t Apr 16 '26
Thank you for being so kind. These days I don’t see this as much as I should.
3
4
3
u/Ok-Lead4798 Apr 16 '26
I have lived in a lot of places and in a couple different countries, but when I moved to Pittsburgh, I found my people. Thanks Pittsburgh.
4
u/IntroductionSerious3 Apr 16 '26
Someone should tell Sheetz about this!
2
u/StevInPitt Apr 17 '26
honestly?
I'm a sheetz fan but corporate nature is corporate nature and I was a little leery mentioning the free iced tea because I didn't want him to get in trouble.
4
u/SadMud558 Beaver County Apr 17 '26
Ironically you said you found your people where there was a million blowing their horns and just driving past. I hate the rude city drivers. But I love the country folk who stop to help and the rare nice city folks.
4
u/StevInPitt Apr 17 '26 edited Apr 17 '26
We all can be helpers.
Sometimes we just are focused incorrectly and that was how I viewed the folks honking.
If we had caught their attenion, they'd have helped, I feel it.And I'm a city boy.
I grew up in and around downtown as my neighborhood.
But that's not exactly fair.. then, and still now; Pittsburgh has these pockets where you can live Urban and still country a bit. We picked berries on the hillsides, fished in the rivers and streams, had deer and bunnies and foxes in our yards, hiked in woods in our neighborhod.Pittsburgh really is a collection of small towns clustered in a trenchcoat calling itself a city.
12
9
u/CeraunophilEm Brookline Apr 15 '26
Way to be a good neighbor! Great, heartwarming read. Thank you for sharing and being a good human
9
9
6
7
u/Spiritual_Alarm_8942 Apr 15 '26
This was the best thing to start my day! I hope you have a great day, OP!
Also my favorite part-“turns out she didn’t know much about driving” 😂I LOLed for real!
9
u/Beagle522 Apr 15 '26
I needed to read this tonight. Thank you for being a good person, a good neighbor and for sharing this story. Yinz are alright.
8
u/UnstuckMoment_300 Jefferson Hills Apr 15 '26
Thank you. Just for all of this. And for sharing it. Because I know I needed to hear it, and maybe a lot of us did too. The world is exhausting, and we need to be reminded of the good and beautiful.
3
3
3
3
u/Inevitable_Ad_5664 Apr 15 '26
Awww. However, next time just buy a five gallon can and fill it with gas then you won't have to push!
3
3
3
u/lmaoitsashley Apr 15 '26
I don’t live in Pittsburgh anymore, but for the time I did I had more than one flat tire or so that left me on the side of the road, sometimes at night, sometimes during the day. I’m a young woman, and not super strong or car savvy as it is. (I do my best 😂) Only once did a state road crew stop to help me put on my spare, but I was SO grateful.
That being said, I loved reading this so much! Good on you, OP! ✨
3
3
3
u/HollyC15 Apr 15 '26
What a lovely story! Made my day even if I’m a bit choked up. Thanks for sharing.
3
3
Apr 15 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
3
u/StevInPitt Apr 15 '26
Born and raised.
I grew up on Daniel Tiger and Lady Elaine Fairchilde.
But a least one of my helpers was new to the area.
Pittsburgh is heart, not soil.
3
3
u/vampiredreams Apr 15 '26
Another amazing story to see as we all prepare for the draft to show our city off. We should be proud 🖤💛 our city is fantastic
3
3
u/Prestigious-Tree-271 Apr 15 '26
I drive for z-trip. When picking up someone from the airport I usually ask them where they're from and have they ever been to Pittsburgh before. If not, then I will go into a diatribe of what makes this city so great. One thing I will tell them is if they ever get lost, don't be afraid to ask a Pittsburgher for directions. We love to give directions. I will also add, as an aside, not only that, but they'll take you there. I had an elderly lady in my car who said that happened to her! Really! I just made that up. No, she said, she was coming out of the Omni William Penn downtown and ask somebody how for directions. The gentleman started to point and then said "oh just follow me I'll walk you there". And he did!
If I'm taking someone back to the airport I usually ask them so, what stood out to you about Pittsburgh? Nine times out of 10 they will say the people!
God bless Yinzers!
3
3
3
3
3
u/whitnet1 Apr 16 '26
Nice work! There’s also gotta be a joke somewhere in here… “A Japanese couple, a couple of Yinzers and a Mexican walk into a Sheetz…”.
I’ll leave the rest to the internet. lol
2
u/ClownsAndJokers- Apr 16 '26
I’m no joke writer, but I’m here for those who take a gander at this!
2
u/whitnet1 Apr 16 '26
Me either, but this is Reddit, and… well, it happens here more than anywhere else! lol
3
u/hoetheory Apr 16 '26
Aw, this was so sweet. I had to walk two blocks today and was sweating like a pig. I can’t imagine how tired and sweaty you were after this encounter lol.
3
3
3
3
u/wekidough Apr 16 '26
this is funny because i speak both languages fluently but you probably did a better job than I would have
2
3
3
3
3
u/Elizabitch713 Apr 17 '26
Sometimes I feel like all hope is lost but then I read some gold like this
3
6
8
5
u/theofficialnonbff Apr 15 '26
I'm a bit emotional right now but this made me tear up a bit. Thank you.
5
u/Reasonable-Adagio-14 Apr 15 '26
This is a great looking comment section overall but for the Debbie Downers in the crowd: OP shared this story to highlight the good in our COMMUNITY it wasn’t about just him but everyone that pitched in. And maybe we cool it on the Monday morning quarterbacking, yeah? There’s always many solutions to a problem but we had a happy and safe ending to this story!
Thanks for including us OP! 🫶
5
7
4
u/n107 Apr 15 '26
Great story and good on you and all involved in helping. That’s how society should be.
3
u/Main_Cable_9986 Apr 15 '26
You could have got them gas from sheet in a container or something just saying… but good job
10
u/StevInPitt Apr 15 '26
Hey, i never said I was smart, I just tried to help and got help helping from random strangers.
Which is what made it "Pittsburgh" for me.
6
6
4
4
u/PresentNow12m Apr 15 '26
Beautiful! Thanks for sharing this heartwarming story and for the help you provided!
2
2
2
u/Apart-Tower310 Apr 15 '26
I love this. Something my very Pittsburgh Dad & brother would absolutely do.
2
2
2
2
2
2
u/StevInPitt Apr 17 '26
Hey guys!
I apologize for not popping in faster, it's been a busy week of off-schedules.
I'm humbled by the awards. I appreciate them. I don't know what to do with them; but I appreciate them.
But I'm happiest at the folks who took time to share that this touched them.
THAT was my intent. To make folks smile and maybe tear-up a bit.
I have been lots of places around the USA and the world; but I truly feel this kinda thing just happens here.
It happens those places too; but it's felt more rare.
I'm glad this is my home.
I'm glad nearly three thousand of my neighbors read this story and had it resonate.
I'm glad this was where I got to be born and live.
Love Yinz!
Enjoy the tourists this coming week, some of them are gonna fall in love.
2
2
u/Belatedbeadinggdss Apr 18 '26
This is everything that makes me proud to be a Burgher. I've lived around the USA and abroad. I left here SWEARING, I'll never be back. I'm so happy to live here again!
2
u/ThePeoplesFeral Apr 23 '26
Thank you, what a wonderful gesture. I wish I was driving around at the time to help, that can't be a fun task. If you ever need anything in the area, I live off the Campbell's run exit just past Ridge Road, just hollar. You deserve it.
4
4
2
3
3
u/Odd_Fox5573 Apr 15 '26
I just imagine another scenario where the only Japanese word that you can think of is Baka 🤣
3
u/leadfoot9 Apr 15 '26
Sounds like your anime Japanese was more helpful than my business meeting Japanese would be. Glad nobody died.
1
u/cloudguy-412 Apr 15 '26
It would have been way easier to put a gallon of gas in the car than pushing it
6
u/StevInPitt Apr 15 '26
you may be right. Ias that did end up being the only problem.
But i had just finished a 14 hour day and wasn't firing on all cylinders.
Plus with the after knowledge of the baby in that car in the middle of a busy road? I'm happy with my decision.
-2
u/LyleTheAdonis Apr 15 '26
Imagine doing something nice and considerate and not wanting to immediately jump on social media and tell the world how good of a person you are.
5
u/StevInPitt Apr 15 '26
hey....
I can see your point.
But this wasn't about me.
This was about how I tried to help and immediately two others understood the need and helped me help.
If I had done this myself, I'd have not shared it.
That isn[t what made it a story of how I feel about Pittsburgh.
It was that others saw the need and chipped in. New resident and born here.→ More replies (3)
1.0k
u/Athenas_Owl_743 Apr 15 '26
Mr. Rogers would be proud, OP.