# Ever give a ride to a stranger?



## Lisa Scott (Apr 4, 2011)

I was leaving the grocery store today when a young woman (late teens?) asked me for a ride to the municipal building in town for her probation appointment.  It was in five minutes (the building about 5 minutes away.)  It was pouring out and she said she had a bad knee (later told me it was injured when a drunk driver hit her.  She did indeed limp.)  She was small.  No purse.  Nothing bulging from her pockets.  I've never given a ride to a stranger before.  I really felt for her, and took a risk and drove her.  I asked why she needed a ride, why no one else was helping her.  She mentioned something about getting around on her bike, but something was wrong with it and her boyfriend was watching the baby she just had last spring.

She got out of the car without incident and thanked me.  She mentioned she didn't have a ride home, but I didn't offer.  

I bet she walked to the grocery store with the idea of finding a ride there, or ducked in there when it started raining.  In retrospect, I should have just given her money for a cab or said no.  I was nervous the entire ride, wondering in what way things could go bad.

What would you have done?  Have you ever been in that position before?


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## Grace Elliot (Mar 14, 2011)

I frequently see people waiting at bus stops and think of stopping to give them a lift, but by the time the thought has penetrated I've driven past the stop. 

The last lift I gave was to a young woman with a suitcase (at a bus stop but she flagged me down) -She was in a desperate hurry. I gave her the lift but it made me a bit anxious that she had stopped me rather than it was my decision to stop. Anyhow it was fine, she was just in a hurry. 

Perhaps it's me, but the last time I offered a perfect stranger a lift they were reluctant to get into the car...it would seem nerves cut both ways!


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## Annalog (Dec 28, 2008)

A few years ago, while I was at a gas station at night putting gas in my car, two young women (late teens) needed a ride home. I no longer remember why or if something was wrong with their car. They were both surprised and happy to get a ride and tried to pay me back. I asked them to "pay it forward" someday and then had to explain what I meant. I no longer remember if I was worried at the time but I am sure I was more worried about something happening to them if I had not helped them. I probably phoned DH so he would know why I would be late, where I was headed, and how long I expected it to take since that is a long standing habit of ours when out alone at night.


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## CatherineM (Jan 9, 2013)

I think it's mostly faith and whatever the scenerio is at the time.


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## journeymama (May 30, 2011)

I have a few times. My favorites, though, were when I was driving my motorbike in my village in India and old ladies would hitch rides with me. They would wave me down and sit side saddle on the back of the bike so they could get a quick ride to the market. I loved it.


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## CatherineM (Jan 9, 2013)

journeymama said:


> I have a few times. My favorites, though, were when I was driving my motorbike in my village in India and old ladies would hitch rides with me. They would wave me down and sit side saddle on the back of the bike so they could get a quick ride to the market. I loved it.


Such a gentleman! Did you have a special hat!


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## Tripp (May 28, 2009)

Once a couple of teen girls came up to me in a grocery store parking lot and asked me if I could drive them home.  I drove them to a trailer park about 5 minutes away.  I was nervous too and later wondered why I did it.  I think it must have been the mom in me.


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## Casper Parks (May 1, 2011)

Back in the 80s, I was a stranger on the road.

I thumbed my way around the country. Did it a number of times, even when I had enough funds for a bus or plane. More or less for the adventure of it.

The stories of people I encountered. Had a knife pulled on me, a couple guns, had religion preached, perverts and more. Picked up twice by famous people. I did meet a lot of great people. 

Did California to the Great Lakes. North to south, Great Lakes to Alabama. Great Lakes to North / South Caroline boarder and back. 

In 1991, I was headed from Alabama back to Los Angeles, when a guy tried converting me. I allowed him to finish, then calm and collective leveled a couple bible verses. After he dropped me off near an on ramp, I watched from the side of the road and waited. Soon as he turned his head to check traffic, I dropped and rolled into tall wet grass. LOL... As he merged back onto the freeway, he looked back toward where I was standing. He tapped his brakes and did a double take over his shoulder. I had vanished. Often wonder if he had told family and friends he had picked up an angel hitchhiking. Will never know if I pulled-off the ruse.

Soaked and covered with grass seed, I walked to a filling station that doubled as a Greyhound station. I had decided my hitching hiking days were over. Plus, there wasn't enough time to thumb across the country and get back to work before my vacation ended.

Will not advise anyone thumb for a ride and or pick-up a stranger. 

I no longer thumb the open road, it was the end of an era. Between cops and crazies, it is not safe. Not to forget, hours of standing on the side of a road holding a sign in pouring rain.


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## Sandpiper (Oct 28, 2008)

Sorta.  There's a little more to my story.  This was many years ago.  I was catching the last commuter train home around midnight from downtown Chicago out to west suburbs where I live.  I sat in the front half of the train car -- the doors in were behind me.  I was the first one in that car -- no one else was in there.  I heard the doors open behind me and someone got on . . . and sat down beside me??!!  What?  The train car is empty and you sit in the seat next to me?  He just started talking.  He was a little "off".  Nothing to be afraid of.  Turns out he was getting off at my stop.  My Dad was picking me up at the station on the home-end.  We drove the guy to where he needed to go in town.  All was OK.  

I still commuted for many years after that.  I never sat in the front half of the train car again -- always in the back half so I could see who was getting on.


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## D.A. Boulter (Jun 11, 2010)

I have. Lots of times over the last 40 years. Too many to count. Never had a problem ...

Except:

I was driving back from Victoria, where I had gone the night before. It was early and the traffic was minimal. It was one of those days where you just knew that it would be raining later on, yet just now it was great to simply roll down the window and let the breeze blow in your hair.

Anyway, with the road open and free and me feeling so good, I broke out in song. (With my voice, singing in the car is one of the rare opportunities I get to indulge in that pleasure.)

Coming up over a hill I noticed a figure in the distance, waiting on the side of the road. A hitchhiker, I figured, and I almost cursed. I'm one of those soft hearted fools who doesn't like to see someone stuck on the side of a road, yet I was feeling so good, being alone and able to sing, that I didn't really wish for any company. I decided that there would be plenty of traffic along shortly and this person would soon get a ride, so I would just cruise on by.

As I drew closer the figure turned into quite a good looking young woman. I was torn between respecting my inner self and living the joy I was feeling, and stopping to allow this absolutely drop-dead gorgeous (I noticed as I passed and my foot just naturally found the break pedal) woman to get out of the cold. It was, I maintain, the beseeching look she gave me as I passed which caused me to come to a somewhat rapid halt. How could I pass by someone in such obvious distress, I ask you?

It was a raven haired beauty, with the most piercing green eyes I'd ever seen, who flowed into my car with more grace than I could ever dream of possessing.

"Thank you so much for stopping." Her voice was a melody, a song, and I shuddered to think of what she would think of mine, so I merely smiled (my most winning smile) and nodded. Maybe I could pretend I was dumb, so as not to spoil the moment. No, that wouldn't work, she'd think I was a little strange if I didn't ask where she was going, so I did. Bless her, her expression didn't change one whit. She had, it appeared, the same destination as I.

In the next several minutes I tried to think up some way to strike up a conversation, yet each attempt died stillborn, the old aphorism "It is better to keep silent and be thought a fool than to open your mouth and prove it," keeping me quiet. Finally she spoke and so enraptured was I by her voice that it took a few moments before what she said sank in.

"I'm a witch, you know."

Now, tell me, is that anyway to start a conversation? What does one reply to that?

"You're Wiccan?" I asked, with fingers (mentally) crossed.

"No, silly. I'm a witch. You know, ride brooms, cast spells, black cat - that sort of witch. That's how I knew you would stop. I cast a spell."

Great. Just great. I _knew_ I should have passed by.

"Uh, that's nice." Yeah, great comeback. Show her your intellect, why not. A sideways glance showed her to be amused. Her green eyes sparkled with suppressed mirth.

"You don't believe me." Her tone was incredibly mild.

"I didn't say that," I protested, proving myself more the idiot with each passing moment.

"No, but that's what you mean."

d*mn. What does one say to that? I mean, why me? Did I deserve this? I was just driving along, enjoying myself, hurting nobody . . . .

"It's okay," she said, bringing a sigh of relief to my lips, "not many do," she paused, "at first."

Oh god. Now why did she have to say that?

"I can prove it to you, if you want."

"Uh, no. That's okay. I believe you." Now, I'm not superstitious or anything, but why take the chance. There's lots of things that I don't believe in, but can accept as possible, and I'm just as happy to let it stay that way. I mean, what if it were true? I could be in one whole heap of trouble - and, hell, even if it weren't, I could be in one whole heap of trouble. Who knew how crazy this woman might be?

"No, you don't. Now let's see, what can I do?" She paused and reflected. Another sideways glance told me that I was in a whole heap of trouble, for she smiled one of those wicked smiles - you know the kind. "I know. I'll turn you into something. How about that?"

"It's not necessary," I replied confidently. There is no truth to the rumour that there was a tinge of desperation in my voice. "I believe you."

"I'll touch you and turn you into something." It was as if she hadn't heard me.
Did I tell you it was a cold day out? Well it was a little hotter than I told you, for I felt the sweat breaking out on my forehead and brought up a shirtsleeve to wipe it away. I also edged slightly closer to the door. I mean, what if it were true? What if she were a witch? What if she _could_ turn me into something? I didn't want to live out the remaining days of my life as a frog or something.

I looked down. Her hand was poised over my thigh. My eyes widened. I looked up. She ran her tongue over her lips. I considered throwing myself out of the car, but my seat-belt was on - curse those seat-belt laws. I looked back down. Her hand was lowering, coming closer and closer to me. I swallowed - hard.

She was right, of course. She was a witch. I turned into a motel.

Sorry, sorry. I just couldn't help myself. I heard that one long ago, and this seemed just the place to retell it. But I have picked up many hitch-hikers, even had a woman jump out to stop me. She was absent from her half-way house and wanted a ride back. And I picked up an injured woman once. She'd cut her calf on glass -- a really nasty deep cut about four inches long. Took her to the hospital emergency room.


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## Mike D. aka jmiked (Oct 28, 2008)

Back in the late sixties I ran across a guy in Yellowstone Park that needed a ride to a crossroads several hours drive to the south (I think he had been working in the park over the summer months). I told him to show up at my cabin the next morning and I would give him a lift. He appeared with his backpack as I was getting ready to leave, and we journeyed south, stopping at a roadside park for lunch. He was a German student touring the US. Towards the end of the ride, he made a comment he was surprised to see an American that listened to classical music, carried around a Spanish guitar in the back seat, and drove a Mercedes, and that it had changed his opinion of Americans a bit (for the better, I hope).


Mike


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## Lisa Scott (Apr 4, 2011)

My biggest concern was that I was stepping into a scam somehow--that someone was going to follow me, or carjack me when I got to her location.  It's incredible the ways people set victims up these days.  But that poor girl, if all the troubles she told me are true...

I'm surprised I drove her after reading JA Konrath's short story on the serial killer hitchhiker who's picked up by the driver--who is a serial killer of hitchhikers.  I wish I had brain bleach for that one.


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## *DrDLN* (dr.s.dhillon) (Jan 19, 2011)

Most of people are good but media gives only the bad news. So bad we are scared (including me) of doing a kind act such as giving a ride in rain. I was given a ride by young girl when I was caught in rain and lightening while walking (without my asking for a ride).

I don't give ride to hitch-hikers on highway. I may if I feel someone really needs it.


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## Sandpiper (Oct 28, 2008)

jmiked said:


> Back in the late sixties I ran across a guy in Yellowstone Park that needed a ride to a crossroads several hours drive to the south (I think he had been working in the park over the summer months). I told him to show up at my cabin the next morning and I would give him a lift. He appeared with his backpack as I was getting ready to leave, and we journeyed south, stopping at a roadside park for lunch. He was a German student touring the US. Towards the end of the ride, he made a comment he was surprised to see an American that listened to classical music, carried around a Spanish guitar in the back seat, and drove a Mercedes, and that it had changed his opinion of Americans a bit (for the better, I hope).
> 
> Mike


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## BTackitt (Dec 15, 2008)

Lisa Scott said:


> I'm surprised I drove her after reading JA Konrath's short story on the serial killer hitchhiker who's picked up by the driver--who is a serial killer of hitchhikers. I wish I had brain bleach for that one.


That was a good story wasn't it?


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## Lisa Scott (Apr 4, 2011)

BTackitt said:


> That was a good story wasn't it?


Yes!!! It was a very good story. What a concept. (He cowrote it with someone)


Spoiler



I couldn't eat corn on the cob last summer after I read it.


 The ending was perfect.


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## CoraBuhlert (Aug 7, 2011)

Very shortly after I got my driver's license, I took two boys home, one of whom I didn't know. However, the other was a guy I had known since primary school and since I knew him so well and felt sort of protective towards him, I picked up his friend as well. In retrospect that probably wasn't the wisest of ideas, but nothing happened.

I once took an old lady home, who approached me in a parking lot. She couldn't walk very well and was unlikely to rob or assault me. She was really nice, too, even gave me a bit of money for the gas.

After a faculty party at the university, I took home two other female faculty members whom I didn't know before the party. Again no problem.

I've also offered to take home lost looking kids waiting in front of the school where I work (e.g. if their ride home didn't show up), even if I didn't know these particular kids. I think it's my teacher's instinct that I don't want to leave vulnerable kids at the mercy of potential predators (there was a child murder that was never solved in our area), so I rather take them home myself.


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## journeymama (May 30, 2011)

CatherineM said:


> Such a gentleman! Did you have a special hat!


A special hat?


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## journeymama (May 30, 2011)

jmiked said:


> Back in the late sixties I ran across a guy in Yellowstone Park that needed a ride to a crossroads several hours drive to the south (I think he had been working in the park over the summer months). I told him to show up at my cabin the next morning and I would give him a lift. He appeared with his backpack as I was getting ready to leave, and we journeyed south, stopping at a roadside park for lunch. He was a German student touring the US. Towards the end of the ride, he made a comment he was surprised to see an American that listened to classical music, carried around a Spanish guitar in the back seat, and drove a Mercedes, and that it had changed his opinion of Americans a bit (for the better, I hope).


Love this.


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## Grace Elliot (Mar 14, 2011)

Thinking about it - I can't remember the last time I saw a hitch-hiker. They used to be common in the 60's and 70's, and I had a friend who used to hitch-hike his way to Uni at the start of each term.


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## Vegas_Asian (Nov 2, 2008)

Never. Maybe because it's where I live and also never ever asked.

I mean my mom picked up a group of kids walking down the street from school the day we saw a coyote waking down the street up ahead of them. The fact my mom had my brother and I had to mean somethingto them.

When I was in high school an older lady asked my dad and I for a ride saying she won a jackpot and needed get an id from home to collect it. This didn't make sense since we were in Vegas as there was a line of taxis nearby. 


Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Tapatalk 2


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## Daniel Arenson (Apr 11, 2010)

I've both hitchhiked and picked up hitchhikers.


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## Taking my troll a$$ outta here (Apr 8, 2013)

Yeah. I've picked up stranded motorists, especially if they are older folks and alone. 
When I was 15 years old I walked to a truck stop and hitchhiked. Thankfully a kind older man picked me up and lectured me the entire time he drove me to Maryland. I was set on going, and he said he didn't feel right letting me find another driver. I suppose someone upstairs was looking out for me that day.
I've been told I'm going to get killed one day stopping to help people, but wtf? If it's my time, it's my time, and if I go while doing something nice for someone else then I suppose that was meant to be. And yeah, I give money to homeless people and sometimes my patients. I'm a sucker.


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## swcleveland (Jun 6, 2010)

I was on my way to work one winter (530 am) during a snowstorm with significant wind.  I saw a guy kind of jogging along the side of the road ahead of me carrying a lunchbox.  I pulled over and offered him a ride, which he gratefully accepted.  He was on his way to work also, but got off the bus one stop early and had expected to hoof it about four miles until I stopped.


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## The Hooded Claw (Oct 12, 2009)

I have done it for people I was convinced were in distress, but seldom do it. I've actually been approached by women for rides a couple of times!

Last time I did it was while visiting a friend who was in the Veteran's Administration hospital just a couple of years ago. A young woman who was there boldly asked me for a ride to her home. I was (and still am) surprised that she would approach a single male for a ride, but I suppose I looked harmless! The destination she named was only a little out of my way, so I agreed to do it, though bluntly I felt uncomfortable about it. No problems, though.

Long ago, while I was in an officer in the Army at Fort Riley, a young civilian woman approached me as I was leaving the PX (I was in uniform) and asked me for a ride to the enlisted housing area. I assume she decided I was safe because I was an officer. She was there living with her brother who was an enlisted man in the Army and as I drove, she described the various problems he was having with his commander. She tried DESPERATELY to get me to ask her out, but I didn't want to get dragged into her brother's problems, and I was deliberately oblivious as I took her home. In both of these cases, chivalry made me help, even though I was uncomfortable with it.

I missed out on a good deal once...I was driving home late at night after visiting a friend who lived far out in the country. I saw a man standing next to a car with the hood raised, waving frantically. By the time I processed the situation, I'd gone past him, but it was after Midnight, far in the country, and it was very cold (probably below freezing, don't remember for sure), so I turned around and went back to pick him up. He asked me to drive him into Tulsa where he and his family owned a Lebanese restaurant (he was Lebanese). I dropped him off, and he offered to fix me an excellent meal then and there if I wanted one, but I declined. He told me to come back to the restaurant and ask for him, and he would fix me up with a spectacular meal, but I didn't do it! If I'd done that, I might have dined well there for years! His car had broken down in a low-traffic rural area and he might have had a long, cold night.

I haven't picked up anyone in a couple of years, but actually did offer a ride while I was in Nevada just a month ago. After attending a presentation on dinosaur fossils by a park ranger, he told us we had just fifteen minutes to get to the other side of the park for a different presentation, and two middle-aged women who had sat through the presentation lamented that they had walked from the campground and didn't have a car. I offered to give them a ride to the presentation (and they'd seen me ask a bunch of geeky questions about ichthyosaur fossils, not a guarantee I wasn't a mad slasher, but a good hint). I'm not sure if they would have accepted or not, but they mentioned that they had a big dog with them, and I wasn't about to have him in my rental car!


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## D.A. Boulter (Jun 11, 2010)

And then there was the time when I picked up a hitchhiker in a more or less residential part of town. I asked where she was going, and she asked me if I was looking for a 'good time'. I told her 'no', and asked if she really needed to go somewhere. She said no, so I let her off. Never before or since seen a hooker in that area.


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## Kay Bratt (Dec 28, 2011)

Sure, I've given rides to strangers. And money. And food. And my coat once. 

But I keep remembering the time when I lived in China and I needed to get to my daughter's school for a parent/teacher meeting. I could not for my life get a taxi at the gate of my compound, so I started walking to the 'eating street' where I knew taxis hung out. It was going to be a long walk and I knew I was going to be late for the meeting, and with my never-ever-ever-be-late complex, it was stressing me out.

So I walk a few blocks and a gray non-descript van pulls up. A fat Chinese man (yes, there really are fat people in China) starts gabbing at me in a dialect I barely understand. I say the name of the street to him and do some charades to ask if he'll take me there. He nods, laughs, spits out some seeds in his delight. So I climb in, despite the fact he is smoking hideous cigarettes that smell like death. 

On the way, I ask him about his family and he says he has a son. He is thrilled I can speak basic Chinese so then he hammers me with a conversation that is much too fast for me to follow. While we are riding, my husband calls and asks me where I am. I tell him I just jumped in a van with a strange man and I hope he's taking me to Singa Plaza. My husband laughs and says, "sure you are..." We hang up and the man pulls up to the plaza and waves his arm out like he is presenting me with a huge gift.

I pull out some reminbi and wave it back at him, he gladly takes it and I am on my way. As my feet hit the ground safely I think, "Well, this is something I'd never do back home in the states."


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