Picking up hitchhikers

[La Femme Fatale]

For those of us here who drive, I was wondering how many of you would consider picking up or have picked up a hitchhiker before? I don't - but I had a short experience with one yesterday. I was coming to a highway on-ramp, and a guy stood right in the middle of the ramp holding his thumb out. I was obviously forced to stop and I locked my doors immediately. When the guy went around to try and get into my passenger seat, I hit the gas and sped down the ramp.

I wouldn't ever pick up a hitchhiker myself, being female and all, but I will usually call the police if they look like they need help. I told my friend about the incident and he actually told me that he usually picks them up, although some he has deliberately ignored based on the way they look.

So, q is: would you pick up a hitchhiker, or have you in the past? Yes, or no and what criteria might impact your decision.

 

[Feng-Hi]

No chance would I pick them up, taxis, buses and other means of transport are available. In my line of work I see the bad side of life and there's NO WAY I'd let them in my car! I wouldn't even consider hitchhiking myself as I wouldn't trust the people I got in the car with and wouldn't want to force someon else to make the decision.

Personally foot to the floor was the best choice

 

[Hoady]

I have had 2 situations where i hitchhiked.

The first time me and my friend were waving for at least an hour on a busy highway, one person stopped and then he drove off again!Thats just teasing man, but we were young teenagers and not in the best looking state either but eventually some younger bloke in a little banged putt putt of a car picked us up and was going past where we needed to.He was about 18-20 but he was pretty chilled, he said he knows how it is and hes been in that situation before at a young age so he didn't mind giving us a lift.

The next hitchhiker(the same friend)insisted we hitchhike i told him to stop being a lazy prick but he waved down the first car that came past and it stopped.An older lady around 40 but she was from the Caribbean and she says how hitchhiking is very a normal thing over there but she didn't call it hitchhiking i can't remember what it was. Anyway not many people have cars there and people are respectable in the sense your cars not gonna be stolen.

When i get a car well it really depends i will obviously scope them out first because i'm not letting any smelly old bogan into my car but if they look reasonably ok or really desperate for water or something i could give them a hand.I've had too walk for hours straight in the 40 degree sun with no water,no shade and no ones even stopped out of 100s of cars to see if i'm ok.They will survive.

 

[aintnoscrub]

I don't fancy being hacked to pieces and being taken around the country in some ones suitcase so i would never pick one up no matter how they looked

 

[wolfgirl]

Although I highly doubt that every hitchhiker is a serial killer, I wouldn't ever want to hitchhike or pick up a hitchhiker - it's pretty dangerous, like giving out info online... you don't know who you're sharing with!

 

[Hoady]

My first time was a pretty desperate situation the second time my friend was just being a lazy prick and the lady was very old so i took my chances.Other then that i'm never doing it again i'm actually very safety cautious believe it or not.Put it this way:I'd rather be the savior and not the victim.

 

[wolfgirl]

Being the savior and not the victim? You mean picking up someone instead of being picked up? That's just as dangerous, there's no way you could know who you're letting into your car :S

 

[Hoady]

Haha no i mean in any random situation "HEY MAN LETS JUMP OFF THIS 10 METER ROOF!!"
Yeah man uhh you go first.inch:

 

[wolfgirl]

Oh lol xD

Yes that is not so dangerous haha

 

[Hoady]

Then when i save them everyone thinks i'm a hero*stands proudly*.

I may be endangering there lives by not warning anyone but thats the joy of being a hero.

 

[wolfgirl]

LOL, you go hero man

 

[Kellyrose]

Well, there is a prison along the highway that I drive on to get to the city, and there are lots of signs that say 'Don't pick up hitchhikers' around there. I've still seen a lot of people hitchhiking though, but I'd never consider picking them up.

 

[Romero]

For those of us here who drive, I was wondering how many of you would consider picking up or have picked up a hitchhiker before? I don't - but I had a short experience with one yesterday. I was coming to a highway on-ramp, and a guy stood right in the middle of the ramp holding his thumb out. I was obviously forced to stop and I locked my doors immediately. When the guy went around to try and get into my passenger seat, I hit the gas and sped down the ramp.

I wouldn't ever pick up a hitchhiker myself, being female and all, but I will usually call the police if they look like they need help. I told my friend about the incident and he actually told me that he usually picks them up, although some he has deliberately ignored based on the way they look.

So, q is: would you pick up a hitchhiker, or have you in the past? Yes, or no and what criteria might impact your decision.

I'm so glad you didn't let him in your car!
Couldn't you drive on either side of him? He was a prick to stand in the middle of the road unless he was in a state of emergency. I don't know if he saw you locking doors, but if he did and still tried to open a door then I'm glad you locked them.
You didn't find his behaviour suspicious enough to call the police? Standing in the middle of the road is pretty serious if you ask me.

Had I been an unarmed girl, I would perhaps have ran down a stranger man blocking the road.

I do not pick up hitchhikers, I've done it only once or twice. To me it's not so much a safety issue, at least not in the city. I think they can use the bus or walk, the distances are not that great and this is not a desert. My car is my private space and I'm not comfortable having my first meeting with a stranger inside my car.

I never hitchhike myself, I can't remember doing it.

In at least one country, I think it was in Africa, it's illegal to not pick up hitchhikers. Few people have their own car there.

 

[La Femme Fatale]

Dude, that is so not cool.

Anyway, I couldn't get around him because it was an on-ramp and they're usually only single laned. I did call the police, but when they got there he was gone, and I haven't heard anything of it since.

 

[tequila]

I knew a person who hitch hiked, I think it's scary. You don't know what kind of people are there inside those cars or hitching the ride. I've read stories about those who did that. One story was that a girl who went to go surprise her friend by going to see her unexpectedly. She hitched a ride from this couple and ended up being their sex slave. I'm paranoid of such strangers. I wouldnt do that. I flick off those old creepy guys that try to give me a ride from the bus stop... which is unfortunately, on the corner of a city block.

 

[Hoady]

well if your offered a lift and you accept it your not exactly acting too bright lol.When i have a car and i happen to see someone dieing i could probably let myself go and give that person a hand.But the amount of distressed times i've been walking and haven't been picked up its not really worth it.Do the walk,you'll survive the 20 km walk no matter how hot the sun is scorching and when you get home its much more satisfying anyway lol.