That sums up why I don't pick up hitchhikers. I've been tempted to a couple of times, both times the guys looked harmless. Then again, you just never know. Sometimes crazy people can be harmless and normal looking people can be total psychopaths. I would be more inclined to if I were a guy.
every time i've seen a hitchhiker i've either already been past them, they were going the other way, or i was running late for something. i would consider it if they looked reasonable and was actually able to take the time to give someone a lift; it's not like my vehicle is really worth stealing or anything like that.
Yeah, I probably would if there was another person in the car with me and I was driving somewhere non-desserted. But I don't know.. I don't think I would ever hitchhike.
I pick folks up from time to time although I cull out smokers. Not near as many people hitching as there used to be. That may have a lot to do with the sorry-ass cops around here. If they see some poor soul they stop to hassle them....thats the small town/rural area mentality our kops have. If I see someone of color I'm more likely to pick them up before the kops get to them. I've had folks look me in the eye and without saying a word say a heart felt thanks. At my age if I have to live in fear of my fellow man I don't really give a shit about living.
Sometimes I pick them up and sometimes I don't. I know a couple that does it a lot, he hides in the bushes until someone stops then he runs out and jumps in the car with her.
Yeah, honestly I would be more likely to pick up people if I were a guy. I have picked up people occasionally around where I live because they were people I recognized from classes. And if I see people with a surfboard or something heading to the beach then I feel ok about it.... Otherwise, I am sorry I am not risking my safety and I don't really give a fuck if someone else thinks that is selfish, I have never once in my life expected a stranger to give me a ride. Hitch hiking is really common around here... pretty much every freeway exit is buried in people hitching.
I live in the country, most who are thumbing need a lift. I do pick up those who are stuck on the side of the road as it could be me someday. I have picked up those on the highway to the city and have also met them an returned them back home. One family stopped by with a box of chocolates as a thank you as he had car trouble and I gave him a lift two days. He had two little kids and a wife and needed his income. His car got fixed and I got a meet and greet and a box of chocolates for being a person who cared. There are good people out there in need of a lift.
See, in these kinds of situations I would totally help someone out. But I am just not going to pick up some random guy on the side of the road that looks like he just crawled out of the bushes.
I can understand that and support that. I live 40 miles from the city so out here those who hitch are doing so for a different reason in many cases. I think it comes down to what you feel is safe. If you get that do not stop feeling, then you should not. Simple.
so what is the difference between someone needing a ride in the country versus someone needing a ride in the city?
The only difference is that out here there is no pubic transportation that they could use. The closest charter that runs to the city is about 15 miles from here. It is privately run and only operates certain hours of the day. So a person would still have to be able to get to there to even use it. In the city there are transportation options that are not available out here.
I sort of agree with this statement, there were just as many crazy people out there back then. The odds were just less that you would pick up a psycho killer because there were just more people doing the hitchhiking.
fearfulness is an illness . a pure instinctual decision to share a ride or not is the human norm and it's of the moment , the immediate situation . who would institutionalize fear ?
