Have you ever given a ride to a hitch-hiker you passed by during the night?

Philippines
March 28, 2007 5:32pm CST
I know it's a good thing when you drive give someone a ride, especially those who would really ask for one, or those who seem to appear like he's lost and doesn't know the way around. And I've done this for quite a few times already...but those cases happen during the day, like when am on my way to the mall and I see somebody on the street who seem to be waiting for a jeepney of a taxi cab, so I offer them a ride. but I haven't offered a ride to a hitch-hiker during the night yet. Maybe it's just that at the back of my mind, am afraid that it might be some sort of fraud and I'd be sorry then, especially when am alone on my car... I hate to be called coward or unhelpful for that, but I believe it's still better to be safe. :P how about you, have you also tried giving a ride to some complete strangers who would ask for one? would you still welcome a hitch-hiker in your car even during the night and you are alone? please share your experiences :P
12 people like this
25 responses
@PunkyMcPunk (1477)
• Canada
28 Mar 07
Hitchhikers. I don't have my lisence right now so I haven't picked anyone up in awhile BUT, I have hitchhiked a LOT. I am serious when I say I've been the one on the road with my thumb out probably at least 3 or 4 hundred times. I will always stop and pick a hitchhiker up. I don't care if it's day or night I don't care if it's a guy or a girl. I know all we ever hear are the horror stories about murder and mugging. But you hardly ever hear the good stories do you? I asure you, I have never murdered or robbed anyone. In fact when I had money I gave it for gas, when I had a good storey I shared it. When I had a joint I have always offered to smoke it. It all goes to doing a good deed for someone. Not that i am telling people to rush out and pick strangers up lol! Just don't be so closed to people you see in need.
2 people like this
• Philippines
29 Mar 07
I do appreciate the thoughts you've shared, punky... thanks for letting us realize that despite the horror stories we often associate with picking up hitchhikers especially at night, there are still the other side of the coin..thanks!
@lonewolfnan (4366)
• Canada
28 Mar 07
I use to live in an area where there was only one road in and out and have stopped to give people ride in.One evening it was very cold and I saw a figure ahead so I slowed down to give them a ride.It turned out to be a college student trying to get home at onje of the lakes above where I was going.I thought I would drop them off at the road junction,but when we got there it started to snow.No way was I going to leave someone out as the weather got worse.I took them the extra 12 miles or soto the next lake and dropped them off safely.As I returned back to my place,I hit an ice patch and my vehicle went into a serious spin. when it finally stopped going round and round,I was on the cliff of the road pointing in the direction I had just come from.After getting my nerves calmed down,I turned the car around and had just started driving again when a bigger vehicloe came around the corner and would have hit me head on!!I guess my good deed did not go unnoticed or I could have been maggot munchies!
• Philippines
28 Mar 07
OH! that's a scary one, lonewolfnan... but thanks God, He didn't leave you those times..and yeah, that must have been a good karma, in return for the favor you have given to that college student. Godbless!
1 person likes this
@bindishah (2062)
• India
29 Mar 07
Im quite apprehensive of giving rides to hitchhikers...period. But if i see someone in need - like an old person, a person with a lot of groceries - I bend the rules a little and give them a ride. But never at night and never when im alone. Thing is there are less people on the road at night and if by chance you land up giving a ride to the wrong person, there wont be other people around to help you out.
• United States
29 Mar 07
Uhh... how about never? I mean, come one, you've seen all of those horror stories and heard all the old tales that talk about the killer hitchhikers... I mean, unless he's holding Bud Light... ;-) Honestly, it's not my thing. I probably wouldn't pick up a hitchhiker, but I am not without heart. I would much rather pay for a bus ticket for someone if they are in trouble and I could help them, but there is little chance that I would transport them myself.
• Canada
28 Mar 07
I have offered drives to hitchhikers before but in each case it was someone I knew . I would never be able to give someone I didn't know a drive as I would be nervous of who they were and have to think of my children first . I think it is sad that we are unable to help others out because of our fear but in this day and age we hear so much of what happens to others trying to help each other out and end up hurt themselves .
2 people like this
• Philippines
28 Mar 07
Exactly! that's also my point, sam... thanks for your response. Godbless!
2 people like this
@aprilgrl (4460)
• United States
28 Mar 07
when we see somebody's car breaks down we offered them a ride and take them to the nearest gas station. Sometimes it's ok to pick them up if you think you can trust them.
2 people like this
• Ireland
29 Mar 07
Having read and heard all the horror stories about people giving rides to hitch-hikers, my days of doing that are finished. An acquaintance of mine was found murdered after she locked up her shop for the night and gave one of her neighbours a lift home. It is far too dangerous now to pick up hitch-hikers and I will not even give lifts to people I know. I look the other way and pretend I don't see them, or I will pretend that I am going in another direction.
@dfinster (3528)
• United States
29 Mar 07
I would never, ever pick up a hitchhiker. Even during the broad daylight. With all the horrible people out there in the world you never know what could happen to you.
• Philippines
29 Mar 07
I haven't tried offering a ride to a hitch-hiker during the night especially if it's a stranger. I don't wanna judge them right away but as what you've said, it's always nice to be safe. I'm afraid that someone might be a ghost! Lol! who knows, right! :) Just like what I have experienced before. One early dawn at around 3am, my friends and I went out to have some joy ride after some drinking session from a club. We passed by a bridge and at the middle right corner, we saw a lady who's sitting there. Our guy friend who was the one driving asked us if it's ok that he's gonna stop the car right in front of the lady, but all of us yelled at him with a NO answer. lol. Funny it was, but we just don't wanna take the risk of doing it so especially that it's early dawn. We pity the lady but not to the extent of offering her a ride, especially that she's a stranger. Besides she didn't wave her hand to give us a sign she's a hitch-hiker or whatever. :)
@liranlgo (5752)
• Israel
29 Mar 07
that's a good topic rogen well in israel we do alote of hitch hickering. i know it is not a good idea due to the security setiuation you'll really never know where you'll end up..but yet we are doing it. i know i did take hitch hickers at night times. and i also hitch hicked myself. i lived a few years in an area that the public transportaition almost did not exist. so we used to take people we saw on the road to where they needed to go. and when we did not have a car it was the same situation. i must add that most of the times we knew the people that we saw they were from out kibutz or a smal town near by. also there are many soldiers that hitch hike and we always take a soldier when we see one. yes it is not safe. but still.
@Mollyjo (266)
• United States
29 Mar 07
I have actually have never given a hitch hiker a ride. I have given people I know rides to where they needed to go but, never a hitch hiker. Here where we live it is against the law for picking up a hitch hiker and you can be ticketed for it. I do find that most hitch hiker that I see, fighten me. You really never know a person. Some people can come on kind hearted but, then turn really quick. Then there are others that are just plain kind people. Most of the hitch hikers here are on the interstate and we did have a hitch hiker that would get ride up and down this particular interstate with motorists. They started calling him the I-70 killer. They did never catch him, so I just avoid picking them up. I know that this may sound bad of me but, I have 4 kids to care for and they do need me.
• United States
29 Mar 07
There is no way, no how I would ever pick up a hitchhiker no matter how innocent or friendly they appeared, day or night! This world is far too dangerous for that sort of thing and I would rather keep myself and my family safe to whatever extent I can. I hope that for those of you that decide to be nice and lend a hand to a stranger, that you never get burned in the long run. I think it would be okay to say that I think so far you have gotten away pretty lucky seeing as nothing has happened to you), maybe you should stop while you're ahead and not take this type of thing for granted. =)
• India
29 Mar 07
well I never gave a ride to a hitch-hiker till now. I'm not going to give it in my future too. It's very risky to give a ride to hitch-hiker,you'll get to know why we should not give a ride to a hitch-hiker when u see this movie "Texas Chainsaw Massacre" :P happy mylotting :)
@bad1981 (799)
• United States
29 Mar 07
Hell no, this is so unsafe it isnt even funny. I would never do this for fear of my own safety, but when I was about 10 years old my father did this with me in the car and that man that he picked up was the wierdest man ever and scared the crap outta me because of the things he was saying. I went home and told my mother and she really let me father have it with words. People that do this dont really have a clue as to what that person you are picking up can do to you.
@meljessxena (2315)
• Australia
29 Mar 07
well bf told me to never give a hitch hiker a ride if im by myself and especially at night. because its just to unsafe. maybe if him or another male like my brother was in the car, i would consider it. but i put my and other safety at first. if i had a child in the car i wouldnt pick the hitch hiker up thats for sure
@Jennifer21 (2476)
• United States
29 Mar 07
Yes, I have given hitchhikers rides. I have also been the hitchhiker. I have gotten rides at night. I guess just because I'm a pretty girl, they didn't suspect anything, and I didn't have bad intentions in my mind.
@urbandekay (18278)
29 Mar 07
I almost always pick up hitch-hikers day of night all the best urban
• United States
29 Mar 07
I dont know where you live but here in the USA you never want to do this it is so very dangerous too many people have been either car jacked or even killed so I personaly even though i may feel sory for someone would never risk this !
• India
29 Mar 07
Though I have given rides to hitch-hikers in the mornings, I consider it to be too risky to take on any of them in the evenings. I have read about and heard about a lot of untoward incidents in which people have been requested for lifts, only to get mugged and robbed when going through a secluded or deserted stretch of the road. I believe in being safe rather than being sorry. While I understand that a person could genuinely be in need, I never volunteer to give them a ride, after sunset.
@samrat16 (2442)
• India
29 Mar 07
Yes , once I have given ride to a stranger once in my life and I'm proud to say that this guy saved my life. I was going to bombay from bhopal ( two cities in India which are around 600 miles away) . Near Indore a strnager asked for lift from city and said he is going to support economically if I help him to catch his bus which has left the city some 2 hours ago. After some 1 hour driving I wasn't knowing that road is missing a bridge and there is a diversion to be used. I was driving at some 90 miles an hour. Suddenly he shouted stop !! stop !! I pressed brake instantly and realized that he saved my life as we were about to fall from some 20 feet into a pit.