Have you ever picked up a hitchhiker?
By Thoroughrob
@Thoroughrob (11742)
United States
December 5, 2006 8:50am CST
My ex-boyfriend did once when we were together. We took him to another town and dropped him off. He told us that he wanted to go to this restaurant just off the interstate and after we got there, he decided that wasn't the right place. We could not get him to get out of the car. I was scared to death. My boyfriend finally told him we were going home and it was time to get out or he would take him to the police station and let them get him out. I was never so glad for someone to get out of my car. Two days later, we got the paper and seen where on that day, the cops were looking for a man that kind of fit his description for robbing someplace. We wondered if it was the same guy, if so we helped him in his escape. I yelled about it for days. We called and told the police about it also. Don't know if they ever found him.
12 people like this
57 responses
@cindyngeorge (333)
• United States
5 Dec 06
Yikes! That is scary! I'm happy you are okay and finally got that guy out of your car! I have never picked up a hitchhiker. It might be because I don't drive lol. But i wouldn't let my husband do it either!
2 people like this
@Thoroughrob (11742)
• United States
5 Dec 06
I was at work when he picked him up. I thought it was just a friend of his until he told me different on the way to the next town.
1 person likes this
@fotychic (318)
• United States
5 Dec 06
No, I have never picked up a hitchhiker, or ever accepted a ride from anyone. I am too scared to do something like that. My dad has told me that when he was young, though (in the sixties), he used to hitchhike everywhere. It was common, and mostly safe.
My husband and I have, however, stopped and helped people who are on the side of the road. He helped some guy and his wife change a tire, and I have let people use my cell phone. I don't stop though, when he is not with me. I don't ever want to end up in the paper myself! Too often, you hear of people who tried to do something nice, and end up paying for it.
2 people like this
@farocop44 (447)
• Canada
6 Dec 06
Ive picked up hitch hikers the odd time but usually only if its really bad weather. Or if its a woman,(of course that is also a problem because they dont trust men and I have to show her my badge so she feels safe) Unfortunately the last woman I picked up turned out to be a hooker and she started telling me her prices for tricks. I started laughing because she had just provided me with all the evidence I needed to lock her up for the night but she made me laugh so I cut her a break. Havent picked up anyone since.
1 person likes this
@cowgirl2701 (2079)
• United States
5 Dec 06
Back in the 60's and 70's people did hitch hike alot. It was much safer then to pick someone up. Now days I will call the police if I see someone broke down. I don't want them standing there. We did stop for a family that was broke down. They had small kids. We took them somewhere because of the kids. They were broke down in a spot that we were afraid someone would come around the corner and hit them. Didn't want that to happen.
1 person likes this
@Thoroughrob (11742)
• United States
6 Dec 06
So much has changed since then and it is really sad. We have to be so careful everywhere we go.
@monkeykingaround (896)
• United States
25 Jan 07
I haven't done it yet. But I think I would only pick up a kid. I only hope that he/she doesn't twist it around and said I kidnap them. :) Who are they going to believe a kid or a grow up? I have a weird mind, right? But really... my parents tell me to never pick up any stranger. "Don't talk to stranger." even if you are 80 years old. hehehe.
1 person likes this
@sineen1981 (339)
• United States
4 Feb 07
i have. dont ask my why i did it - i used to be very depressed living alone and my then exboyfriend would never come by anymore - and never really told me why either. i guess i just wanted his attention in case anything ever happened to me. - now that i think about it i cannot beleive i put my life on the line just for some attention. because the guy that i picked up was a tall muscular guy that told me he had just gotten out of jail! he wasnt rude but kept asking me personal questions about my life that i actually had no problem telling him! i guess i was desperate. but i will never do that again since i have a little girl. she is my world and would NOT risk the danger!
1 person likes this
@flowerchilde (12529)
• United States
6 Dec 06
We did pick up a hitchhiker years ago (30+ years ago) and he kept going on about Timothy Leary, and when we stopped somewhere he did some standing on his head exercises.. and we had to pay for his luch..
Never, never do we ever pick up hitchhikers anymore, not because of him, but because the world is just too crazy and unsafe, too many psychotic murderers, abductors, etc.. much more so than 30+ years ago!
1 person likes this
@kgwat70 (13388)
• United States
21 Jan 07
I would never pick up a hitchhiker for that reason in itself. You do not know this person or what he could or has done and it is not safe to do that. No matter how innocent they may look, you can not trust a hitchhiker. I am surprised that the law did not come down on you two for picking this guy up. That was a very dangerous thing that your boyfriend did as he put your wellbeing at risk as well as his but glad that you two made it out okay and did not get hurt. It sounds like he probably was looking for someplace to rob.
1 person likes this
@wolfie34 (26771)
• United Kingdom
2 Jan 07
That was scary! The sort of thing you only expect to see in a horror film, not real life! I would never pick up a hitchhiker, no matter how harmless they looked. I went touring this year and saw a few young hitchhikers thumbing a lift on the motorways and I never stop, they look at my big car with one driver with puzzled face but I don't care you don't know what lies beneath, it's a gamble I would never take, especially in todays world.
1 person likes this
@jfeets726 (775)
• United States
2 Jan 07
I have never picked up a hitchhiker before. About seven years ago in high school one of my teachers told us a story that scared the crap out of me. One of his relatives stopped to pick up a woman who looked like she had a broken down car, I don't know if she was actually hitchhiking or not though, but there was a group of people laying in wait. The person in question was attacked and robbed. Now, I live in a small town and this story happened in a larger city, from what I can remember, but that story will always stay in my mind.
1 person likes this
@hockeygal4ever (10021)
• United States
23 Jan 07
I have done it in my younger and dumber years! lol I've always been one to think I can handle myself and I've been lucky to never truly be placed in a situation where I couldn't. Would I ever do it now? HECK NO!
1 person likes this
@albert2412 (1782)
• United States
21 Jan 07
I do not pick up hitchhikers. It is very dangerous to do so, even though the Bible does tell us to help other people. Since I would not know what sort of people it was standing on the side of the road, I would be afraid to stop and pick up the hitchhiker for fear of being robbed or killed. There are too many bad people in the world.
1 person likes this
@TonyMontana714 (64)
• United States
24 Jan 07
Those are very dangerous picking up hitchhiker they might be like killer or escape convict or somthing that you don't know about there past.. that why never trusted hitchhiker..
1 person likes this
@nw1911guy (1131)
• United States
24 Jan 07
I've picked up hitchhikers a couple of times. Never had a bad result but I won't do it anymore unless I see them within a short walking distance of an abandoned car.
1 person likes this
@mytwo_daughters (2663)
• United States
6 Dec 06
Wow! that sounds really scary, and NO! I wouldn't do it at this day and age. I've let one or two people in my care in my mid twenties that I didn't know...that was it!
@Justme2007 (1848)
• United States
6 Dec 06
This is why you don't pick up people you say I'll call for help and call the police and say a guy gal is needing a ride
1 person likes this
@kawillow74 (1416)
• United States
6 Dec 06
Well thank god you both are alive to tell the police it is a shame but in todays world I would not pick up anyone. No way no how.
1 person likes this
@Alexandria37 (5717)
• Ireland
5 Dec 06
I used to pick up hitchhikers until I read all the horror stories. A person I know, stopped to pick up a young lad whome she knew, but alas, she never returned home. (I'm not going to go into detail) Now, even if I see somebody I know on the side of the road, I will pretend not to seen them and drive on.
1 person likes this
