Two days ago, while driving on the freeway to meet my Dad for dinner, I passed a stranded motorist walking to the nearest exit w/ his two children.  The kids appeared to be about 8-10 years old, boy and a girl, and the father a relitively clean cut contractor type.  I NEVER pick up people and give them rides.  Call me paranoid, but it guarantees that I wake up in the morning.  However, I couldn't let these two kids walk along side cars going 80mph in rush hour traffic.  A grown man can handle himself in that situation, and frankly, the walk might do him some good to think about filling up his tank when he has the chance, but to put his kids in that position, that's just not smart.  So, I picked them up and got them to the next gas station.  I know that just because he was clean cut and had looked like he generaly needed help doesn't mean he couldn't have been up to something, but I think I would need therapy if I didn't pick them up and read about some kid getting creamed by a semi while walking along the freeway.

What would you guys have done?  How paranoid is TOO paranoid, and how desperate does someone have to be before you place yourself at an increased risk to help them?  

I would have done the same thing, but I've always got a gun or two.

I wish I could say that, but I live in Ohio, where only criminals and cops can carry.

Depends on the situation, and the person involved. Although I do have to admit that I judged many a person wrong since I moved to Texas last August, to wit, I placed them higher on the scale than they deserved. So there's a no-rides policy in place now.

It would all depend on the situation whether or not Id pick someone up on the side of the road. I often pick up military members walking near my base who are in uniform. Now if the stranded motorist was a real hot chick with a nice rack and a nice ass, Id pull over in a second. But Im also armed most of the time also.

Years ago I was on a date with the soon to be wife and we passed a man frantically trying to change his tire in a parking lot. I never usually stop for any reason to deal with people I don’t know but this guy looked like he really needed help. I pulled in and started helping him. Turns out, he was from out of town and the car was a rental. He has just gotten word his wife was seriously injured and his daughter was killed in a car wreck. He tried to turn around to get back to the airport and jumped the median which blew out the tire. At that point I talked him to leaving the rental there and letting me take him to the airport – he didn’t even know where the airport was. He cried his eyes out all the way there. When we got to the airport, a group of people were waiting on him with a private plane to take him home. I’ve never since run across anyone who needed my help more than that guy.

I've heard of to many people getting hung trying to go the Affirmative Defense route to risk it this early in my career.  All I need is a CCW charge on my record to make an LE career go bye bye.  It's a tough call, though.  

"An armed society is a polite society"

I only do things like that when I'm carrying.

[b]How paranoid is TOO paranoid[/b]

Use your judgment; you made the right choice.

Of course, that just means you can't [b]say[/b] it.  [;)]



Yeah, the affirmative defense crap, besides being unconstitutional (on the state & federal level), doesn't work unless you're one of the "right people."  A local assistant D.A. here tells me that all the prosecutors were issued guns and carry them.  If I got caught carrying in this county, my butt would get nailed to the wall.



Does it get any more ironic?

I thru-hiked the Appalachina Trail in 1995 and to get to and from a lot of twons along the way (where you ship food drops and equipment changes, get cleaned up, get fed up with nutritious and balanced food, etc.) you pretty much have to hitchhike.  It was nerve-wracking for the first few weeks.  But the folks who live in towns near the AT know about thru-hikers and are often very willing to give us rides...sure they'll make us ride in the back of the pick-up truck where we can't stink up the upholstery, but that's understandable.  An AT thru-hiker smells somewhat worse than a goat that's been dead for a week in the hot sun.

Based on this experience I only give rides to people who I have a 90% or better level of certainty that they are thru-hikers on the AT.  How do I know this, because I am within a couple miles of a trail road crossing and the hiker is obviously walking into town or out of it.  Thru-hikers are also identifiable by the rangey, half-starved look they typically have going into town.  Since I don't live real close to the AT, I don't give many rides.  I think I can remember giving two or maybe three.

Away from the Trail, I offer no rides.

Ok, I'll actually make an on-topic post:  [;)]

I make it a rule not to give a ride to anyone when I am by myself.  I have a cell phone, and I will call anyone they want, but I won't split my attention between driving and keeping an eye on a passenger.

Once my GF and I gave a fellow a ride because it was freezing out and he was really going to be hurting if he had to wait for someone else.  I had her drive and put him in the front passenger seat.  I sat in the back with my knife, a CRKT M16-04, open and out of sight.  Better safe than sorry.  The poor bastard was probably more nervous than we were.  [:D]

I think people are too paranoid and brainwashed by the media and are scared of strangers that they don't need to be.

If a guy looks clean, that is, if I don't think he'll stink up my car, I'll pick up a hitchhiker or help a stranded motorist.  And no I don't carry.

Taxi drivers pick up strangers all the time.  Same thing with bus drivers driving the late night route, lots of times, towards the end of the route, the bus driver is the only one on the bus and maybe one other person.  There's not a rash of killings of bus drivers or taxi drivers.

So I say go ahead and give someone a ride.  I myself have seen all parts of the country and met lots of great people when I was hitchhiking around.  And it wouldn't have been possible without the people out there who weren't scared of someone just because he was a stranger.

-Nick Viejo.

i've picked up hitchhikers a few times


my dad used to do it all the time when i was a kid --- he'd tell them to hop in the back of the pickup if they looked like stinky vagrants, but clean cut people carrying a gas can or something rode up front with us

i tend to be a little less trusting, but i'll still follow his lead and give people rides once in a while

Good story...

I woulda given them a ride if I had room in the rig, We're out in the country and see folks every once in a while, some we recognize as local, others not, the locals are more inclined to be helped than the "visitors" but always with discretion. Always weigh the situation. But we musn't let the actions of a relative few malcontents get in the way of helping out our fellow citizens when they need a hand. You might be there sooner than you know.

If I am in a parking lot or something like that and I see a guy with a flat or emergency lights hood up or something like that, I usually bust out the tool kit and jumper cables.  At the movies/concerts/things like that I have given many jumps and changed more flat tires than a kid working a summer job at a service station.  Most of the time, people try to compensate me for my trouble.  I just smile and ask them to just pass the favor on and politely decline any compensation.  Never have picked up a hitchhiker but, if I see a motorist on the side of the road, I call up AAA and use my card to help them out (1 of my free tow truck usages, things like that).

Do unto others...

Well, unless they look insane, smelly or dirty.

With call boxes and freeway patrols, and my family to think about I pass up a lot more than I used to. But I still will give a hand when called for. A month or two back I was headed into California and passed a car with several people standing outside and it looked like one was holding a young child. Well, four teenagerrs, no child, a flat, no wrench and when I inquired, no air in the spare either. I let them use my tools but I made them do all the work and gave one of them a ride to inflate the spare.

As a general rule, I I do an area check, especially if it's a lone female as this is the classic setup, then I ask them to sit in their car while I do whatever. Everybody is safer that way.

Those taxi drivers picking up strangers have a more dangerous job than cops. The FBI profile of the cop that get killed the most is the one that is a nice guy and tries to help everybody.

Use your head and be careful.

Out in the country we tend help each other out quite often.

Just yesterday on the way to the Lions for an all you can eat fish dinner $6.00 me and the son in law stopped to help a woman change a tire.

 My wife once had a tire blow out and some kind soul helped her out so I do my part and pass it along.

I won't pick up hikers unless I feel they are from around town or are carrying a gas can.

One time as I was going into the bank to deposit a check, I saw a guy in a car roll in. Literally roll, because his engine died just as he was pulling in. As I was coming out, I saw that some other guys had helped push his car into a spot, and he asked me for a ride to the next gas station to get some gas for it. I felt a little reluctant, but I gave it to him, and nothing unusual came of it. I didn't own a gun at the time, but I was carrying a 4" pocketknife.

That's the only time I've actually given someone a ride, but I have also helped people who looked like they were having trouble in a parking lot or something, and have let people use my cellphone to call someone when they were stuck on the side of the road. I generally try to help people whenever I can.

I think I would have given him a ride in BigJ's situation. I wouldn't think the guy is real likely to try something with his kids there. Of course, there are some pretty screwed up people in the world, and you never know, but IMHO, that's about as likely to be a good guy as you're going to find without personally knowing him already.

My 75 year-old dad, had a blow-out 710-freeway when he ran into the median on the freeway, and a young Vietnamese man help him changed his tire. And this in in L.A.

My vehicle was disabled on the 60-freeway and while I was working on my car, a woman also pulled up behind my car about 100 yards behind. I finally got my car started, and I walked over to the young woman and offered her a ride to the Denny's Resturant that was just off the freeway. For the lenght of the 2 mile ride, she felt really uncomfortable, but it would've taken her at least 30 minutes to walk there. I dropped her off at the resturant and she managed to get a CHP guy to help her. I waved to the CHP guy as I pass them.

I blew a radiator hose on Christmas eve one year in Wisconsin. It was below zero, and after 30 minutes of freezing my A$$ off, a couple finally pulled over and offered me a ride home.  I have never forgotten that. Another time I slid into a ditch in a snow storm and some guy in a pickup stopped and offered to pull me out if I paid him first.  All I had was a $20 bill, so that's what it cost me.  Since that night, I have pulled at least 5 cars out of ditches and snow banks, and helped change 2 tires and given one ride to a gas station.  Not once have I asked for or accepted compensation, and never will. Like Belfry_Express said above, I just smile and ask that they pass it on to someone else in need someday.  That being said though, I have passed on many situations.  You have to make a judgement call in each case, and that decision is a lot easier to make when I know I can defend myself.

nice guy

With a couple of kids, I probably would have given them a ride(just because I don't know if this make me a moron, but I figure that if there are kids involved, there is much less chance of the guy try to commit a crime on me).  Course, I have done good stuff for relative lowlifes.
On time, several years ago after a taekwondo class, I decided to stop in the mall to check out the thing I had just heard about on the radio(some sort of station promotion).  When this guy comes out of nowhere, mumbling something.  I request that he repeat himself, more slowly and clearly.  Still a mumle, but a more defined mumble.  I ask again, and third time was the charm.  He asked if I could give him a jump start, he was down the highway.  I said ok, and he got in.  When he gets in he changes my radio station and remarks about my horrendous acne.  Which he professes to have the cure for: "You know what you need?  You need some pussy...I could hook that up for like 20 bucks".  I politely decline his offer of discount rent-a-cooch, and it seems he's in the mood to bargain: "Ok man, how about 15?"  I even got him down to five bucks to bone some undoubtedly ugly skank, but I of course declined(five bucks?  You do get what ya pay for...).  He even trid to get me to go to the bank to get some money for it(not possible, since it was a saturday).  I ended up dropping this bum off somewheres, wishing that I hadn't bothered to give hm a ride in the first place.  I call him "the world's sorriest pimp", due to his preoccupation of getting me to pay for sex rather than where he was going.  Doesn't seem like the best way to expand your business.

That said, I'd help people in trouble on the side of the road, because when I crashed in a blizzard a couple years ago this guy picked my up and gave me a ride to the closest gas station.  It sucks to need help, and when someone lends you a hand it puts you in a mood to help out.

I have picked up a few hitch hikers in my time as well.  One summer in college when I was working construction we had been rained out about mid morning.  I was headed east bound on I-10 towards Beaumont and this dude was soaked.
I told him I was going to exit in about twenty miles and could go as far as my exit.  After about ten minutes of the dude not saying a word I told him he was kind of giving me the creeps and told him to get out of the car.  I gave him my uneaten lunch that I had packed for the day and beat it for home.  I still could not figure out why the dude did not say more than headed to Louisiana.

IMO, picking up "hitchhikers" is very different than helping out somebody who you recognise as stranded or broken down. I know that I've been out on the highway and not even had a cop stop to check to see if he could even make a phone call for me, very helpless feeling to say the least.

 It would be hard to drive past a guy with kids walking down the interstate. I used to pick more folks up when I drove a truck all the time and they could ride in the back. One night about two years ago I was coming home late at night. It was cold and freezing rain. I got off at my exit and see a girl walking along the side of the rode. I almost went by thinking she probably had a fight with her boyfriend and got out. I was sure if I stopped that would be the time the boyfriend would pull up and I didn't want to get in the middle of their problem. I pulled up along side her anyway and asked her if she had trouble. She said her car broke down and she was trying to walk to the gas station. I told her get in and I would run her up there. You could feel the doubt and fear from her, but she wasn't going to make it in the freezing rain. She got in and I cruised her up there and I could tell she was relieved when we made it. She said her cell phone had died and her boyfriend would be mad she had to get a ride from a stranger. I told her the Lord was watching after her. I didn't tell her I had two guns on me and an 870 behind the seat at the time. I will usually help folks if I can unless they are obviously able bodied young guys unless it's super cold and they don't have coats.

... I just cannot fathom that concept. How did you ever allow that to happen?

... Anyway, you did well. I'm not a huge Samaritan to adults but children will always have my help as long as I can breath.

Thanks Nick!! [:D]

Depends on whether it's a chick, and how nice her ass is...

I've been passed up one too many times not to at least stop and offer the use of my cell phone.  I don't pick up hitchers, but someone obviously in trouble will get a hand, or a ride.  What goes around, comes around.  Ops

if i had kids i might acctully be more concerned about the guy who stopped to "help" what does he have in mind... what could he do to me or my kids?

I imagine all that and more was going through the guys head as he walked up to the car.


for my own helping story,

i was heading home from work, nasty rain storm was incoming, i passed a car with flashers on on the side of the road and a ways up i saw s girl walking up the road. so i pull over in front of her far enough that i could gauge her as she walked up through the mirriors.. imagine my surprise when it was a good friend from highschool i had not seen in 7 years, still foxy as ever. she almost walked by, when I beeped my horn, she turned with a look that at first wasnt to friendly, but then she reqignized (i mauled that word...) me and her look turned quite happy. i motioned her to get in, she did. asked what the problem was, ran out of gas. as soon as i started to pull back on the road the sky opened up and it rained hard as hell. she said thanks for stopping, we chated as we went to my place to get the gas, my place was 5 mins from there, I had unleaded fuel for the rideing mower. turns out she was coming back in town to visit family for the christmas holidays. storm had gotton worse, we decided to wait it out, she called her fam to let them know shes fine and will be later than expected. storm let up about somtime later.. but we didnt notice..about 4 hours later we finally noticed the storm had stopped. by the time we got back to her car the lights were not flashing any longer, put the gas in her car, tried to start it, dead... guess the lights ran in down. hooked up the jumper cables started right up. followed her to the gas station, met a few more times while she was in town. ended well ;)

I have been on the other end of the stick broken down and needing a ride.  Both times I was picked up.  Once by the public transit bus who saw my work truck on the side of the road and me walking.  The driver gave me a ride free of charge to the nearest payphone to call base and get someone to tow me back.

The second time I broke down (spit my rear drivline) on my way to work and didn't have a 10mm wrench on me so I was walking.  IT was below zero and I had been walking for about 15 min.  A guy pulled up and asked if that was my truck in front of his house with the driveline hanging down.  Gave me a ride to the gas station to call work and get a ride.  I was grateful both times and feel I have to return the favor.

nope, perfectly legal. have at it!

it depends what the person looks like? if they
look like "good people" I might help them, but I ussually dont stop for anybody. The type of
people I would never help:

long haired dope smoker types
people with tattoos
biker types
low life trailer trash types
anybody that looks like scum
black gang types
any gang types
homeless bum types

people I might help:

senior citizen
nice looking ladies
somebody in a life & death situation [car accident]

I have picked up hitchhikers before, but I dont
anymore.

Just depends on the situation, I'm more likely to offer my cell phone to someone to call someone, especially helpful for a female holed up in thier car at the side of the road.   Only times I've picked someone up hitching have been in National Parks or the like, was coming down Pikes Peak and picked up a guy carrying his bike with a flat, or folks carrying a canoe paddle or fly rod along the river

A few years ago, I did something like Bij491.

I was heading home to Ft Worth, from San Antonio one night. Just outside of Stephenville, and well after dark, I passed a car on the shoulder, its 4 way flashers going dim and slowly. I also noticed someone working under the hood. Although many cars were passing him, I felt compelled to turn around and help.

Turned out it was a young Latino family with a baby from North Haltom City, heading to Grandma's. Their alternator had crapped out, awhile ago apparently. It was too late to get one, or even a fresh battery from Walmart. After a short discussion, we piled the three of them in my extended cab pickup with the four of us. It was a very friendly, cozy ride home! The husband was surprised that I had stopped to help, commenting that I (a white, military guy in his 30's traveling with his family) had no reason to trust him. I responded "Well, you don't have any more reason to trust me, do you?"

I took them home after stopping off at my house in W. Ft Worth to drop my wife and kids. No regrets!

A few years ago my co-workers and I were car pooling home from work after a 12 hr. shift rebuilding a crusher,(I worked in mining) when I saw an old woman sitting on the side of the road with her head on the steering wheel.

She looked like she might be in trouble,it  was on a two lane road about 20 mi. from anywhere in the middle of the Mohave desert, it was 5:00pm the hottest part of the day about 120 deg.

Myself and three other very dirty men got out to see if she was o.k. when I asked her what was wrong she very hesitantly cracked her window about 1/2" and said her car had died and wouldn't start.

Yeah I guess you could say she was in trouble!! I told her we were mechanics off work from a local mine and asked her to pop her hood, upon a short inspection we saw that her coil wire had burned through the insulation where it had been rubbing against the manifold. I removed it and showed her what the problem was, anyone could tell she was scared to death!! I told her not to worry that we would have her on her way in no time, believe it or not I actually had a set of wires in my trunk that I had changed out after tuning up my car about a month earlier and dedided to keep as spares.

I selected a wire of the appropriate lenght and installed it, careful to put it in the clip so as not to burn it up again.

I told her to crank it and it started right up, I'll never forget the look on her face, she was crying as she thanked me and asked how much she owed me, of coarse I didn't take her money.
She asked me my name and where I worked, she thanked us again and we sent her on her way.

About a week later I got called to the office and was told the Manager wanted to see me, I couldn't remember doing anything wrong so I wondered what I had done to 'shit the stick' he showed me a letter addressed to the Manager of the mine, she told him about the incident and told  him he should be proud to have such decent men working for him. I left feeling like a hero which of coarse I was not, but I remembered thinking that day what if it had been my Mother, or Wife or daughter, I can only hope that someone might help them the same way, that was a GOOD day!! [:D]  

Aren't those one and the same??[peep]

Sgtar15

I wouldn't make that an absolute statement, but in many cases, yes.

This is what I've gotten everytime I've offered to help anybody except for the couple of times it happened when I was in the military and was in uniform on the way to or from work.  I'm a clean cut guy who is usually dressed in khakis and a golf shirt but I've had people who were afraid to crack their window open far enough for me to let them borrow my cell phone even when it was daylight and my wife was with me.

It's hard to be a boy scout in a time when no good deed goes unpunished.