If you've picked up a hitch-hiker. . .

It's always dangerous to pick up hitch-hikers but most truck drivers always do that. Have you ever done that? If so, what made you do it? An attraction to the hitch-hiker or simply a willingness to help a stranger?

On my part if I were to pick up a hitch-hiker then I'd stop only for someone at a spot where I can all around me [to ensure there's no one waiting to ambush me once I stop] and the hitch-hiker should be carrying nothing. If they have some fancy bag or luggage I'll roar right past them.

 

I have been picked up with my friends before, (both when we were in our school uniform and in civilian) because my friends were fond of hitching and we were hitching a ride from our school's main entrance. The ride was short anyway, like 3 mins. only because we were just going to a mall which is near our school. I think that if the person is wearing a school uniform and really looks like a student, then most drivers would not be wary or hesitant in picking them up.

 

I picked them up all the time when I was younger, but you get more cautious when you are older. The last time I picked anyone up was this past summer - there is a 4 day linear hiking trail nearby that most people do only one way, then catch a bus back to the trailhead. We passed by 2 young ladies who had obviously just come off the trail. They had missed the bus and it runs only once a day. They sorta-kinda had their thumbs out but we just passed by....they seemed like reluctant hitchers. About 10 minutes later we pass a lady of the same age jogging up the highway. She wasn't hitching, but it was obvious she was sent ahead to collect a vehicle. The highway is a much shorter route than the trail, but she had a loooong trek ahead of her. We turned around and asked if she and her friends wanted a ride. She was hesitant at first, but I guess we didn't look too sketchy because she got in. We went back to pick up her friends. You don't hear of a lot of crime in that area, but I would have worried about them being out there all night.

 

I have never picked up a hitch hiker. I like helping others but it is a risk that I am not willing to take, even if it's a woman or the person looks innocent. Sometimes after I pass by the person I feel so bad like I should just go back and give the person a lift but I just follow the rule and drive on.

 

I can remember one time years ago I was driving down Burke Rd. I was going to go to Osburn which is the 2nd town from where I started from. I saw this hitchiker who I THOUGHT was my uncle's brother in law- his folks lived up the road so I thought he was walking to town. The guy got in the car, and started talking. After he was in my car, I realized he wasn't who I thought he was. I kinda got a creepy feeling, and decided to tell him I was only going to the Excel Grocery store, that was about a half mile away. I couldn't get rid of him fast enough.

A few years later, I saw more of this guy and had found out who he was, and that his brain had been fried from drugs. No wonder he seemed strange when I picked him up. I won't pick up a hitch hiker at all any more.

 

Well it was your intuition at work that you were uneasy when you picked up the guy. So you mean he's mentally unstable now because of the drugs?

 

He was mentally unstable at the time I picked him up, yes burnt out on drugs. I don't know about my intuition, just know he wasn't who I thought he was, that kinda freaked me out I think. Later on when I found out who he was and that he was burnt out on drugs he was just as wierd as when I picked him up. No wonder he was strange. Drugs do strange things to people.

 

Even tho I no longer pick up hitchikers, there was one time when I felt really bad about not picking up this black guy who was hitchiking outside of Coeur d'Alene Idaho. I live near CDA at Hayden Lake. The Arryan Nations compound used to be at Hayden Lake. Tho the compound got torn down because of a lawsuit that was filed against them there are still plenty of Skin Heads around the area. As I was headed east on I90 I went past this guy hitchiking. After I went past him I was thinking that guy may have a hard time getting a ride out of this area. I think if there had been a place that I could have gotten over to the west bound side without going miles I may have turned around and picked him up. I didn't do it, but I did feel bad for him.
I watch all kinds of true crime shows, also read books some true, but most fiction. I have a suspicious mind as my Dad was a Police Officer. I like to believe in the good in people, but I know there are some out there that would just as soon hit you on the head and steal your car.

 

Never picked up a hitch hiker and never will. The world is full of crazy people to trust anybody I do not know or trust in the car with me. A lot of people are missing because they decided to be nice and pick up a hitch hiker!

 

I've had to hitchhike, me and some friends, and it was was two truckers who picked us up, so it's a good thing that some people are still willing to help you out.

I've also picked up someone that I didn't know, but that's because I recognized them, even though I didn't know them. That was awhile ago. These days it's too dangerous to pick up someone who's hitchhiking.