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Helping stranded motorists and hitchhikers?

J

JOCCO

Well-known Member
How many of you will pick up a hitchhiker along the way? I do not, never really have. NOW how many of you will help some one who is stranded or broken down? Lady with dead battery in parking lot. Person with a flat tire along the road. I won't do to much because of liability reasons. Many times have made the situation safe: Let woman use my cell phone or stayed there till AAA arrived. Gave person a ride to town garage but did not attempt to tow or repair car. What about the infamous "I am stuck or mud running and need a tow with your 4 wheel drive tractor" I am usually very helpful there by calling the fish game or forestry. Last one got DUI car impounded etc. was glad to help him!! I have also noticed in many cases few people will help you if you are broken down or even stop. Many companies have a policy where at best they will call 911 for you that's about it. So what is your take how far will you go?
 
I'd have to say it depends on the situation, weather, location, appearance of the vehicle and people in it. I've helped a few people over the years with a ride, booster cables, or phone call for a tow. So far, so good.
 
Hitch hikers, no. Stranded motorist, I use my best descretion in each situation. If I feel it's best for me not to get involved, I call our county sheriff's non-emergency number and report the situation to a dispatcher. They can decide how to best handle the situation.
 
Basically I help if I can. I do look things over to try and make sure it is not some type of trap/scam but I 90% of the time help. I think along the line of what I or my wife would want if we were in the same trouble. Also it is a more rural area too. Calling some one here in the cold winter time could still mean an hour before help get there. IF it is sub zero that is too long.

I think it is a shame that today's society has gotten to the point that we have to worry about helping each other. It really saddens me too. At the basic level we humans have been helping each other since the beginning of man. Now we have technology that makes it easier to not help each other.

So I will keep helping. Maybe you will read about me being done in while doing it but I could not live with myself is some one I passed up helping froze to death or did not survive because no one helped.
 
I usually pick up hitchhikers if there appearance is normal--mainly because I hitchhiked home every week from college for 2 years and appreciated it
 
No hitchhikers unless I know them.

Single lady or lady with kids, probably. Anybody else, I'll make a call for them but I ain't getting out of the car. Again, unless I know them.

Too many druggies and transients.
 
I've helped maybe a hundred people with roadside problems. The people that I worked for had a policy of checking on and helping stranded motorists. There were limits - no towing which I never violated, and no rides, which I violated often.
 
Trucker friend of mine stopped to help a lady and child in the rain. He came walking back to find out the problem and a guy jumped up beside the car with a pistol. Made him hand over his wallet and lay face down in the mud. They took off, he called the cops. Hi-po told him they had a bunch of calls like his. I've helped ladies change tires but men ...not so much.
 
I live half way between two towns and in the summer there are a lot of farm workers trying to get to town. I generally pick them up and give them a ride to town. On the way back from town it is the same only if they are carrying grocery bags. When I worked for the power company, we were told NEVER tow. We could use the radio to call for help. If it was a woman we stayed till help arrived. I was on a back road once and a guy had slipped off the road from driving to fast. When I told him I couldn't tow him, he started cussing at me so I drove away. I didn't even call help. Maybe he'd be more civil to the next guy who stopped. My wife picks up no one unless they are workers from our farm.
Dave
 
Picked up a guy years ago around Spokane WA. I thought it would be nice to talk to someone and help stay awake.I told him I was looking for an old ford truck to fix up for a hot rod. He gave me a phone Number of his brother in law who had one for sale. I dropped him off at a truck stop in Ogden UT. I bought him breakfast and off I went. Called his BIL that next week about the truck. Thats when I found out this guy was wanted for murder and jail break. Police Didnt dint charge me with helping him flee the state, but now I dont do the hitchhiker thing unless I know you. Al
 
I think any hitchhiker seen on the roadside after 1990 was an ax murderer , so no. I will give any one a jump start my cables I hook it all up.
 
Hitchhikers? Never.
A man fixing a flat tire? I sometimes ask if they need help.
A lady with a flat tire? Always, or at least I ask if they need help. Several years ago I gave a lift to a stranded lady when her fan belt broke. It was about zero outside and she had a small baby. I don't think she would have driven too far.
Sometimes it's nice to receive help. 15 years ago, I had a blowout in our van. It was snowing with a howling wind, really cold and a cop comes up behind me and puts his cherries on so that nobody would rear-end me as I fixed the flat. Never happier to see a cop in my life.
 
I'll help some motorists that are stranded, but never picked up a hitchhiker. Stopped along a narrow 4 lane outside of Vermillion SD to help an elderly lady with a flat tire. Turns out her grandson was with her but he had no experience with flat tires. First step was to tell him to turn into the first driveway about 100 yards away because we were going to get killed with people doing 75 and there were basically no shoulders. After that my wife told me to help a college age girl at a gas station by Barron WI. She was fooling with her windshield wipers on a rainy day. Turned out she had new wipers but had never been shown how to change them. I changed the first one for her and showed her how and she insisted on changing the second one so she knew how to do it. She impressed me with her independance. However an able bodied male is on his own with me usually.
 
I do not help hitchhikers but I do help people with broken down cars. I have changed starters, batteries, fan belts on the side of the road for people. I even changed an alternator in a late model Malibu for a lady stuck at a stop sign in a neighborhood around here free of charge. I do avoid certain situations though depending on location and vehicle occupants.
 
I was a kid in the early 70's when there were all the public service announcements warning people about the dangers of picking up hitchhikers. Growing up in that era every person with their thumb out was a serial killer it seemed.
 
Haven't seen a hitch hiker in a very long time but back when I did I would pick up a number of them depending on if I was really going some place not just a mile or 2 down the road.

As for some one broke down I stop a good many times but I also carry a big tool box in my car so I have tools to fix things. I do watch out for things that seem out of place just in case plus I do drive a anti theft car as in it has a stick shift so hard for most people now days to car jack
 
I was in the Navy in 1963. I didn't have any money at Christmas time, so I hitch-hiked from Winter Harbor, Maine, to my home near Cleveland, Ohio. I was wearing my dress Blues so maybe that made a difference. I had wonderful rides all along the way. I'd get out of cars at service plazas and then stand at the exit drive from the plaza waiting on my next ride. I usually stood out there for just a few minutes before I got my next ride.

But that was long ago in an entirely different society. Today, I'm reluctant to pick up any hitch-hikers.

Tom in TN
 
Picked up a couple of hippies in the 60's in San Francisco . Couldn't get them out of my car fast enough. They smelled like they hadn't taken a bath in weeks. They were the real deal. Stan
 
No more. I used to pick up hitchhikers if they were servicemen in uniform, but I even quit that. Too much chance of it being an imposter with evil intentions.

About ten years ago, I saw a lady standing beside a broken down car and thought I'd see if I could help. When I pulled in behind her and stopped, she got in her car and locked the doors. I drove off.

I live a mile and a half from I-80. No way will I stop for anyone on that highway. I-80 is also the main artery east/west for drugs and other contraband. Our state patrol and sheriffs routinely nab all manner of druggies, couriers, and others on the wrong side of the law, to take a chance on stopping for anyone. For openers, you'd have traffic going past a few feet away at 80+mph. The speed limit is 75, but if you aren't going at least 80, you're obstructing traffic.

At most, I'll call 911.
 

I was a volunteer firefighter for 35 years, twenty of them as EMT as well. They are asking me to come back as a driver-operator because so few guys anymore that can drive a truck.
 
Not long ago my slim trim neat looking grand-daughter bought something at Walmart that came in a large box. Out in the parking lot she struggled to try to get it in the back seat of her car. Meanwhile a driver waited for her parking spot and several onlookers watched, but none offered to help. She ended up putting it in the trunk with the lid partially open.
 
I haven't picked up a hitch hiker in years. Last one was in the mid 90's on I29 in SD. Mid 20's decent looking woman. Trying to get home for Christmas and her car broke down she claimed. My god that woman smelled like she had never heard of a bath! Winter, regular cab pickup! I did put up with the smell to Omaha!

As fare as helping people? I'll stop if someone is on the side of the road here in the winter. Here we get sub zero and that's deadly. Add that to the fact we have a rather large population of both the elderly and single moms. So in the winter I'll stop. Summer only if I know you! WE get a lot of folks here in the summer. Former county cop tells me that out population in the summer is about 8 times greater than in the winter.

Rick
 
Hippies smell is "Earthy" ,too bad it isn't like a sweet smelling compost pile. Have helped people broke down with the hope that if The Wife needed help someone would come along and assist.
 
I will help a stranded motorist. I will ask if they are ok and if they need to call someone. I will.attempt repairs or try to fix the problem. Liability. In the last year I gave one of my neighbors down the road a ride home twice when she was broken down about a mile from home. Last time she had a pizza with her and didnt even offer me a slice ! The nerve ! Lol. I will help someone in that situation out but that's it. You hear stories all the time about people pretending to be broke down and when someone stops to help they get mugged or something. Pretty sad. On a funny note when I was in my early twenties I was having dinner and a couple pops at a local pub when I met a bunch of carnival workers who were staying at a farm across the street from our small farm. We talked for a bit and when I went to leave they asked for a ride. I said yes and about ten or so piled in the back of my truck and I drove them the mile or so home. When I dropped them off very single one came and said thank you. Not all are bad I guess.
 
In my rural are I will stop to help someone because I probably know him or her. When I'm farther away from home I get leery. A week ago Marilyn had a flat tire on the van. She was on a blacktop but at a gravel road intersection so she backed onto the gravel road a ways and called me. She told me before I got there several guys had stopped to help. I told her they stopped because she was a good looking redhead. She told me flattery will get you nowhere! LOL. When I was changing the tire with the service truck parked behind her van, the air hose and air wrench on the ground and a jack under the van another guy stopped offering help. We might not have some of the 'finer' social amenitis available to us in the rural areas but rural people are priceless.
 
I helped an old couple back in the 60's who had gone through most of a tank of gas in 30 miles- gas was just pouring out of the fuel pump. It was a Sunday afternoon and I was just bummin' around anyhow. Took him to town, none of the open auto parts places had one in stock, finally went to junkyard and they had new electric pumps. I had tools and even some tubing, so was able to jury rig the electric pump and get him going again. He bought me an electric pump for my hot rod, plus gave me 20 bucks, which was 2 days pay for me in 1963.

Not so much any more- too many ambush situations with bad endings.
 
Fellow on mountain pull-off could not get Chevrolet van to restart. Starter problem, 20 miles to any help. Asked if he had a hammer . Instructed him how to lay under on right side, look up and hit round thing about 5 inches in diameter with hammer. He looked at me as I was from a space ship. I said ok, good by. He then said ok ok then what. I said I will turn your key to start while you hit. Van started, was glad as said he had no money to buy starter. I said ok but that trick only will work so many times. Don't depend on it for long.
 
Im sorry i guess im old school I will help someone in a bind. Any lady or man in the same parking lot that i happen to be in at the time i will observe then go ask if they need any assistance. Saying you want because of " liability reasons" is a cop out. Its not like you going to rebuild the car on the side of the road your just offering your assistance. Think of it this way what if your wife was broke down and nobody would help because of "liability reasons" . To me thats a messed up way of thinking
 
I used to hitchhike from Great Lakes (North of Chicago) to Lansing, MI area and back on long weekends when I was going to ET"A" school. 1969/70

Had a few scary rides.

Another time, me and another fool even dumber than me hitchhiked to Petoskey in the dead of Winter! Why we didn't freeze to death is a mystery to me.
 
I had a guy stop earlier this week after I hit a deer with my truck. Guy pulled over and wanted to know if we were OK. We were fine but the deer was dead as dead gets.He was local to where I hit the deer. We chatted a few minutes and he took off. He was a deer hunter so maybe that made a difference in him stopping for that situation. I was kind of impressed any one would still do that.
 
I am talking about towing, tinkering with some ones car engine etc. They have road side assistance and motorist plans (AAA) As for my wife we have AAA and I prefer her to use it. At least you get in theory, some trained help. Most times with cell phones the broken down motorist has called and don't want any help.
 
I have never picked up a hitchhiker and never will..Its far too risky..I seldom see them anymore..
Since cell phones came along I seldom if ever have anyone come to my place asking for help....
Its been ages since I've seen anyone broke down beside the road that didn't already have help..
Mostly its abandoned vehicles by the road..
 
Great Lakes boot camp in the winter. My first introduction to real cold weather, and snow. Clothes never froze solid on the clothes line in California. Stan
 
I was at Engineman A school the summer of 68, May to Oct. if I remember right. It could be hot too. Bootcamp was from March to end of May. March there was cold enough to be in bootcamp, glad I wasn't there in the middle of winter.
 
been helping people for 45+years some are most thankful some are jerks but i still help them.. also have been a Vol. firefighter for 45+ years and have held the hands of people in some bad ways and seen a lot of death
 
I will usually try to help someone if they have local license plates. I have helped a few travelers if they are older. Some of the nicest people I've met were a couple from Iowa that had a flat on their trailer. There are a few license plates that I will not stop for. If they are from a state that has a reputation for regulations, I may ask if I can call for a wrecker but I won't get out of my truck.
The only stranger that I've ever given a ride was a black woman who had hit black ice and slid off the road right in front of me. I took her to the next town so she could call for help. That was before cell phones.
 
I grew up on Hwy 12 in South Dakota. We helped people all the time. One time dad help a lady by changing a flat tire. As he was jacking it down the car bounced a little and the lady asked dad not to bounce it so hard because her boyfriend was in the back seat sleeping. Dad kicked the jack out and left.
 
Sometimes I'll stop and help, sometimes my instincts say don't.

There was one time I stopped to help, road was icy, it was cold, snowing and blowing, and the guy had slid off with his truck and trailer.

He was inner city, real nice guy but couldn't hardly understand a word he was saying.

Got him pulled out, he tried to pay me, told him no just help somebody else sometime.

Before I left, he told me thanks again and that I had "One bad !$@&(%*!!! truck!"

Fred
 
I always stop and it's not smart but maybe I'm an optimist I always tell them pay it forward I helped you now it's your turn to help someone.
Off topic but an older gentleman I work with was admiring my suspenders so I got one like mine talked the girls that worked with him into wrapping it up for Xmas . Lots of smiling over a cheap gift . What really made it good was he lost his son this year in an accident a little gift went a long way that's why I stop and help
 
Many years ago I was eating at a fast food place and a very pregnant women came in and asked several people if they could help her fix a flat tire and none would because of liability reasons. They told her there was a garage up the street a few blocks.As she started out the door I told her I would do it when finished eating. She was new to the area and was having a hard time financially as well. She thanked me and wanted to pay me but I just told her that I have a wife at home and hope that maybe if she ever needs help someone would do the same for her. Tom
 
A long time ago I stopped to help a driver that was in the ditch, I had a
Chain and 67 Nova Station wagon strait 6 , well I let the clutch out
And now I was in the ditch also , well the other driver drove on the bank
Until he had enough speed to turn uphill ,and back on the road he was
I did the same , then later in life a neighbor lady on a snowing day went into
A 4 foot ditch on my property so I got my old 345 v8 scout hooked up to
Her back bumper and and pulled her no problem . When I put the scout
In park to get out and remove chain . She put her car in drive and tried to take
Off 3 times with the chain still on before I could get to her car and bang
On window , Now I don't stop to help anymore
 
I would usually be willing to help out a stranded motorist. I never would take money for it. I always told them to pass it along.
hitchhikers are a different story. Most times that I have seen people hitching, I was driving the big truck, and it was against the company's policy to pick up hitchhikers. Then too, there is the issue of finding a safe place to stop. Most times, I am wary of picking up strangers.

A side note, though. On the occasions when I stop to aid a breakdown, many times I get perceived as a predator. When that issue comes up, I politely excuse myself and leave. Last thing I want to do is get somebody uncomfortable with my presence.
 
Back in the early 80's sometime I was headed for a town 35 miles away on a -15 degree day with a strong northwest wind. On my way I came out of a small town and there was a young lady along the road in that -15 degree wind wearing an old coat and wrapped in a blanket desperately waving at me. I stopped and picked her up and she climbed in. She was from the little town I just left and was hitchhiking to the town I was headed for. She smelled really bad and was desperate to get to her destination. We got to talking small talk and she asked me if I knew this one particular person. I did but I didn't admit to knowing him because I suspected he was a drug dealer. I assumed she was desperate to get another 'fix' but I wasn't going to dump her out in that wicked cold so I took her to her destination.

Another time on a cold winter day I was driving on a residential street in a town and a not so clean man practically jumped in front of me wanting me to stop. I stopped and rolled down the window, he wanted a ride uptown so I took my chances and let him in. He reeked of cigarette smoke. HE told me where he wanted to go, it was a bar so I took him there. On our way I asked him where he was from. He was hard to understand but he said he was from a town not far away but he didn't live there anymore and he sleeps under the bridge in the middle of town. I told him he must be warm blooded to be able to sleep there in the this cold weather. He said he has enough blankets to keep warm. His story surprised me because this town we were in is a clean Midwestern town of 13,000 people, not the big city. In the end I felt sorry for the guy and I have never forgotten him. I wonder where he is at now if he is still among us.
 
You're all profiling. I do it, too. When I see a man or males with a problem, i just figure they're just having an adventure that I've already had & I leave them to enjoy the full experience. Once found 2 teen couples with a flat in bitter cold. Turns out they bent a rim while at a metal concert in Minneapolis, made it to our exit west of DSM "driving slow" before the previously fairly new tire was bald and popped. Hauled them home, hot cocoa all around, tractor towed the car to our place, taught the boys how to buck a tire off a rim. Beat it back into shape well enough to take a bead, miraculously had a tire that fit; they bucked it back on. Unfortunately found out that a fully inflated tire wouldn't fit in the wheel well due to bent suspension. Offered to try to jerk the suspension enough to work, asked who's car it was, all eyes on the floor as one said they were trying to get mom's car home without her knowing it was damaged! Hauled them a ways west and left them at a McDonald's with mom on the way from Omaha to get them. Felt like balancing karma for some not well thought out plans in my youth.
 
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