Accepting lifts with strangers.

Alessandra · 10-02-2009 10:49PM #1

My parents always warned me never to get into a car with a stranger yet she would often offer people walking along the road a lift in bad weather. You don't see many people hitchhiking these days anyway. I guess transport is better..

Well today I was struggling with my shopping walking home as I live just outside of a small town. Someone pulled up and offered me a lift. It was wet and I was tired so thought for a second and I hopped in. Now lucky enough this fella was very kind and friendly. Just thinking about it though it probably isn't the best idea when you hear stories:o

Would any of you accept a lift from a stranger? Do you stop to offer lifts? Or are those days long gone?

Gran Hermano · 10-02-2009 10:51PM

Ever hear of Jojo Dollard?

AlmightyCushion · 10-02-2009 10:51PM

Considering the vast majority of people aren't murdering rapists then yes I would.

Alessandra · 10-02-2009 10:55PM

Gran Hermano wrote: »

Ever hear of Jojo Dollard?

Yes but sometimes you just have to trust people I suppose.

Quazzie · 10-02-2009 10:55PM

AlmightyCushion wrote: »

Considering the vast majority of people aren't murdering rapists then yes I would.

Has boards had no effect on you?

Archeron · 10-02-2009 10:55PM

I would accept a lift from a non dodgy looking stranger, but I am 6 foot 2, 300 pounds, and very ugly and hairy. I don't get offered lifts very often, but if I do, I would accept.

On the other hand, if I was a lone girl or lady, I would not be so keen to accept as I would feel there would be more nefarious characters looking for a lone woman.

I have stopped in the past and offered lifts to elderly people when I seen them walking in bad weather, and despite my big/hairy/ugly appearance, they don't hesitate to jump in.

You just never know which journey will end up with you home and dry, and which will end up with you being beaten to death with a frozen leg of lamb.

Hagar · 10-02-2009 10:55PM

I'd give a lone guy a lift but that's it. No more than 1 guy, no women, too easy for an unfounded accusation to be made. Sadly the Good Samaritan is a much at risk nowadays as the people they might help.

Jesus Juice · 10-02-2009 11:01PM

Well im not old enough to drive yet so she can hop on my back if she wants but other then that....

Abi · 10-02-2009 11:05PM

I dont take lifts coz I drive. But when offering, I drive by a few times to be sure that they dont look.. ya know, crackers or rapeyish. Who the fúck carries a whistle around with them?! bítch.

Overheal · 10-02-2009 11:05PM

Lets see, 2 miles to go, walking in the cold rain, in those school uniforms, someone offers me a lift. I can either die of pnumonia or die of rape and murder.

At least in the latter id be getting a little action before I die.

Kiera · 10-02-2009 11:10PM

I've offered old people lifts loads of time but wouldnt take one myself. And would never offer kids or a bloke a lift.

Overheal · 10-02-2009 11:47PM

Kiera wrote: »

I've offered old people lifts loads of time but wouldnt take one myself. And would never offer kids or a bloke a lift.

Julep walked back from the Spire? Nekkid?

godtabh · 10-02-2009 11:49PM

I was meant to fly to Canada from NY. FLight got cancelled and got a lift of about 700 miles with people who were on the flight with me. Some times its ok to accept them. Lost of factos involved in accepting one.

Dont think I'd ever offer a left

AlmightyCushion · 10-02-2009 11:52PM

kearnsr wrote: »

Dont think I'd ever offer a left

What about a right?

qz · 10-02-2009 11:54PM

kearnsr wrote: »

I was meant to fly to Canada from NY. FLight got cancelled and got a lift of about 700 miles with people who were on the flight with me. Some times its ok to accept them. Lost of factos involved in accepting one.

Dont think I'd ever offer a left

Are you drunk?

Fringe · 11-02-2009 12:02AM

I remember walking home from school one day in the lashing rain. A car pulls over and offers me a lift. It was just two ordinary guys who were in their early 20's. It was kinda weird but I refused since I was almost home. Still could've been dodgy though. I could've gotten boned badly by those guys.

Traditional · 11-02-2009 12:06AM

i used to do a bit of hitching years ago , got around ireland all the same , once a man of the cloth picked me up and as he was changing gears the old hand moved across , and i hopped out !

afatbollix · 11-02-2009 12:07AM

somebody was asking for a lift to donegal on here... and i was heading up.. so i said id take him up... paid for the petrol and all... and because my car doesent have a radio it was a bit better than singing to himself...

omb0wyn5ehpij9 · 11-02-2009 12:07AM

I'd never take a lift from a stanger!

Latchy · 11-02-2009 12:11AM

Not a good idea imo .

Havermeyer · 11-02-2009 12:14AM

It's sad to say, but not in this day and age. Much better to pay for a bus/train than bum a lift from a potential nutjob.

Húrin · 11-02-2009 12:32AM

Hitch-hiking is entirely normal and safe. Most people seem to do risk assessments with paranoia as the main ingredient.

My best hitching experience ever was when I was alone, visiting a friend studying in Ljubljana, in Slovenia. I flew into Treviso Airport near Venice in Italy. I had been talking to the woman who was sitting beside me on the plane, just to alleviate boredom. She was from Ljubljana.

How happy I was, when we got off the plane, she told me that she had driven from her city (three hours drive) to the airport. I took a lift with her, no hesitation! Thus saving me a six hour journey by bus and train, and money. I always offer to help share the petrol cost but she refused. It's so easy to help someone out at no extra expense to yourself, when you're not dominated by fear.

Hagar wrote: »

I'd give a lone guy a lift but that's it. No more than 1 guy, no women, too easy for an unfounded accusation to be made. Sadly the Good Smaritan is a much at risk nowadays as the people they might help.

Pah, the original Good Samaritan was taking a risk too. That's what made him good. 'Playing dead' was a popular lead-in to an ambush with the highwaymen of the Middle East back then.

jester77 · 11-02-2009 12:47AM

I only accept lifts if they are offering sweets

Nehaxak · 11-02-2009 01:19AM

I thumb a lift sometimes if I feel like it on the way home from work. Get the bus to Phibsboro and thumb from there while waiting on a bus, usually get a lift within a few minutes and enjoy the chat with complete strangers.
I think people are more surprised that someone actually still thumbs a lift these days.

SeekUp · 11-02-2009 01:21AM

The first time I was in Dublin, a friend and I had been wandering about, and at the end of the day we were certain that we were headed back toward the middle of town. Of course, we were not. A woman must've overheard us asserting our correctness and said something to the effect of, 'No, you're not going in the right direction, and you really shouldn't be wandering around here on your own.' She was nice enough to give us a ride back in, and we didn't think twice about accepting, because a) she was a woman and 2) there were two of us.

I also remember picking up a couple who were hitchhiking in NZ, but there were four of us in the campervan at the time.

Apparently, my general rule seems to be 'there's safety in numbers.'

OneThingIKnow · 11-02-2009 01:37AM

When I was a little kid this really old couple offered me a lift to school in their car. Looking back I'm sure they were probably just being really nice and we're harmless really and I scared them more than they scared me. But back then it scared the bejesus out of me and I ran away screaming into the nearest shop that people were trying to kidnap me. I think my parents gave me that "talk to strangers and you'll end up dead in a ditch" speech one too many times.

Alessandra wrote: »

Would any of you accept a lift from a stranger? Do you stop to offer lifts? Or are those days long gone?

Wouldn't accept any and I wouldn't offer any.

towel401 · 11-02-2009 01:40AM

sure why not. the chances of something bad happening are so small
i must start offering ppl lifts but i think they will run for it as soon as they see the look on my face

First i'm gonna put a few more antennas on the roof and get blacked out windows tho

SV · 11-02-2009 01:59AM

I've given(gave?) a load of people lifts home on nights out if I was driving around.

Wouldn't go further than that though..

Húrin · 11-02-2009 02:00AM

Nehaxak wrote: »

I thumb a lift sometimes if I feel like it on the way home from work. Get the bus to Phibsboro and thumb from there while waiting on a bus, usually get a lift within a few minutes and enjoy the chat with complete strangers.
I think people are more surprised that someone actually still thumbs a lift these days.

Thumbing in the city, with buses available, is quite unusual! I'm surprised that it works much.

Biggins · 11-02-2009 02:11AM

This sounds daft but I have offered to give females a lift before - on one condition though.
Before they get in the car - I hand them my phone (if they not got one) and tell them to ring home/a friend of theirs, etc, and I ask them to give my car reg number and my name/address (I show genuine i.d.) to the person at the other end.
Most also mention what route they are taking and how long they will be if possible.

This relaxes them hopefully and they can hang on to my phone till they get out.

(I do charity/volunteer work for the Rape Crises Centre in Dublin so I know the horror stories sadly)

Pinkster · 11-02-2009 02:27AM

I've only once given a lift to a stranger and only because I had a friend with me. I really thought hitch hikers were a thing of the past. Will these recessionary times bring them back out again?

Accepting lifts with strangers.

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