Hitchhikers

[donaldduck352]

The last and final time I picked up a hitchhiker was about 10yrs ago.He had a gas can in his hand but there were no cars broke down for several miles of the last town I passed and he was walking away from town.That should of raised a no flag.But I did.I rolled down my window and told him hop in the back(I had a truck)and I will drop you off in the next town.He agreed.Now mind you,I have a concealed weapons permit,and it was always at the ready.
Well we got to the next town and I stopped at a grocery store parking lot.I opened my back window and told him this is were you get out.He asked were I was going and could I take him there.OK I thought.I found main street of that town and seen a Police station sign.Pulled in there and he jumped out running.There was to officers talking and watched it all.I told them what happened and they had him in cuffs within minutes.The sergant gave me verbal hell for picking him up.He was wanted for burglary and grand theft.He was also packing a bowie knife.I told the sergant it would not do much compared to my gun.He said he was glad I picked him up and not someone in a car.Of coarse they kept me there for over a hour to run my ID and permit for the gun.

But thats the last time I ever will pick up anyone I don't know.I even got my DW a permit to carry after that...

 

[Imzadi]

<sigh!> I wish I could get a permit to carry concealed. Just not gonna happen here.

 

[golfgal]

"Back in the day" our parents always picked up hitchhikers, I do not. DH and I did once about 18 years ago, a man with a car that was smoking and we stopped and brought him to the next town. All the while I was in the back seat with our newborn son praying we would be safe.

We saw two women out hitchhiking the other night, wearing dark clothing on a dark street. We saw them while coming around a bend in the road. They could EASILY have been hit by someone that was not totally on the road, stupid.

 

[pixiewings71]

You might not WANT a person to stop & help you. in this type of situation where you are stranded, you are easy pickings for a predator.

I know a woman who started a Victims supporting other victims organization after her car broke down. Yes, a man stopped to "help" her. He actually did fix her car. Then he "helped" himself to her by raping her right there at the side of the road afterwards.




That is sooooo not true. That kind of belief system leaves you in learned helplessness. I was taught to change a tire at the age of 10. I have changed 5 in my life. I'm female, 125 lbs.

Get the right kind of jack that you can work with your foot. Get the kind of lug wrench that you can also work with your feet for leverage. Or get one that you can power using your cigarette lighter to power it.

Good point, but it was rush hour and cars were passing by quickly so nothing should have happened, the point is that I remember a time when a lot of people would stop but not in this day, it's just to scary for everyone. the person broke down and the person offering to help. I was surprised tho, I thought that someone would have asked if I was OK.

I can change a tire too, but I drive a mini van and to do it quickly you really need an air wrench, the place the spare is stored is under the van between the front 2 tires, not fun or easy to try to unscrew without an air wrench. and that time I didn't even know where the spare was, I'd never had a flat and had only had the van for a few months so I hadn't thought of it yet.

One time I was driving on the interstate. I don't remember which state, Nevada maybe? It was a long, dry, dusty road. Very quiet. I come upon a hitchhiker at the side of the road. I drive past as I never pick them up.

About a half mile further down the road there is this HUMONGOUS road sign saying:

State Prison ahead:
Do NOT pick up hitchhikers
Do NOT stop for pedestrians
Do NOT stop at the side of the road
Do NOT pick anyone up
No parking or stopping
Keep driving, do not stop
Do NOT pick up hitchhikers


Then, just when I thought, "Am I seeing things correctly? there are a couple MORE signs, even bigger:

Do NOT pick up hitchhikers


I thought, "Hmm, glad I didn't pick that guy up." But, what about people who DO pick up hitchhikers, then come upon the signs with the hitchhiker in the car?

About a mile down the road, I drive by the gated driveway to the state prison. More signs. More warnings.

Then about 200 ft ahead, there are a couple more guys leisurely hitchhiking.

So, now, I'm starting to think: Those "hitchhikers" are just some townspeople, who have nothing better to do than mess with the tourists driving through.

If these people were really escaped cons, why wouldn't they be RUNNING from the prison instead of standing on the road close to the drive, or walking toward the prison?

mmmm yes, I've seen this sign as I drive down I80 between Winnemucca and Reno, it's kind of scary the first time you see it.

 

[Ceila]

If these people were really escaped cons, why wouldn't they be RUNNING from the prison instead of standing on the road close to the drive, or walking toward the prison?

I'm wondering just how frequently do they have prison breakouts to warrant so many signs!

 

[Imzadi]

mmmm yes, I've seen this sign as I drive down I80 between Winnemucca and Reno, it's kind of scary the first time you see it.

Yes, as I was driving through I thought, there had better not be anyone running in front of my car trying to stop me, because I'll just end up in that very prison for running them over.


When I passed by, on the way back, I saw again people "hitchhiking" out front. This time I just waved and went by.

I'm wondering just how frequently do they have prison breakouts to warrant so many signs!

I thought that, too.

Their security is so bad, that instead of fixing it, they warn people that prisoners may escape and don't pick them up?

 

[yoopermom]

There are similar prison/hitchhiker signs in northern MI. It's in a very wooded area, and would be very scary!

I was very upset two weekends ago when I dropped DS off at MSU in Lansing to see a young man at the entrance ramp to the highway hitchhiking with a small dog on a leash, sitting there, panting by his side! If you want to hitch, whatever, but don't put a dog in that kind of situation! I really wanted to doubleback and give him some of the waterbottles that I keep in my car, but knew DH would be upset with me...

Terri

 

[Imzadi]

I was very upset two weekends ago when I dropped DS off at MSU in Lansing to see a young man at the entrance ramp to the highway hitchhiking with a small dog on a leash, sitting there, panting by his side! If you want to hitch, whatever, but don't put a dog in that kind of situation! I really wanted to doubleback and give him some of the waterbottles that I keep in my car, but knew DH would be upset with me...

That actually sounds like a very "Ted Bundy" type of technique. Serial killer, Bundy, was able to get women who knew better, into his car, by using his charm & good looks. Using a dog to make people stop, could be very effective. Someone stops, hands him some water, and he shoves a gun in their face and forces the person let him into the car.

 

[donaldduck352]

<sigh!> I wish I could get a permit to carry concealed. Just not gonna happen here.

Thats to bad.Florida,along with alot of the south,have a more relaxed position about gun ownership.Sad to say,THE RIGHT TO BEAR ARMS our 2'nd ammendment has been took away by local and state laws.Sure lawbreakers will always find a gun.But law abiding citizens are the one's that pay for it.Need I say more on that!!

But in Florida,there is a long process before you can get a concealed permit.40hrs. of classroom,background checks and 2days in front of a trainer before you can be certifeid.

Remember two things:
1)guns don't kill people,wrong decisions do.That is what personal defence training is about with guns.

2)JOIN THE NRA that way your RIGHTS ARE NOT TOOK AWAY!!!!!


here I go again getting points from the mods

 

[MaryAnnDVC]

Last year I had a flat tire. I had already called my husband, but he wasn't there yet. A SHERIFF drove right past me and didn't stop! I know that most people have a cell phone and can call for help, but there must still be some people who would actually need some help. He could have at least stopped and made sure I had been able to reach somebody. Changing a tire by myself would be quite an ordeal.

That's a shame. I often see police spotting someone stopped on the side of the highway and pulling over to see if everything is OK.

You might not WANT a person to stop & help you. in this type of situation where you are stranded, you are easy pickings for a predator.

I'll never forget the case, probably because it happened around the time when JFK Jr's plane crashed, where a woman's car broke down, she called AAA and they told her she'd have to wait hours, so she accepted a ride from a stranger, who then killed her. I bet he seemed like a nice guy, offering to help her (and according to a news report I found online "Michelle Gosule had telephoned her mother on the man's cellular telephone several times and arranged to meet her around 9 p.m. in Brockton." But she never made it.

One time I was driving on the interstate. I don't remember which state, Nevada maybe? It was a long, dry, dusty road. Very quiet. I come upon a hitchhiker at the side of the road. I drive past as I never pick them up.

About a half mile further down the road there is this HUMONGOUS road sign saying:

State Prison ahead:
Do NOT pick up hitchhikers
Do NOT stop for pedestrians
Do NOT stop at the side of the road
Do NOT pick anyone up
No parking or stopping
Keep driving, do not stop
Do NOT pick up hitchhikers


Then, just when I thought, "Am I seeing things correctly? there are a couple MORE signs, even bigger:

Do NOT pick up hitchhikers


I thought, "Hmm, glad I didn't pick that guy up." But, what about people who DO pick up hitchhikers, then come upon the signs with the hitchhiker in the car?

About a mile down the road, I drive by the gated driveway to the state prison. More signs. More warnings.

Then about 200 ft ahead, there are a couple more guys leisurely hitchhiking.

So, now, I'm starting to think: Those "hitchhikers" are just some townspeople, who have nothing better to do than mess with the tourists driving through.

If these people were really escaped cons, why wouldn't they be RUNNING from the prison instead of standing on the road close to the drive, or walking toward the prison?

I've seen signs on Rte 395 in Connecticut saying not to stop, get out of your car, or pick up hitchhikers because it was near a prison. Yeah, a little unnerving! But I never saw a hitch hiker...yours sounds like a Stephen King movie! Or the hitchhiker episode of "The Twilight Zone"!

 

[gshanny]

My daughter had just been telling me about this near the town she goes to college at. Scares you into never wanting to stop for anyone. Ever. I told her she has a cell she can always call police to help someone instead.

http://www.nbcactionnews.com/dpp/news/state/kansas/ellis-county-authorities-looking-for-man-who-used-young-boy-to-lure-rape-victim
HAYS, Kansas - Authorities are looking for a rapist who they say used a small child to lure his victim along a Western Kansas highway.

Ellis County Sheriff Ed Harbin says a woman was driving south on U.S. Highway 183 just south of the Saline River Bridge Wednesday night around 10:30 p.m. when she saw a Native American child, about 3-years-old, standing next to a pickup truck.

The child appeared to be alone, so the woman stopped and got out of the car to help. That’s when the suspect appeared, grabbed her and raped her, Harbin said.

He and the boy then left in the truck

 

[pooh98378]

That actually sounds like a very "Ted Bundy" type of technique. Serial killer, Bundy, was able to get women who knew better, into his car, by using his charm & good looks. Using a dog to make people stop, could be very effective. Someone stops, hands him some water, and he shoves a gun in their face and forces the person let him into the car.

A similar thing happened to me about a year ago. I pulled up to our apartment complex about 7:00PM or so and it was dark outside. I didn't have the gate remote so I rolled down the window to put the code in the box. My dad always warned me how people can come up to you when you're stopped waiting for the gate. Well, I always look and I didn't see anyone. Then, all of a sudden, this guy pops up out of no where. He comes up and says that he's not a harmful person, but he has lost his dog and can I help him. He had a leash in his hands. I said no, rolled up my window as quickly as I could, and went on. He was probably in his 40s-50s with a real country, homly sounding voice. It didn't hit me til later that he could have strangled me with that leash! They always tell little kids not to go with people that say they have puppies... I guess it could just as easily be a trick for adults too.

Oh and we have those no hitchiking signs by prisons in Texas too.

 

[fairestoneofall]

no. i never pick up hitchhikers. it's just not worth the risk.

my car died once in rush hour traffic. and, if that wasn't bad enough, my cell phone was acting up and i could not call anyone. thankfully, a police officer picked me up and drove me to the nearest gas station. i don't know what i would've done if he hadn't driven by. i would've had to get out, cross three lanes of traffic and walked a few miles.

 

[*BTMRR*]

A similar thing happened to me about a year ago. I pulled up to our apartment complex about 7:00PM or so and it was dark outside. I didn't have the gate remote so I rolled down the window to put the code in the box. My dad always warned me how people can come up to you when you're stopped waiting for the gate. Well, I always look and I didn't see anyone. Then, all of a sudden, this guy pops up out of no where. He comes up and says that he's not a harmful person, but he has lost his dog and can I help him. He had a leash in his hands. I said no, rolled up my window as quickly as I could, and went on. He was probably in his 40s-50s with a real country, homly sounding voice. It didn't hit me til later that he could have strangled me with that leash! They always tell little kids not to go with people that say they have puppies... I guess it could just as easily be a trick for adults too.

Oh and we have those no hitchiking signs by prisons in Texas too.

That raised every hair on the back of my neck!

 

[WDSearcher]

What I'm "judging" her for is doing nothing. Would I let this kid in my house? No. But I'd be on the phone in a flash calling the police. No, I wouldn't know what the story was, and it wouldn't be up to me to interpret what I was seeing, except for the simple fact that a young boy is in chains and asking for help. It's up to the police, and my part in it would be to get the police there.

Sorry ... I thought you said that you didn't think she did anything, but didn't know for sure. That's what I was reacting to. If she said in the interview or whatever that she just closed the door and didn't do anything at all, then that makes sense. Sorry.

 

[paintnolish]

I have given a college girl a ride on two different occasions. Once, on my way to dropping the kids off at school, I saw a girl clearly doing the walk of shame. She was carrying her heels and shivering in a mini-dress. After I dropped the kids off, I gave her a ride home. Also, once I was outside with the kids, and a girl carrying a lot of art supplies (tackle box, poster can, etc.), asked where a particular street was. She had parked on a side street to avoid paying in a lot and couldn't find her way back! It was a couple of blocks away, so I gave her a ride.