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If someone asked you for a ride . . .

Loves Vintage

Loves Vintage

Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Nov 19, 2007
Messages
4,568
While you were at a gas station, and she seemed non-threatening, had luggage that looked heavy, was obviously struggling, and the ride was a really short distance (just a few blocks, but would have taken a while to walk, given the traffic and multiple intersections), would you do it?
 
If she seemed non threatening, and had so much luggage, I probably would for the short distance. It sounds like a traveler that somehow got stranded. I'm also from a very quiet area though so I guess it would depend on where I was.
 
Maybe, but only if my child was not in the car, and it was in broad daylight within view of other people, cars and buildings.
 
No :errrr:
 
No. I may be too suspicious, but no. I would, however, help her find a taxi (call one on my cell if needed).
 
No.
Don't be sexist.
Women can be criminals too.
If I was up to no good and wanted to find a victim, I'd also get some luggage to look legit.
 
I am pretty sure that I would. I know with society the way it is doing something like that may be dangerous, but I like to think that not everyone is out to get me and should I be in that exact situation someone would help me.
 
This is very interesting! I'll add some details. This happened to me this morning, so it was daylight, lots of other people around in the parking lot and on surrounding streets. It's difficult to characterize the neighborhood. It's busy, not what I would consider "unsafe". When I first saw her, I gathered she was walking from a nearby motel, which is decidedly unpleasant. You wouldn't stay there if you were on a vacation or a business trip. The only reason to stay there would be if you had no where else to go. Oh, and the woman was actually a woman, which is why I stated so in my "hypothetical."
 
It would be tough, but I would have to say no. I am a very petite woman myself, and I look like I'm in high school. I have already had way too many close calls with people that turned out to be pretty dangerous - I guess they are drawn to me, probably because I look like I could be an easy target.
 
Usually the non-threatening ones are the dangerous ones. Plus who knows what she has in that luggage. :eek:

Shihtzulover - I love your profile photo. :love:
I love those dogs also - had one ages ago. They are the sweetest loyal creatures.
 
No. I'd be more likely to just pay for a taxi for her. A friend of a friend of mine was actually murdered after being pressured into giving a guy a ride home. They did a whole 20-20 (or something equivalent) episode on it. There is footage of her at the gas station and the guy keeps asking her for a ride and she finally gives in. She was found beaten and burned in a field a few days later. It's unfortunate that in this day and age you can no longer be a good samaritan without risking your safety.
 
Maybe not in the city...

But I live in a rural part of South Africa and it's quite normal here to give people rides, regardless of age or gender.

However, I'm quite paranoid and refuse to stop if it's a young, or even young-ish man.
 
Back in my younger and more foolish days, I picked up hitch hikers, both male and female. Then, one day, I realized that I was an idiot. I no longer pick up anyone. During said days, I also accepted rides. What was I thinking? Now, I would lend my cell phone to someone to call for a taxi. I might even give them some money for the taxi. As for someone on the side of the road, sorry, no go. No strangers are permitted in my car. My trust level for my fellow man has plummeted, sorry to say. There is a backstory to this that I may post another time.
 
I think in this case I'd have offered to call a cab & give her $$ for a ride. I've always been a die-hard "no strangers in the car" rule-haver ... HOWEVER, I broke it a few weeks ago when my DH & I saw a young woman carrying a medium-size dog in her arms down the street looking panicked. We did a U-turn and offered her a ride. She was trying to make it to the vet because her dog had collapsed on a walk & began to seize. She didn't have far to go but she & the dog hopped in our car (along with *our* dog) and we drove her the remaining block & a half or so. If DH hadn't been with me Im not sure what I would have done. Probably the same thing. The look on her face was so heartbreaking. Last we heard (by calling the vet's office later) the dog was re-hydrated & stabilized.

However -- I have heard that Ted Bundy used pets in his ruses w/victims. So ... its probably STILL risky. You just have to listen to you inner voice I guess.
 
I would give her a ride if I recognized her from the area (and my children weren't with me). If she was a complete stranger, absolutely not. My dad used to pick up guys and my DH did once. Luckily those all ended okay, but still freaks me out. I'd definitely let her use my phone to call a friend or to get a cab, which in this area would be quite a long wait but it's the best I could do.
 
Absolutely NO!
 
decodelighted said:
I think in this case I'd have offered to call a cab & give her $$ for a ride. I've always been a die-hard "no strangers in the car" rule-haver ... HOWEVER, I broke it a few weeks ago when my DH & I saw a young woman carrying a medium-size dog in her arms down the street looking panicked. We did a U-turn and offered her a ride. She was trying to make it to the vet because her dog had collapsed on a walk & began to seize. She didn't have far to go but she & the dog hopped in our car (along with *our* dog) and we drove her the remaining block & a half or so. If DH hadn't been with me Im not sure what I would have done. Probably the same thing. The look on her face was so heartbreaking. Last we heard (by calling the vet's office later) the dog was re-hydrated & stabilized.

However -- I have heard that Ted Bundy used pets in his ruses w/victims. So ... its probably STILL risky. You just have to listen to you inner voice I guess.
Click to expand...

Inner voice is usually correct.

I would certainly give the woman with the dog a ride to the vet (assuming the dog looked sick/hurt and the woman genuinely looked upset). The same is true of a pregnant woman in need of help or an elderly person.

A woman walking from a less than nice motel with luggage just going a block or two I would NOT trust. I would call a taxi for her and, if she needed it, pay the few dollars to get her where she's headed.


It is sad that we live in a world where this is something we have to think about. I wish that all people were kind and those looking for help actually need help and aren't looking for a victim. I'd love to be able to give people rides, food, money, odd jobs around the house, or even a room to stay in BUT we don't live in a world where that can happen anymore.
 
No but would offer to call a cab for her.
 
Nope.

I'd help her call a taxi and if she didn't have money for it, I'd prob give her some.

ETA in deco's example if G was with me and J was not--I would prob have done the same thing. But not alone and not with baby.
 
No, it is sad, but you really can't trust any strangers. We had something similar happen during our last road trip in which a guy came up to my husband to ask for cash for his car that ran out of gas. My husband said, I won't give you cash, but if you pull your car up I will fill it up. Much more generous than I would have been simply because I don't like to talk to strangers at gas stations when I'm alone or only with my kids. I would probably call a taxi and give her a bit of $ for it.
 
I would not give any stranger a ride. Or money. I might let them use my cell to call a cab, but knowing myself I wouldn't even do that. I am a petite, pregnant blonde and I just don't trust people. I work in a downtown area and there are so many creepies around!
 
I wouldn't usually give a ride to a stranger. But in the situation of a distressed person with a child or pet, or maybe an elderly person, I probably would. It all depends on the situation, I guess.

It really is a shame that we're afraid to help our neighbors, though. :sick:
 
I gave a stranger a ride from Dunkin Donuts back to her work once. However, she demonstrated in the parking lot how her car would not turn on and only had a small purse.
 
This wasn't a completely similar situation but it was raining one morning and I passed by a woman in my neighborhood who asked if I wouldn't mind dropping her off at the bus stop. I didn't mind (although embarrassed since my car was a mess at the time :oops: ).

I'm not sure if I would do that for a complete stranger. My guess is no, I would probably offer to call a taxi.

My dad used to give rides to strangers all the time. Once he was on his way home from work and saw a woman with 3 kids waiting at the bus stop. It was cold out (NY-winter) and he offered to give them a ride. I think it's crazy that the woman got in the car with him and her three kids but he drove them all the way home. I think people could just sense that he was a good man though. I would never do that myself lol.
 
No way!
 
diva rose said:
Usually the non-threatening ones are the dangerous ones. Plus who knows what she has in that luggage. :eek:

Shihtzulover - I love your profile photo. :love:
I love those dogs also - had one ages ago. They are the sweetest loyal creatures.
Click to expand...

I know! Mine is pretty much like my baby. :)

DivaDiamond - speaking of giving a stranger money, I had an ex who fell for that more than once. It was so sad, because he was trying to help, but he got burned both times. He was going to a really nice college, but weirdly enough, the area around it is not good at all. It's actually pretty dangerous off-campus, and I'm guessing that the school was probably there first and then the surrounding area became bad. Anyway, the first time he gave a couple money because they said that they were losing their home, and that turned out to be false. I'm not even sure how much he gave them. Then some random guy asked him for $20 in the grocery store because his car supposedly broke down. My then-bf offered to buy him some tools or whatever, but he insisted upon having cash - and after my then-bf gave him some, he asked for more! I honestly couldn't believe that he gave the guy the money, but I guess he figured it might be legit and he wanted to help. It's just so sad that scam artists and criminals ruin it for everyone, because I know that some people out there really do need help.
 
Not a snowballs chance.

I've had people ask before, but what it comes down to is I am my own first priority. I'm happy to call you a cab, but you are NOT getting in my car unless I know you.
 
Not a chance, I live in a pretty urban area and I'm very cautious whenever I leave my house, especially if I'm alone in my car. A woman approached my car once when I was in a mall parking garage on my way to work, she told me that she just got a call and that her husband was in a hospital not to far away and she would show me her license and would I please take her yada yada...I told her to call the local police station and ask for a civilian transport. It's been drilled into me since I was a kid, don't trust strangers!
 
If I didn't know the person at all, I wouldn't give him or her a ride. If needed, I may offer to call a cab for the person though.
 
I still remember when I was in high school, one of the many times our dog ran away. I was walking in an adjoining neighborhood calling his name, when a guy in a pick up truck pulls up and asks if I'm looking for my dog. He said he just saw it and described him, and I hopped into the car. Luckily he wasn't a serial killer and he did take me to where my dog was, but in retrospect it was a pretty stupid thing to do. And in college while on spring break we picked up a hitchhiker that ended up staying with us half the break traveling with us. Again, wouldn't do that now.

And my husband is the good samaritan who not only buys people food, gives money to people on the street, has actually brought strangers to our house to feed, give them a shower, and a place to sleep because of some sad luck story!!! So this strange woman is sleeping in our house 15 feet away from my sleeping children!

I'm not one to give ultimatums but after the last situation I made it very clear that his priority is to his family and his children and that is non-negotiable.
 
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