Have you ever given a stranger a ride?

Many years ago we gave some college kids a ride from Dorsett's 221 up to Dallas. They were just trying to get home after spring break.

And about 15 years ago a wannabe country musician hitched a ride with me from San Antonio. Just him, his guitar, and the clothes on his back. He initially said he wanted to go to Amarillo but then he changed his mind and got out at Big Spring.

 

I gave a ride a while back to a guy whose engine blew up. I was at the same sop for repairs. Delivered his load of grain and then have him ride home about 400 miles

 

Nope. However paid folks to give me a ride to Napa for coolant and rubber hose.

 

One time in the big truck. Was a company driver running between Madison WI and Minneapolis, pulled off on an exit to take a leak and a break, was like 2 or 3 in the morning, when I was pulling off there was a gentleman on the exit side of the ramp, so I pulled on the entrance side of the ramp, sat there for about a minute, then got out and went to the back of the truck to do a safety check and take a leak. Walked back and jumped into the truck and there was some dude sitting in the passenger seat (my passenger door is always locked no matter what for this experience) I was like wtf, get out of my truck, and he begged and pleaded for a ride to eau Claire, which was only about twenty miles further, so I agreed to give him a ride. Started moving the truck and he starts telling me his story, I immediately pulled over and looked at him, and told him the only way this works is if he shuts the f up and just sits there. We were about 1/2 way there and I see him figgeting with something and I glance over and he has a pretty large pocket knife he is looking at. I hit the brakes hard enough for him to get checked by the seat belt and the knife went flying. I grabbed the knife off the dash area and told him unless he wants it up his *$$ he should get out of my truck. We were about in the middle of no where so he got out of the truck, and I threw his knife out the window into the median. That was the last time and only time I will ever pick up a hitch hiker

 

Absolutely not. I've always been a company driver though, I'm 99% sure I would get fired if I let anybody into the truck.

But even if I had my own truck, I still wouldn't do it. Way too much risk.

What I HAVE done and what I WILL do, is stop at the next safest place to pull off (rest area, truck stop, on ramp) and call the non emergency number and let the cops handle it. I've done this twice.

Once it was a bad snowstorm in Washington State, I'm almost positive it was on I82. It was on an interstate.

Anyways, it was like 2 or 3 in the morning and a car was broken down on the side of the road with no flashers/not turned on, then a half a mile up the road I saw someone walking on the side of the road on the shoulder with a flashlight swinging to and fro from his hand so people could see him/her better. Called into the non emergency number from a rest area about 5 miles down the road, said it was in the high 20's and snowing and someone was walking on the shoulder and a half a mile before that a car broke down on the shoulder. So send somebody out, and that's what they said they would do.

The other time was in Florida, once again during the midnight hours on the interstate. Saw what looked like a women, or a very short man with long hair walking on the shoulder of the interstate. They had a white t shirt on and road conditions were clear (no rain), so they were easily visible. Called that in to the non emergency number at the next off ramp. I noticed a strip club at the exit I got off from to call it in, not sure if that was the persons final destination of where they were going to lol.

Nowadays, who leaves home without their phone? Unless you're at a spot with no cell phone service (rare, only seen that out West and even then it's not the norm on the interstates), you have the ability to call the appropriate people for help with your phone.

There's simply too much risk for me to stop. I don't even think our current legal system WANTS us to stop, they would rather us just call stuff in to the local authorities and let them deal with the matter. And that's what I do. If I call it in to the local authorities, as far as I'm concerned I have done my part as a fellow citizen and quite frankly, the cops can probably assist people or deal with the situation better than I could anyways.

 

That's pretty much where I stand - I'm not as quick thinking as @Cdemars316 in a situation, nor am I equipped for a fist/knife/gun fight just for the sake of helping somebody out - and it's my livelihood , so - I'll make a phone call , and that's about it.

 

I have been in plenty of fights, but this scared the crap out of me, it took about 5 seconds of contemplating my next move before I basically just stood on the brake pedal, it was the only thing I could think of, had no idea if he was planning to stab me, rob me, or was just demented and looking at it. Would have never picked him up in the first place, it is why I went to the entrance side of the ramp, I didn't want to deal with it and figured he would have got the message by me pulling well past him. Now it's to the point unless I am actually having something I have to check on the truck , if someone is on the ramp I would just pull all the way past and go to the next ramp.

 

Company doesn’t allow it and wouldn’t do it anyhow. Too many elaborate scammers out there these days. I have helped a few stranded people out that were genuine once letting someone use my phone, bought some meals, shower etc, but no strangers getting in my truck. Too much to go wrong.

 

Big truck, never.
Car, a bunch of times.

 

Big mistake, and quite possibly the biggest mistake. Old couple or not, that's becoming the oldest scam. In a related incident, an older woman was hitchhiking, someone stopped to pick her up, on the way a car was on the side, the hitchhiker said, oh, that's my husband, can we pick him up too? Turns out, they robbed the person, and stole the car.. There was a time when we all drove Ford Falcons and no cell phones, helping someone wasn't a possible death sentence. Another trucker, no problem, but I figure, with cell phones, there's no reason to risk it. Let the cop deal with it.