Hitchhiker Experience.

Tonight after leaving work I stopped to put gas in the truck before heading home on the highway. As I pulled in to the lot, two men with hockey bags tried to wave me down. I pulled up to the gas pump and started pumping. The two men came over and asked if I could drive them as far up the highway as I was going. Now, I've picked up hitchhikers before with absolutely no terrible experiences, but there was something about these two men that made me leery. I told them sorry, but I couldn't offer them a ride, paid for my gas and left.

After I left, and passed them again on my way out, I got an intense feeling of guilt and dread. I hope the two men find someone who can give them a ride safely; or alternately that these two don't cause any trouble.

Has anyone here ever had a creepy experience with a hitchhiker? I'm in the mood for some good stories.

a reply to: Atsbhct

The two hitchhikers of whom you speak were called Arthur dent and Ford Prefect. Don't worry, they got home/will get home/will have got home/will have get on home/will get on homed. It is all relative you see.

Well in that case, the answer is "42".

a reply to: Jonjonj

a reply to: Atsbhct

Ask the guy with the hotblack limousine

I wouldn't pick up any hitch hikers these days. They probably had bodies in those hockey bags, or were planning on putting someone in them. LOL

I do remember years ago, a couple of young men asking my husband and I for a ride. He picked them up and I was sooooo nervous. They seemed so nice and lucky for us they were, but it's a hell of a chance one takes. But today...no way!

a reply to: Night Star

I always tell myself I'm silly for ever picking up any, but I've never had a bad experience. I definitely haven't picked up every hitchhiker I've seen on the road. If my boyfriend was with me, he'd likely say, "sorry boys, I've walked further."

I have a soft spot for them I think. I feel like usually, the hitchhikers I meet are explorers at heart.

I had just completed a course out at Fort Huachuca and was driving back to Fort Hood. I saw this guy walking with a gas can. A little further down the road I saw what must have been his car with the hood up (late model, beat to Hell, faded paint) and a lady sittin' in the passenger seat. Middle of Summer.

So I go down to where I can cross the median, turn around and go pick the guy up. He told me he'd just walk it and I told him the last gas station was at least five miles back. He didn't say anything and didn't look like he was gonna accept the ride (tough old bird he was). So I asked him, "How heavy you think that can's gonna be on the walk back?"

Anyway, we get to the station and I fill up my truck and then pump his can full of gas without paying the pump off in between. He couldn't pay for his gas that way because he only had a credit card. I know it humbled him, but I didn't care. I took him back to his car and went up to say hello to his wife and the two kids they had in the back seat I hadn't spotted on my initial pass. I gave her every cash dollar I had in my wallet and told her to hold on to it for the next emergency.

When I drove away, there were tears in their eyes that only a stranger's generosity could bring.

That's a 20 year old tale and I tell it to make a point for this thread. You sometimes know who you can trust and who you can't. Sometimes, those same people aren't gonna feel the same way about you ... up front. Always trust your feelings when the hair stands up on the back of your neck. No one can fault you for that.

a reply to: Snarl

That's a very touching story. I imagine the people you helped are still telling the story twenty years on as well, but to make a point about the kindness of strangers.

a reply to: Atsbhct

Trusting your instincts is always a good idea. If you didn't feel safe picking them up, then you made the right decision. We (hubby and I) have offered rides before, and also skipped some looking for one, and it was always based on the "feel" of those wanting a lift.

Two men, and you alone? Not a good mix for an encounter. The guilt, I can't explain. Maybe deep down, thinking someone else would be hurt by them? If so, NOT your fault!

Many years back, the ex and I gave a lift to a fellow, and even got him some food to carry. He was traveling, in a COLD winter, with no gloves, trying to get back to another state after a job fell through. He got a ride to a truck stop, so he could catch one further, and a pair of work gloves from the car, and some food to carry. He needed it.

Another time, the current hubby and I offered a ride to a young woman stranded downtown after a 4'th of July celebration. Her ride had abandoned her, and the way she was dressed, we were afraid she'd end up as a victim. She was drunk, too. Appreciated the lift, though!

Creepiest was the two kids. which I wrote about in detail here - Strange Encounter That one, nothing bad actually happened, but it could have. I have wondered, had I not offered them a lift, if someone else would have, who would have seen a far different result.

a reply to: LadyGreenEyes

Thank you. I can't wait to read your story.

Truth be told, I thought people would be telling mostly creepy stories. As it seems, the old saying proves true and there's more good in the world than bad.

a reply to: Atsbhct

There is a lot of good, but there is also a lot of bad, and a lot that is mysterious. The stories posted here are great reads. I enjoy the good ones, and the creepy as well.

As a dumb kid, I spent a number of years hitch hiking throughout Los Angeles, Ventura, Orange, and San Diego Counties. Often with a buddy, but usually by myself. It was all about getting to the beach to surf. Spent days on the road and many nights alone at freeways on-ramps, waiting to be picked up by strangers. My hitch hiking years were from 1970 - 1973. This was the same time period and area in which Randy Kraft the "freeway killer" was operating. I had some spooky rides, a few I'll never forget.

source: en.wikipedia.org...

My worst was when I was hitch hiking and the driver started grabbing my knee. Luckily we were going through a mountain pass with a sheer cliff on one side. I turned around and threatened to kick him in the head and said I didn't care if I died if he lost control of the car. First place he could pull over he did. I had to walk down the mountain because nobody could stop, but hey, was alive!

My brother once hitched a lift with a drunk couple. They were so drunk they asked him to drive so he did. They passed out so he had no idea where they were going so he drove to the town we lived in, parked at the mall, and walked the last of they way home leaving the couple to sleep it off

I also find it really uncanny that when I pick up hitch hikers it, more often than not, turns out I know them. Don't recognize them on the conscious level, don't know why I decide to pick up that particular hitch hiker, but they know me and I can put the pieces together.

I was 16 years old and my boyfriend was 17. We had been been playing the game Hey Mister in the parking lot of a convenience store for a while. The game consists of yelling "Hey Mister" to any single male entering the store and asking him to purchase beer, because, "Well, we lost our IDs and need favor." One guy who was probably in his early 30s agreed to buy us beer in exchange for a ride down the road to a friend's house.

He bought the beer, got in the backseat of our SUV and we asked him where he needed to go. He proceeded to deliberately lead us to an empty cul-de-sac and asked my boyfriend to stop in the empty cul-de-sac. I remember the distinct feeling that I was probably about to die at the hands of this stranger.

After a lot of awkward silence the stranger got out. I feel like he decided not to hurt us after we got to the cul-de-sac, but I'll never know. That was the last time we ever gave anyone a ride.

I actually had a great experience picking up a hitchhiker.

I met him at a convenience store in the Cascades mountains.

He brought me to an awesome natural outdoor hot spring alongside a beautiful stream in the forest, where I met some other cool people. He shared with me some bud and beer.

If I never gave him a ride, I would never have known such a place existed.

He seemed cool though. Never would have given any shady people a ride.

a reply to: Atsbhct

Yikes that's creepy! Good for you listening to your intuition! Some people just give off the worst vibes. Don't know what it is but better safe than sorry for sure.

I have a hitch hiking story from the viewpoint of the hitch hiker as opposed to the one giving a lift if I may.

A series of unfortunate events put me in a tricky situation.

I lived in a very remote area in the UK and missed the only bus home, this meant a five mile walk down an unlit country road, I was not happy as it was cold and very dark.

I should also point out that I had a big spikey red mohawk at the time, oh and it was Haloween

About two miles in I heard a car in the distance and with no real hope that I would be picked up stuck out my thumb on the off chance.

As the car approched I was blinded by the light and the car pulled up 15 or so feet in front of me.

My relief and joy was somewhat short lived though, What sort of person stops to pick up a wierd looking man on a remote road in the dark on Haloween?? Only a crazy person would do that!

I panicked and froze, I just stood there thinking I was a gonner convinced that the car was being driven by a serial killer!

after about 30 seconds a voice shouted "MY NAME" are you getting in or not, come on.

To my relief it was my neighbours sister and her kids visiting for a Haloween party.

I have never tried to hitch hike since then, it was a real role reversal from the norm.

I've picked up quite a few hitchhikers over the years. Mostly folks in town that I see walking in the cold/storms etc.
I've never had an issue.
I let one fella come to my house, eat, shower and sleep once. He was a really cool guy. Part Native American and claimed to have walked West to East coast and back on several occasions.

Recently, there was one walking in the night and I passed him by thinking it might not be safe and then considered "Hey! This guy could end up killing me."

So, I turned around and picked him up. *sighs* Not this time. Now, I give that guy rides on a regular basis. He even calls when it's too cold or rainy for him to walk to work. Just gave him a ride earlier tonight. He keeps sayin' he'll get a different job closer, but I'm not holding my breath.

I'd be more concerned picking up multiple people. It's one thing to take the chance and help someone out.
It's another thing entirely to be outnumbered.

I was 7 years old in 2007. My parents were not well off so to give us a holiday they took us on a driving holiday around South Africa in our very old dilapidated station wagon. Our route had us waking up in a campsite in Kimberley on Christmas day for a long drive to Johannesburg (about 500 km or 300 miles) to our aunt and uncle for Christmas dinner.

In South Africa in 2007 shops and garages were still closed every Sunday, let alone major holidays like Christmas day. The roads were deserted as most normal families woke up at home and stayed there on Christmas day. Notwithstanding the fact that it was Christmas day Kimberley is also in the middle of nowhere - miles and endless miles from the next smallish town (Bloemfontein) which was in turn miles and miles from the following one. We set off and the old unreliable station wagon broke down about 30 miles before Bloemfontein.

Dad popped the bonnet and poked around but the car was completely dead. The roads were deserted and there was nothing but grass and sand for 30 miles in any direction. My parents had 4 kids under the age of 10, including a toddler in nappies, no food, no drink and piles of family luggage. We waited and waited and after about an hour a car passed. Dad waved it down and the driver kindly offered to take him to Bloemfontein. My older brother went with him while Mom stayed with us three younger kids. After what felt like half a day Dad returned with a tow truck and driver.

The driver was off duty but had agreed to help us out. He had missed his own Christmas lunch with his own family to help. He poked around in the engine too but also could not get the car started, so hitched up us and towed us ..... to his own home since the garages were closed. The car could only be repaired when the garages opened on the 27th.

His family made us welcome. They had eaten their dinner without the driver and saved his share. He shared it with us - all six of us (4 kids and mom and dad) while his wife phoned my uncle in Johannesburg, a further 250 miles away. Our uncle set out to collect us and arrived a few hours later. The tow truck driver kept our car at his house and took it to the garage later in the holiday for repairs. He did not charge us for the tow service (though the garage of course later charged for the repairs).

We spent Christmas day with a total stranger who gave his time to help us, and his family who welcomed us into their home, fed us their Christmas dinner and helped with nappy changes, milk and bottles for a baby. Us older kids played with his kids and their new Christmas toys. I have never forgotten that wonderful man and his family and of course give eternal thanks to the one and only other car driving between Kimberley and Bloem that day who gave my dad a lift.

......... but I have never picked up a hitch hiker

I picked up a guy once just on the outskirts of town, but he wasn't actually hitchhiking.

It was late at night and he was stupidly drunk staggering down the road carrying a case of beer, dressed in nothing but a small fall jacket, no hat, no gloves, no scarf, no nothing... it was -38 celcius with a windchill of -48.

There's no way in hell he would've made the 5 mile trek back into town without dropping dead from hypothermia.

It's the only reason why I stopped to offer him a ride.

He was so happy and grateful and thanked me like a thousand times for stopping to grab him. He even offered me some of his beer as a way of saying "thanks", but I declined. LOL.

As a woman driving alone, I would never pick up a stranger on the side of the road unless it was obvious that they were in desperate need of help and I could assess that they were no danger to my own safety.

But my conscience just couldn't let this drunken baffoon freeze to death that night.