How should I respond to a stranger who asks for a lift while I'm driving?
I wish I could see if you were a guy or gal. If you are female your days picking up strangers ended in the 50s. Don't even try it. I'm not sure if I'd even pick up another female. I've heard stories about a lady holding what looked like a baby. It was a cold dreary evening. When a car stopped to pick her up a guy appeared out of the shadows and got in with her. It's just too big a risk to even slow down in a situation like that. If you are a guy I'd say you have to carefully look at the situation. If you're armed then you atleast have some equalizing power. If it looks a bit fishy drive past and call the police. If it's someone laying in the street you have to do the same. A friend of mine stopped for a woman laying in the street. He got out to help and she rolled over with a gun. Took his truck and his tools.So while I've done it, it's never with family and it's always a pretty safe setup. But think you have to just say sorry.
What should I do if a stranger comes up to me and asks if I need a ride?
Use your common sense. Usually, it's crazy.But that being said, I turned around once and picked up a dad and child walking in an unexpected torrential downpour. They were only going < 1 mile, probably a normally great walk (from a community to the local convenience store in a very rural area). I drove past them heading the opposite direction, and even though logic said no, no, NO!, I didn't get a dangerous read on it. So, I turned around, and even said "Okay, I know it's crazy, but jeez, can I give you a ride?" and the kid was in the backseat before I finished "it's" so he looked at his kid, looked at me, and got in.Sometimes we're just human.Sometimes we're a crazy murderous psychopath who is going to cut you into 1000 pieces and eat them. But usually, I think just human.I should also say that this is in rural upstate NY where I grew up, where almost no one locks their houses when they leave, keys are above the visor, etc.
What should you do if a stranger approaches you and asks for monetary help? He tells you he was called here by a contractor on the promise of getting a job. Now the contractor cannot be contacted.
Making monetary transactions right away will get you caught up in their fallacy on most occasions.I had a very similar experience a few months ago while I was patiently waiting for a shuttle in Kolkata.I saw a guy(in his twenties) carrying a bag, walking upto me in an adjuring manner.Guy:"Can you please lend me a hundred rupee note! I just lost my wallet while I was travelling in a crowded bus and I dont have enough to get back home!”Me: (Searching for the fraudulent looks in his eyes) But I dont have a hundred rupee note and whatever I am left with is essential for my journey back home!Guy: Any sort of monetary help would do!Me: ( Handing him over a few ten rupee notes) How are you going to pay me back?Guy: I will get your number recharged once I reach home!The suggestion seemed so unconvincing but I decided to help.Me: Where do you live?Guy: Barrackpore ( Some 30.4 kilometres from the bus stop)Me: How do you find yourself here?Guy: I had a job interview.Guy: (Pleadingly) I even lost my cellphone in the rabble and I cant even make a call to anyone seeking for help. Can I use your cellphone!Me: ( Handing him over my cellphone) So how are you planning to get back home?Guy: I hope to call up one of my friends and tell him to get me an uber!After the guy finished his conversation over the line (which I couldn’t eavesdrop because of the honking traffic) he reassured me about his intentions to get my number recharged with the amount that I lend him.And he left.While I was still waiting for the shuttle, I saw the same guy walking upto another man on the streets asking for help! However, parting with some of cash didnt help me much that night as I had to make an embarassing call to my uncle asking for a ride back home but the most disappointing thing was never getting the recharge that he promised!I did get tricked because I was being too gullible but the point is, never try to suffice one's need with the money that they desire to seek instead try to fulfill their requirement which sometimes may not be suitable to your time constraints in which case just leave with the minimum amount which you can afford to lose because there are people who genuinely need help and you can't ignore them for the few fraudulents out there!Choose wisely!
Have you ever honestly accepted a ride from a stranger? What was your experience?
This was about 7 years ago. I was living in California. I had just missed my bus and was going to be late to my audition. I'm sure the man who pulled up beside me saw me kicking and screaming like a lunatic, but he was kind enough to offer me a ride. He was a Hispanic man that reminded me of my father. I didn't hesitate much, I didn’t want to be late to that audition. I hopped in and we rode through the traffic, and just like my father would, he began to lecture me on the dangers of getting in cars with strangers. I laughed at the irony of it all. That was basically all I remember from his good deed. We made it to the audition and I waved him goodbye. I never got his name, I didn't get the part either, but I never forgot how he helped me.Returning the favorThis was about 4 years ago. I was traveling cross country from NY to Oregon. I was staying in Weed, California and making day trips to Mount Shasta. One day upon returning from Mount Shasta, I noticed a man with a sign on the side of the road. A hitchhiker. I hesitated, but I remembered how the Hispanic man in California helped me out in my time of need. Initially I passed the hitchhiker, but consumed with pity, guilt, and a sense of obligation I pulled over. The man ran over thanking the heavens the whole way. He looked tired and dirty, with a long white beard. I took him to his home in the mountains. He told me stories about himself and what life was like living as a mountain man. He hitchhiked often, it was the only way for him to travel since his car had broke down. He told me that sometimes early in the morning he could hear a heard of wild horses roaming at the foot of the mountain. He offered me tea upon arriving but I declined. I drove off, and I never saw him again.These were my experiences.
Did giving a lift to strangers in your vehicle ended up troubling you?
Never give lift to stranger. Once a women in burqa asked me lift for going to hospital urgently. With humanity, I gave her lift. In the way she asked 300₹ help. I said I'll give less than that. She was demanding and threatening me that she'll complain to police. I gave 300 with the fear of complaining because generally ppl believe only woman's words. The matter didn't end here. She took remaining money from me which I have. Totally I was out of money. Luckily there was no ATM card with me. Finally i stopped the bike and was showing my empty pocket to her since she's demanding even then. She got down then nd I immediately escaped in wrong route.For the info, it happened in Hyderabad that too during day time.So the lesson I learnt was never give lift to strangers especially stranger women.
Would you give a complete and total stranger a ride if they asked?
No. No way. I would offer to call a cab or a lift or direct them to the nearest bus stop, but no. Even if it was a kid, a pregnant woman, an elderly person, etc. Even if it was raining. No. No way. I gave a stranger a ride once. I ended up with a compression fracture of my right knee. My insurance company ended up playing over a thousand dollars to have my car cleaned when I got it back less than 36 hours later. My dad picked up a hitchhiker once. It was late and the young man was in an area near downtown. Dad drove him to a hotel where the man said he was a part of a youth group in town. He said had been out visiting his aunt and uncle and their car wouldn’t start when they went to take him back to the hotel. Dad dropped him off at that hotel- right across from the Greyhound bus station. And the next morning, Dad remembered the young man as the guy on the radio gave a report on the murder of a prominent business person in our city complete with a description that the wife gave of the person who had killed him. The man was apprehended, stood trial, and, at 16, was sentenced to life in prison. He made parole once and promptly raped a women who picked him up. I will assume that he is most likely dead by now. That happened in the late forties. Would I give a complete stranger that asked a ride? Visions of my daddy leaping out of his grave to slap me if I did this come to mind. No.
Gave a stranger a ride home today? Good or bad?
Hey Patrick! You're actually a really nice person for doing that! But unfortunately, in our society today, doing a good deed can get you hurt! Even if she looked innocent, you don't know what she's behind. Maybe she was innocent and just needed a ride, but you never know! Last summer I was walking around and a nice girl asked me for the time, me being nice, I gave her the time and went on my way. Guess what? She told her friends I have a smartphone and 6 minutes later I'm being jumped by 6 big guys and having to explain it to the cops. True story bro!! Sometimes you just don't know what you're up against, and you don't know her intentions. It may have seemed like the safe thing to do, but you always want to be on the safe side bro! I mean, here in Toronto, a married father just went to sell his car and gave the two men a test drive. And guess what? Now there's a facebook page in memory of Tim Bosma. You were a very nice person and it was really nice of you to do that, but next time, just say that you have an appointment or something. Better safe than sorry! Good luck bud!