Don't accept lifts from strange men.

My ex used to hitch rides (it was quite common where he lived)
He got in the car with a nice man, and they were chatting, then the man asked ex to look in glove compartment (is it still called that?)

Anyway, when the ex opened it, it was full a gay porn mags.

I still remember- with horror - accepting a lift from Harlow station to my digs. The driver took pity on me as I had a briefcase, case and portable typewriter. He was so kind but I was still an IDIOT to get into a strange car. I was 19 and it went against EVERYTHING I’d been told. I’m still here to tell the tale but can’t believe I behaved so stupidly.

Good to know you’ve “still got it” OP!🤣🤣

The trend of answers seems to be "say no - sign of the times". Would a feasible alternative be to say "thanks very much, it is very wet -- could I just send a photo of you and your car to a friend, that's what Gransnet advises for this situation"??

I was a bit confused with your commentnannashirlz until I realised the spelling error…phew!

4allweknow

I did stop to offer a lift to a man last winter. Dark, horizontal rain, freezing cold and he was walking on the road. Only a steep grass verge, no footpath. I stopped, asked if he was going into the town. He replied no, but thank you for stopping. I asked where he was going- to hospital to visit his wife. No bus route and his car had died that day. I took him to the hospital and explained to a staff member he had no transport home. Don't know if anything was sorted out for him but so glad I stopped. Fir the OP, I wouldn't accept a lift from a stranger.

You wouldn’t accept a life yet you give a life to someone who could have done anything to you

I’d have said thank you I’m fine then took photo of his reg number. Don’t be fooled thinking because older got less chance of any thing happening to you. My aunt was raped at 73yrs old by an immigrant he offered to help with shopping and she said she was fine he followed her home. So no say no think of the worst nowadays not of the nice

I did stop to offer a lift to a man last winter. Dark, horizontal rain, freezing cold and he was walking on the road. Only a steep grass verge, no footpath. I stopped, asked if he was going into the town. He replied no, but thank you for stopping. I asked where he was going- to hospital to visit his wife. No bus route and his car had died that day. I took him to the hospital and explained to a staff member he had no transport home. Don't know if anything was sorted out for him but so glad I stopped. Fir the OP, I wouldn't accept a lift from a stranger.

I’d certainly have refused, but I won’t even go in a taxi alone.

not exactly the same but from the perspective of somebody who offered a lift to 2 school kids. The train would stop at the end of the 2 lanes quite often and return down the track if running late rather than proceed to the next 3 stations which ran on a single track . i got used to that unplanned change so I parked at the station where the tracks changed. when there was an announcement n that the journey would be cut short I offered to give a lift to 2 teenagers who could not get home within the next hour. the look they gave me was awful - you would think i was an axe murderer or a deviant of another type. i will never ever offer people a lift again as I was made to feel so totally wrong .

It is rather sad that the time of Hitchhiking has passed. That also now includes Delivery Drivers delivering Cars.
A few years ago I saw one such man trying to thumb a lift. Not doing much that day, I stopped and picked him up and we had a discussion about the demise of Hitchhiking.
He said the problem was that he was always regarded as a potential Serial Killer. I replied STATISTICALLY IMPOSSIBLE.
He looked at me as if I was mental and I carried on - WHAT TWO OF US IN THE SAME CAR.............

Better not to accept a lift from a stranger but I can tell you the story from the other persons point of view.
My son was coming home late from work one night and he passed a girl walking on her own down a dark road. He thought how dangerous it was for her so he reversed and offered her a lift. Not surprisingly the girl refused. When he got him he told his wife how concerned he was about the girl and he couldn’t understand why his wife laughed when he said what he’d done. He thought he was being chivalrous (nice to know I’ve taught him to be) and didn’t realise until the females in the family pointed it out to him

I've never done this , to much of a scardy cat.
This did remind me of an incident which happened about 10 years or so ago.
I was at the hospital and came across my uncle who I hadn't seen in around 5/6 years , he offered me a lift home which I gratefully accepted . However once,in the car realised his driving was terrible and he had no sense of directions ( to my house at least ! )
In the evening phone his daughter ( my cousin ) who was very angry with her dad as he had promised them he no longer used his car due to early dementia and she didn't even think it was taxed and mot'd .
She took the keys away from his house and told him the car was broken .

I offered an elderly lady a lift in the supermarket, she was in front of me and asked if the assistant could get her a taxi as it was pouring with rain and she only lived around the corner. I said I was going in the direction where I lived and if her home was on my way I would gladly give her a lift. We had a lovely chat, and I felt I’d helped someone. I am a lady in my 70s so suspect I didn’t look like a possible axe murderer. If the roles had been reversed I would probably have been wary also. It’s a sad comment on our times indeed.

Obviously, it is wiser to decline the offer, whether from a man or a woman and irrespective of their age.

Normally, I would do so too, and advise others to.

However, if I had fallen and hurt myself, or my bike tyre was suddenly flat and it, being a cargo bike, was fully loaded, I might actually accept an offer of help if the person looked trustworthy.

Thinking it over, it would be wiser to say no thanks to the kind offer, and when the car was out of sight, ring a friend who does drive if both the bike and I were hors de combat.

I have often felt like offering someone a lift in bad weather, but I don’t because the person might think it’s odd!

My Husband offered a lift like this once snd the lady gratefully accepted a lift. I told him never to do it again - she could've made any allegation about him and the police would have acted upon it.

She was.
Ted bundy wore a cast on one leg in order to get "help", too.

I would never take a lift from either a female or male ..you really cant trust anybody .. I think Myra Hindley was in the car with ( cant remember his name ) when they snatched their poor victims ..

You did right but it is sad when the man in question could have just doing a kind act. We sold a phone and last night the young girl came to the door and my husband asked her in. I went into the hall and laughed and said you shouldn't come in with strange men! If I had been her would have stayed on the door step. Sad world we live in to have to think like this.

I would have refused but if it was a woman I would have accepted
It really upsets me when I see children walking home in torrential rain or hail and I can't offer them a lift in my dry warm car
I know if I did my car reg number would go straight to police and I would expect a knock on the door. But when I was a child everyone would stop if it was raining hard and give children a lift.

Years ago, when my mum was here for a visit, she was out for a walk one day. A car, full of young men, stopped to ask her directions and she had to tell them she couldn't help as she didn't actually live here but was visiting.
Then the young fella driving asked her if she'd like a lift back to my house?
She said she was fine, thank you, but added, "Where would I have sat if I'd said yes? Would I be on someone's knees or they on mine?"
The lad had forgotten his car was full, but they had a good laugh about it and went on their separate ways. When mum told us, we were amazed but also found it rather hilarious!

I offered a man a lift home the other day as he was walking with shopping bags and a walking stick. It wasn't out of my way much and he was grateful. Just though I would struggle walking with shopping.

HelterSkelter1

What a tricky decision. Probably best to refuse. But I expect it was offered out of kindness assuming you are 50+.
But having watched Boat Story recently I would say I would have refused as well!!

Ooh, what's Boat Story, and which channel is it on, please?

Nearly 50 years ago I was travelling along a dual carriageway with my two year old and 5 month old baby when I had a puncture.
No roadside insurance or mobile phones, so I got out with the children and started to walk along the grass verge. A car stopped and the man said hop in. I did and thanked him effusively. He dropped me off at the next exit where there were shops and a phone box. I often thought afterwards I was very foolhardy!