Don't accept lifts from strange men.

I’d think it was just a kind gesture, in all probability. He saw someone in the rain with their hands (literally) full and thought he would offer to help. It rained heavily here all day and I’d have felt sorry for anyone out in it with heavy shopping.

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!!

I would have refused too, a sad reflection of our times.

Oh yes, I’d have refused if I were the OP, a) because she’d chosen to shop and walk in the rain and b) well, just in case. But I think it highly unlikely that the driver had evil in mind.

I didn’t watch Boat Story though.

Just out of interest, for those who would refuse, would you still refuse if a woman offered you a lift?
On several occasions I have thought of offering a lift in similar circumstances but never have.
Would you accept from a woman in her sixties ?

Hmmmm it would probably have been an act of kindness, but its awful how an act of kindness is viewed with uncertainty.... i was driving up our road and saw an elderly man who i have seen before walking a long distance to his home '( not on a bus route ) so i stopped and asked him if he would like a lift, he said yes, it was done purely out of kindness and he gratefully accepted, he probably felt comfortable in accepting because I am a woman...

When i was a little girl and me, mum and dad were going on holiday ( usually the Lake District ) my dad stopped so many times for hitchhikers. In they climbed and sat next to me, rucksack in boot of car and off we went.

Years ago I have offered and accepted lifts.
I have no idea what I'd do today.

I wouldn't have got into a car with a man unless I knew him pretty well, such as an established neighbour.

What would I do if a strange woman stopped? Good question. I'd probably similarly decline. Better safe than sorry.

He probably felt sorry for you, seeing, what appeared to him, as a little old lady creeping along the road, loaded down with shopping and drenched by the rain.

I would never, ever, accept a lift from someone I did not know.
When I was in my early teens by sister and I were walking to church when someone stopped and offered us a lift. I hesitated, the driver looked vaguely familiar and he had his wife and childwith him, but I and my sister resolutely said 'no'

When we got home, he was with my parents. He was a new neighbour and he had called in to tell them what had happened and apologise because he said, he should have realised we would not know him - and all so to commend my sister and I for our behaviour in resolutely refusing the lift.

He probably meant well but if it happened to me I would decline too!

I would have refused too.
However, I can imagine that my adult sons might offer a lift in such circumstances, motivated purely by kindness and concern.

I think the advice these days is not to stop and offer a lift on a country road etc in case once you stop several people jump out with bad intentions. Best if you see someone "alone " on a country road is to ring the police to let them know. The same applies to "breakdowns" as well.

In your neighbourhood obviously very different. I got the car out to drive an elderly woman (probably my age now!!!) who was walking past my house with lots of shopping in torrential horizontal rain. She lived quite a few streets away and would have been completely drenched just before Christmas so cold as well. I could not have not done. And she was very grateful. Would I do the same for a man in the same situation? Don't know.

I wouldn't accept a lift from a stranger male or female and as mentioned I would not stop for anyone in case their "Friends" were hidden out of view.
It sounds very hard but better safe than sorry.

I think it could be what it appeared to be a kind gesture, you'd never know though. The fact of the matter is we've all been hard wired since our early years, to "never accept a lift from a stranger" it's what we've told our children and grandchildren. Possibly I'd be less suspicious of a woman, offering such a gesture, particularly an older one, but that's the way the Wests sometimes operated, Rose being the one to offer the lift. I think you were right to react with caution

I did stop and offer a lift to a mother who was new to our school, who I didn't know, she was very pregnant at the time, her son was in the same class as my son and I had the kids in the car anyway when they chlambered in.

Bella23

I wouldn't accept a lift from a stranger male or female and as mentioned I would not stop for anyone in case their "Friends" were hidden out of view.
It sounds very hard but better safe than sorry.

I agree wholeheartedly. I guess the problem is making sure our grandchildren get that message loud and clear.

When I think of all the hitchhiking I did, sometimes alone, it makes me realise that the past really is another country. Even in the 1960s I never told my mother, she would have been worried sick I was hitchhiking from London to Edinburgh alone.

Probably just someone being kind but you just never know and I’d have declined as well.

However, it reminds me of a time when I was at college in Manchester and had gone to Chester for the weekend (my home town).
I stayed at a friend’s house and had to be on duty by 10.30 so went to catch the bus to the station for an early train. The wretched bus didn’t come and I was panicking that I’d be in trouble when a man stopped and asked if I needed a lift. He said he passed the station so I got in. He was a kind man, dropped me off with no trouble at all but I’ve thought back many times over the years of how stupid I was and how lucky that it ended well.

I used to pick up hitchhikers and never thought to worry about it, but society seems to have changed and I don't think I would do it now.
As for being picked up, I've never hitchhiked. But I did accidentally get into a strange car, years ago, and to my horror there were three men who said they would take me to a party...
I screamed and made such a fuss that they let me out.

Deff a no no, we are more aware these days of who is driving/ walking the streets . You did right refusing, don’t ever put yourself at risk. Yes maybe an act of kindness but you would never really know would you !

Has society changed or is it that the media devote lots of coverage to a small number of events and so make us all anxious? I always walked to school on my own . Now most kids seem to be driven there. Has the risk actually changed?

A few years ago in Symi I was caught in a rainstorm and a man stopped to offer me a lift. I took it. He'd already picked up an English couple. He took me to my hotel which he said was owned by his cousin. Different world.
I think I might accept if he looked OK. I'd ask lots of questions before i got in.

I used to hitch hike when I was a student.

Grantanow I often wonder this.
Most people are still kind and thoughtful to be truthful.

I used to hitch - and pick up hitchhikers even when alone.

One of the last lifts I gave was quite a few years ago now though and it was a man on his own. He said he felt uncomfortable getting in a car with an unknown woman alone. He said they "never" stopped for him.

This is all very sad in my opinion.

Maybe the title should be
^Don't accept lifts from strange men - or women"?

I wouldn’t have got in the car whether it was a woman or a man. Kind gesture but it would have been lost on me as well. I would rather get wet.