Would you accept a lift from a nice man in the middle of nowhere?

[Angelic999]

Out on a remote countryside walk alone as a woman, it starts raining. A man stops in his car to offer a lift. Would you say yes?

This happened to me recently. I said no thank you. He then proceeded to question me about where I was going. He seemed nice enough but I wasn't willing to take the risk to get in a car with a complete stranger (Ian Brady anyone?!)

Part of my female conditioning has been to then feel guilty that I have offended him! But then surely he should have more awareness. Although maybe it's just friendly country folk being genuine!

Absolutely not. When I was in my twenties I was walking back from the shops in the rain with a couple of full shopping bags. A man pulled over and offered me a lift. He was quite distinctive looking and offered a few times while driving beside me. I said no.

A few months later there was a story in the local paper about a man who had raped a student after offering her a lift. It was the same guy.

I would never have accepted a lift from a stranger so I can't claim it was a 'close call' but it definitely sent a shiver down my spine that that's probably what he was intending when he offered me a lift

I would, and have, refused a lift offered by a stranger in similar circumstances. Like you, the fact that he persisted after I'd turned him down confirmed that I'd made the right decision. But it's not a hard definitely not ever from me. When I got knocked off my bike and its front wheel was mangled I didn't think twice about letting a man with a large boot take me and my bike home; when my train was cancelled and I needed to get to work, I didn't think twice about allowing the man in a similar predicament drive me into town with him. I follow my gut, and generally assume most people have good intentions. I guess I might come a cropper one day, but haven't had any bad experiences yet.

Let's not pretend first impressions don't count for anything. We all make snap judgements based on health, appearance, manner etc.

Definitely not in that situation.
I have once or twice thrown myself on the mercy of a strange man but would only do it in a real emergency, eg the time when I was coshed on the head by a stranger in a deserted street. I ran to the nearest house with a light on which happened to be occupied by a lone middle aged man who smelt of drink! But he rang the police for me and let me wait inside so it worked out well.

lol this is how my grandparents met back in the 1950s, funny to think about it as I would never do it myself but hey, it worked out for them!

That's terrifying @Twistedfirestarters thank goodness you said no!

Christ this would make me LESS likely if anything to get in the car 🙈

no, think of Sarah Everard

I'd never get in a car with an unknown male. Sadly, that now includes male Police officers.

I think its different when you choose the person to ask for help (even if it was the only choice you saw) compared to someone offering you help, meaning they chose you.
Glad the door you picked was a safe one!

God absolutely no way. Even the seemingly nicest of men can be monsters.

I watch wayyyyyyyy too much true crime to know that would be a massively bad idea.

Definitely not ...it would be unnerving being quizzed as well.
Better to get wet than possibly be a victim of crime.

No way!

I wouldn't accept a lift from a strange man who just stops to offer me one, but I've been to Russia a few times and to get around in the cities there you flag down cars, tell them where you want to go and agree a price. It felt scary at the time but I still did it - don't think I would now that I'm older and wiser!

You just flag down any car?!

Thanks, yes good point that it's very different if you are asking for help.
This chap would not have been my first choice in a line-up. He dutifully rang the police but had no idea what to say to me, and just stood and stared at me until they arrived. But his social skills were not really the point!

He can't be dangerous, he had lovely shoes!! Why would you take the risk?

No. Nice men know enough about safety not to put women (even inadvertently) in a difficult and potentially dangerous situation.

No - never have & never would (& have said no in the past to being offered lifts from strangers).

No.

Because I am sane, and very much enjoy being un-raped and un-murdered.

No decent man would approach a solitary woman in the middle of nowhere in the first place.

No I wouldn't, and I wouldn't feel guilty about it at all. I'd feel pissed off that he was either a monster or so thick he couldn't understand that his behaviour was threatening.

No! Of course I wouldn’t.

Would my dad, brother, husband, offer a lift to an uninjured woman on her own in a completely non-emergency situation? Of course not. And I imagine even in an emergency they’d feel quite anxious about it.

Hard disagree that there are far more nice men than horrible ones.

Big no.

Yes from my perspective, but I can't help but consider his perspective - living in rural Yorkshire it's likely people simply help each other out a lot more and he thought he'd be doing me a favour!

Likelihood he was just being kind, but either way I'm glad I said no on the off chance he had sinister intentions and feel better so many others would have done the same!