Was I being mean to say no on such a terrible night?

[Bottletopsx]

61 live alone isolated area nearest neighbour 1/2 mile away. Two nights ago 10.30 very heavy snow.
Two men rang my doorbell saying there car had crashed in the snow, no phone battery left, could I take them to the main road about 2 miles away. I lied and said that I had been drinking so could not drive.
I offered my phone but they said they did not know any number by memory and would flag someone down on the main road for a lift.
Was I wrong to make them walk in the snow?
I was worried about taking 2 men in my car late at night and leaving my house empty but now I feel guilty

You were definitely not being unreasonable. You offered your phone. It made me smell a rat when they said they didn’t know it any phone numbers, surely one of them had a number of a partner or friend who they could ring for them to sort something out.

They crashed the car (two miles from a main road?) and just coincidentally had a phone with a duff battery?

AND they claimed they couldn't remember any phone numbers? Not even one?

You did the right thing - they were most certainly trying it on.

I think you did the right thing as a lot of awful things or situations could have resulted from this.

Two things immediately spring into my mind, answering your door at that time is dodgy, apart from close neighbours that you know, or a visitor that you are expecting.

Secondly here in my area we have a local town messenger page and there have been a lot of very dodgy activities going on during the evenings in a lot of the areas neighbour hoods.

Those that are on it message the group to warn others about things and put us all on our guard.

Have you seen a clockwork orange? They use this exactly to break into a house... Admittedly pre mobiles.

I wouldn't but have even answered the doorbell OP! You were fine.

This is a very well known scam as people above have said. They get you out and someone comes to burgle house while you are out.

There is also another one where a woman/child cries at the door for help and once door is opened other people come and barge past into your home. Horrible, horrible people out there. Absolutely right to be on guard.