Hitchhiking?

[Caesar517]

There is something that has been bothering me, and I could use some thought from the CAF community. Last week while I was on the way home, I saw a woman who was hitchhiking. She was unkempt, pregnant, poor looking, and in old (non-maternity) clothes; her shirt didn’t reach her belt line. She looked to be in her thirties and was obviously a smoker.

I didn’t stop to offer her a ride. I have never stopped for a hitchhiker. For some reason, however, I felt particularly guilty after driving past this woman. Perhaps it was because it was because she was pregnant. Should I have stopped for her?

There are a million reasons why I feel uncomfortable in such a situation. I’m generally not comfortable in social situations, especially when talking to a stranger; there are too many variables. I don’t like having people I don’t know in my car. I can’t stand cigarette smoke and don’t want my car to smell that way. I don’t like the idea of hitchhiking and have only heard bad things about it (it can be dangerous, etc.).

Am I just making excuses, or are these legitimate reasons for not helping the woman in this situation? What is the general attitude toward hitchhiking?

 

[maize]

What is the general attitude toward hitchhiking?

hitchhiking is a mortal sin and the person should go to confession, dont pick them up and take them though or you’ll be an accomplice to the sin.

 

[withwind]

hitchhiking is a mortal sin and the person should go to confession, dont pick them up and take them though or you’ll be an accomplice to the sin.

You are not kidding, are you? Where did you get this idea from?

 

[ruslan]

hitchhiking is a mortal sin and the person should go to confession, dont pick them up and take them though or you’ll be an accomplice to the sin.

Where did you get this idea?​

Back to the topic at hand. It’s a difficult call. I remember my car breaking down in the dead of night and I started walking (this was so long ago we didn’t have cell phones at the time). A man stopped and offered me a ride. He said for me to get in and he would take me where I needed to go. He also mentioned how dangerous walking on the road alone was and I said that being picked up was dangerous also. But, I was tired. He said he had daughters and he understood. He took me where I needed to go and I was so grateful I offered to pay him. He didn’t take the money and again told me to be careful.

You did what you thought was best at the time and that is all you can do. I cannot say I would have done differently.

I have never picked up a hitchhiker and so I understand where you are coming from. I don’t hitchhike, but I have been in the situation where walking or getting in the car with a stranger were the options.

:heaven: :harp:

 

[Catholic1954]

I would not have picked her up either, but would have called 911 and had someone from law enforcement come out and talk to her. Hitchhiking is illegal and dangerous and she probably needed more help than just a ride.

 

[BillP]

First hitchhiking isn’t illegal in most places:

Hitchhiking is not as popular in North America as it was 30 years ago, but it is still legal if one follows the laws of each state. Also, hitchhiking is still a viable mode of transportation in many other areas around the world, including Europe, parts of Asia, Africa, Australia, etc.

The most common law related to hitchhiking in the United States has been established in the Uniform Vehicle Code (UVC). It states:*No person shall stand in a roadway for the purpose of soliciting a ride.*What many people fail to realize is that a roadway is defined (in the same UVC) as:*That portion of a highway improved, designed or ordinarily used for vehicular travel, exclusive of the sidewalk, berm or shoulder even though such sidewalk, berm or shoulder is used by persons riding bicycles or other human powered vehicles.*As you can see, the law only states that hitchhikers cannot stand in a driving lane (good idea, huh?), but they can stand on the shoulder or sidewalk of a road. A further code mentions that US States have the right to restrict pedestrians (i.e. hitchhikers) from entering certain highways (interstate routes, for example), but must post a sign if this is the case.

What it all boils down to is this. Hitchhiking is not only possible in the US, but also legal. Many US States have adapted the above code to their own liking, though keeping a similar wording. You can research more about current hitchhiking-related laws in the digihitch USA section.

digihitch.com/faq-7.html

Second, we’re supposed to be followers of Christ. The same fellow who said:

“Whatsoever you do to the least of my people, that you do unto me.” (Matthew 25:40)

So yeah, the OP should probably have been a little uncomfortable about just blowing by the poor woman on the highway.

Not that I would have have done any better than she did. But Jesus (and Mother Teresa, and many, many others!) would have, and they should be our guide.

 

[Peter_Dawson]

hitchhiking is a mortal sin and the person should go to confession, dont pick them up and take them though or you’ll be an accomplice to the sin.

Hitchiking can be a lot of trouble. I hitchhiked once in my life, years ago, in college, and the first thing the male driver did is put his hand on my thigh and ask me to come to his house for a little same-sex tete-a-tete!!! I opened the door of the moving car and rolled-out onto City Avenue, Philadelphia!!!

On another occasion, I picked up a a man who asked for a ride to the train station. When he was in the car, he smile and showed me a mouth full of broken, bloodied teeth, and effeminately lisped to me how his “husband” became angry at him that morning and hit him in the teeth!!! Then he refused to get out of my car until I paid him money!!!

I immediately turned around and started to drive to our police station. Shocked, he said, “Where are we going?” I said, “Police.” He answered, “Okay, okay. I will get out at the train station.” I pulled over and said, “No. Get out now. Immediately. Here.” He refused. I took out my keys, got out, and started yelling, " CAR THIEF!!! CAR THIEF!!!" He got out and ran.

I can’t blame you for extreme feelings on hitchhiking. However, it’s not a mortal sin, per se. I helped a rape victim, once.

 

[BobCatholic]

hitchhiking is a mortal sin and the person should go to confession, dont pick them up and take them though or you’ll be an accomplice to the sin.

I’d love to see the reasoning behind this.

 

[adelore]

I won’t pick up a hitchiker. Nope not a chance. But I would have called 911 to get her help. We have also helped others without a ride at Truck Stops by giving them money. We have also let them use our cell phones to make calls.

 

[JimG]

I grew up hitchhiking, and would also sometimes pick up hitchhikers.

My brother and I often hitchhiked to get to high school in the morning. One summer he and his friend hitchhiked from Kansas City to Chicago to spend the summer. They got an apartment and a job for the summer. We had an uncle there but they didn’t stay with him.

At the end of the summer, hitchhiking back to KC, they were picked up by a protestant pastor. He asked where they were going. “Kansas City,” they replied. He told them that he wasn’t going that far, but when he got to his destination, they could keep the car and drive it the rest of the way to KC, and he would come by to pick it up in a few weeks. So they kept his car and drove it the rest of the way home.

I’ve often wondered how a parent would react now if their kid drove home in a car that he didn’t own, with the story that it was loaned to him by a stranger whom they hitched a ride with.

Still, the pastor came by our house in a few weeks, and picked up the car.

BUT–than was then, this is now. It’s more dangerous now, but I would try to help if it didn’t seem unsafe.

 

[aggiecatholic05]

i’ve never picked up a hitchhiker, but ive rarely seen one when i had room to anyways, and now since i usually have my wife and or daughter with me i wont at all for their sake. really i think it depends more on how safe you feel and what risks you are willing to take.

that said the last time i saw a hitchhiker was the only time i was actually scared by one. i was going goose hunting in december with a buddy of mine. he is one of the few guys i know bigger(muscle) than me, and is a marine, and neither of us wanted to stop. way in the middle of nowhere was a guy who looked straight out of a chainsaw massacre film dense fog, light drizzle, new moon, 3am. we drove on and i feel no guilt over it.

 

[Joe_Brown]

I do not see how hitchhiking is a mortal sin.
That person is very confused. If it was against the law where you live, then at most it would be a venial sin.

I agree call 911 next time and dont worry about it!

 

[lobster]

I’d love to see the reasoning behind this.

The poster is confused about what constitutes mortal sin. If hitchhiking were illegal in a particular area, then to hitchhike would be breaking the law hence a sin. For it to be mortal it would have to meet the normal three criteria test.

Picking up a hitchhiker would then make one an accomplice to sin.

 

[Joe_Brown]

even if you did have the 3 conditions met, it is still a venial sin of breaking the law.

 

[aggiecatholic05]

even if you did have the 3 conditions met, it is still a venial sin of breaking the law.

one of those conditions is it being a grave matter. so if by definition if it met that it would be a mortal sin. depending on the law breaking it could be mortal or venial(assuming its a just law). look at things like murder and rape, against the law and mortal sins, where jaywalking when there are no cars around may well be venial.

 

[DominicVobiscum]

Picking up a hitchiker is always risky. However, Jesus took risks.

You might have asked her if you could call a friend or family member to come help her.

 

[Joe_Brown]

I just don’t see how hitchhiking could be a grave matter

 

[aggiecatholic05]

I just don’t see how hitchhiking could be a grave matter

well maybe at a busy intersection where stopping(to pickup/get picked up) could be a traffic risk of and maybe deadly and illegal(like it is at most higyway offramps in the city) maybe. but yeah it is highly unlikely, but not really impossible.

 

[Highwayhound]

There is no way I could drive by a PREGNANT WOMAN. In this case the lady would be getting a ride.

Men that are hitchhiking? This is a toss-up. If I am by myself then I will cosider giving a man a lift. Then often I think, “Okay God this one is yours…” and pull over.

I have had rain drenched college students come to the door in the dark of night after walking over a mile. The young man’s car had broke down. That student got a ride to his dorm.

A neighbor at the corner store brought a young man from San Francisco to the house. She did not know what to do with him, but knew I bicycled a lot. The young man was in the process of bicycling around the perimeter of the U.S. He got dinner and a place to sleep that night.

A young couple from the Chicago area camped in our yard and was cooked a spaghetti dinner. They were moving from the big city to a new town and in between they were coming back west and bicycling to their new home.

Why would I do these things? Because of the vast amount of charity that people across this country have shown me and my dogs in our travels as we bicycle all over our country. I have been put up in homes, been bought meals and given tools. All without any expectation of being reimbursed.

People can use their sense as to each individual situation. In the case of the original post I am disappointed to read that people would not stop to offer help to a pregnant woman.

God bless

 

[Feste_1242]

I think it is being overlooked that we are called to obey the law only when it does not interfere with us following our faith. That being said, when we see someone in need of help in the form of a ride, our faith requires us to help them if we can; we need not let the law interfere.