I always gave rides to hitchhikers.  

The first time I offered a ride was at a bus stop on Midland Ave in Scarborough.  An old lady just missed the bus.  It was on Sunday, there were not many buses.  

Another time was late night after I finished skiing in Blue Mountain, a mom and her daughter were waiting on the roadside, in the midst of nowhere. The gas supply to their village was broken, that means the whole house was not warm enough to sleep.  They had to stay in a motel miles away.  But there was no cooking facility in the motel, so they had to go back to the house to cook.

One afternoon after I finished my work, a mid-age guy gestured for a ride at a highway ramp.  He looked like a blue-collar worker, wearing stained jeans.  We had a good chat on the way, before I dropped him off downtown.  Actually the ride is right on a bus route, but I didn't ask at all.  Maybe he was in a difficult situation that even the bus fare means quite something.

When I was selling my old car, someone in Duncan expressed interests.  So I drove all the way there to meet them late in an afternoon.  When I started to head back, it was already dark.  Then I saw two young men on the roadside and gave them a ride to Victoria.  They were in high school, went to Dundan to visit relatives.  The Grey Hound is actually quite expensive to take.

Juan de Fuca Trail is a nice trail on the west coast.  It's along the coastline, parallel to the highway.  I hiked solo for quite a few times.  When I finished the hike, typically I hitchhiked back to the starting point where my car parked.  It didn't take much effort for me to get a ride.  Sometimes I felt apologetic--After a few days on the trail, my clothes and backpack were quite dirty!

The society is changing.  But the trust between us should stay.  I do hope people still keep the tradition of helping each other.  

Next time when you see a thumb, will you stop and offer a ride? :)