No good deed goes unpunished

A Michigan Teenager Offered Two Teens A Ride Because It Was So Cold Outside. He’s Now Dead. (msn.com)

A17-year-old offered a ride home to two teenage boys in Michigan, but he was then shot and killed in a failed carjacking attempt, police said.
According to Case, the pair, ages 13 and 14, then attempted to steal Snyder’s vehicle.

6 Likes

It’s sad that we can’t help anyone out without being skeptical of their true intentions. This works both ways as the person wanting to be helpful or the person wanting to be helped.

At the grocery store last night, I offered to return the cart for a lady unloading her groceries. We got done unloading at about the same time. It’s a rural-ish grocery store in a small town-type setting. She was appreciative. But once I got her cart I got out of there because I can understand why someone would be skeptical of a man doing such a thing in today’s climate and I wanted to help without giving her any reason to be suspicious of me. Tragic that we have to think this way.

11 Likes

I did a bunch of long distance backpacking when I was in my 20s. I had to rely on the kindness of strangers to take this dirty, stinky wandering backpacker into town to resupply about once a week. Because of that I have tried to do some payback by helping people in need of a ride. I would trust my gut and not pick up people who gave off a bad vibe and it always worked out with some interesting conversations along the way.

But I haven’t done that since my son was born. I have a responsibility to be around for him as he grows up so don’t want to take chances. Plus things seem to be getting sketchier these days with more people being pushed to their limits. But I still feel pretty guilty driving by people with their thumbs out on a low traffic road especially in bad weather.

8 Likes

I’ve been in the other end. Had a flat tire in rural Indiana. Had so many people stop to offer to help that I couldn’t get the tire changed! :joy:

7 Likes

I got stationed in Alaska back in '86, arrived in the middle of winter and didn’t have a car, I walked home alot, but most days some other A.F. person would offer me a ride. Now, I am not sure I would get into someones car.

6 Likes