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Back when I used to drive a desk for a living, I once picked up a hitchhiker after work in Davenport, Iowa. I told him that I was only going to Bettendorf (this represents only about a 5 mile stretch.) He immediately started acting strangely. I think he may have been on PCP.

To make a short story, I dropped him off at one of the bridges that connects the Iowa side of the Quad Cities to the Illinois side.

About 2-3 days latter, his picture was on the front page of the local newspaper. He had stabbed his ex-girlfriend in a local Illinois city with a knife more than 30 times.

I don't pick up hitchhikers anymore after that.

Because I hitched extensively for years in the 60s and 70s I always have felt that I owe for it and I pick up hitchers whenever I am on my bike or alone in the car and see one but these days there is always a gun close to hand. Only one time did I have recourse to it when a fellow I picked up indicated he wanted me to take him 7o miles in a direction I did not mean to go. He showed me a knife to persuade me and I showed him my 410 side by side handgun. I told him it was cocked and if it got jiggled just a tad it would mess him up real bad. He decided to get off right there. I spoke to a passing HP on my CB about the fellow.