Would You Pick Up a Hitchhiker?

While driving to the library Tuesday morning I noticed a middle-aged man walking backwards on Route 40 near the "Aberdeen: All America City" sign. He was sticking out his right thumb.

Hitchhikers traveling across Route 40 are not uncommon from my driving experiences. In the two months I've lived in Harford County, I've witnessed an equal number of persons looking for a ride from someone they don't know.

In the half-dozen other cities in Maryland I've previously resided in, I don't remember seeing a single hitchhiker. However, I've also never lived so close to a road that hosts as much traffic as Route 40.

A lot of the traffic on this part of Route 40 is created by Aberdeen Proving Ground commuters, which could make it a disadvantage for hitchhikers. According to the code of regulations of the executive branch, Army employees are "prohibited from picking up hitchhikers."

Regardless of whom your employer is, would you ever pick up a hitchhiker? Tell us why or why not in the comments.