I know the world is different than when I was growing up, and we no longer give rides to strangers. When I went to college, I paid my own way. I had no car - can you imagine a college student today without a car! Anyway, my budget in undergraduate school was $50/week. I spent approximately $10/day on meals and whatever else I needed (supplies). By Friday, my money ran out. Mississippi State University was 125 miles from home, so I hitchhiked home every Friday afternoon and then hitchhiked back again every Sunday afternoon. That was every week for two years. I hitchhiked in rain, sleet, mid-day heat, and bone-chilling cold. Often, whoever picked me up was not going all the way to Jackson, and let me tell you, you have never seen "dark" until you have been put out on a country road, in the middle of nowhere. Back in the 60's people were nice and I always got a ride, though I might have to stand with my thumb out for quite a while, particularly on those dark, lonely roads. I would still pick up a kid, someone I thought was still in school. When I pass someone up, and some of those hitchhikers are really scary looking dudes, I often feel guilty. As I say, just another world.
