[richardjordan]

I think there's an alternative explanation to your anecdotal suggestion black drivers don't pick up white hitch-hikers. Picking up hitch-hikers is inherently risky. Given that in any altercation or conflict the establishment and authorities will pretty much always view the black participant with suspicion and the white participant with favor, as experienced on a regular basis in day-to-day life by said driver, I think caution in not putting themselves in such a situation is warranted.

[jack-r-abbit]

It is kind of interesting to hear it explained in that way. Because it also sounds like a stereotype. Black driver has experienced, day-to-day, that white people have mistreated him and no longer trusts them and thus will not put himself into that situation by picking up white hitch-hikers. My step mother was a bit racist. It sickened me. But my dad would justify by explaining that she grew up in a bad area and she was often mistreated by her black peers. It still made no sense to me as a young teen. But that is almost exactly what you describe in the black driver not picking up white hitch-hikers. How many experiences like that does one need to have to make it socially acceptable to do that?

[runarberg]

I second that