my g/f traveled from Connecticut and is driving to Florida. She stopped at a rest stop in North Carolina and slept for about 4 hours. About 7am a young woman knocked on her window and asked her to help. She told a tale of how her car was broken down on the side of the interstate just up the road, and she walked to the rest stop to call triple A who said they would meet her at her car in a half hour, please be there. She claimed to be cold, and tired, and asked if my friend could please give her a ride. My friend is a very kind 58 y/o woman, who would give you the shirt off her back. As she pulled out of the rest stop she had one thought of "why am I doing this?" and they rode in silence for about 2 miles. There was a black SUV pulled off to the side of the road, and the woman pointed and said "thats my car, thank you!" as they stopped the car, the woman said "im so sorry to tell you this, but I am robbing you. I have a gun in my pocket and you need to hand me your pocket book." My friend said "sweetie Im sorry, but I have almost no money, and no credit cards, but if you will just stay calm, I will give you what money I have." The robber reached over and elbowed my friend in the shoulder and started to climb over her to get the bag. My friend said she was like a woman possessed and she reached up and grabbed this young girl by the back of the head and yanked as hard as she could and screamed at the top of her lungs GET OUT!

After a minute of tussle, the young girl spat all sorts of foul names at my friend while climbing out with the handbag. My friend said "please! dont leave me on the side of the road, at least let me have my keys!" The young girl grabbed the keys, and tossed them into the grass. Slammed the door and got into the passenger side of the SUV. They spun out. My friend has a spare key, and used it quickly to follow them. (bad move!) she was beeping her horn, and flashing her lights. She saw her handbag sticking out of the side window and they flung it into the grass. My friend pulled off and got her bag. They got her $50 and nothing else!

I told my friend how crazy she was! #1 DONT give rides to strangers! #2 if someone says they have a gun...BELIEVE THEM! #3 NONE of your stuff is worth your life! Give it to her! #4 dont get into a hair pulling contest with a gun toting bandit! OMG she is sooo lucky that some big guy didnt get out of the SUV to come stab/shoot/rob/kill her! PLEASE dont sleep at Rest stops! they are huge crime riddled areas! I wont even use them for pit stops! I make sure to go to busy places, like McDs or Target...There is NO security at 99% of the rest stops in this country, and if you get cornered in a potty, you are done!

Please say a prayer for my friends safe return to Florida. She is in South Carolina now, and will rest for the night. I put her hotel room on my credit card, so she wouldnt be tempted to sleep in another parking lot. She didnt want to pay $50 for a place to sleep. I was shaking after talking to her. How scary!