Gratitude vs. Justice: A Hitchhiker Teaches a Driver a Lesson

The Dilemma

From a distance, Michael noticed the hitchhiker standing by the roadside, desperately trying to flag down a car. Nobody stopped for him, and if truth be told, Michael didn’t feel like picking him up either. He had planned to make some important and confidential business calls on his intercity drive – something he couldn't do with a stranger in the car – and pushing them off until later would be an inconvenience.

But it was an exceptionally hot and humid day, and Michael's conscience gave him no rest. "I can’t just leave someone stranded by the road," he thought to himself, and he pulled over and let the hitchhiker in.

The young man expressed his gratitude and when he heard where Michael was headed, he grinned. "That's just where I need to get," he said. He turned out to be a pleasant companion, and the two of them chatted about all kinds of interesting topics as the long drive passed swiftly.

About ten miles before they reached their destination, they hit a narrow, winding road with only one lane in either direction – and right ahead was a massive truck laboring along, slowing their progress to a frustrating crawl. A line of cars formed behind them, and Michael silently begged the truck driver to edge toward the shoulder to let the procession pass, but to no avail. All the honking from behind had absolutely no effect.

Michael sighed. The solid white line between their lane and the one going in the opposite direction stretched out indefinitely, making it clear there was no passing allowed. Noticing the sparse traffic on the other side of the line, he impulsively swerved to the left, pressed down hard on the gas pedal, and quickly returned to the right lane ahead of the truck.

Around a quarter of an hour later, they reached the crossroads where the hitchhiker had asked to be let off. Michael turned round to say goodbye – only to find, to his horror, the young man withdrawing a badge from his pocket. Without batting an eye, he began issuing Michael a ticket for the serious traffic violation he had committed – crossing a solid white line.

Michael was speechless. It was only later, after recovering from the shock, that he gave vent to his feelings.

"What unbelievable ingratitude!" he told his wife when recounting the incident. "I don't deny that I deserved a ticket, but how could he do that to me after I did him such a favor? Do you know how many other drivers passed him without stopping to pick him up? How can someone be so ungrateful?!"

The Torah Response

Traffic law is designed to ensure the safety of everyone who uses the roads, both drivers and pedestrians, and issuing tickets acts as a powerful deterrent. The Torah also commands us to obey the law of the land.

A certain person once came to see the Steipler Gaon ztz"l (Rabbi Yaakov Yisrael Kanievsky, one of the Torah leaders of the post-war generation), hoping to receive a blessing for an upcoming court case. When the Steipler heard that the man had committed a serious traffic violation, he responded, "You should be ashamed of yourself. Your action puts you in the category of a murderer, and you want to be acquitted?"

Given that Michael did commit a violation which potentially endangered lives, the officer would have been remiss to ignore it. One could even make a case for a regular hitchhiker being obligated to report the driver to the police for committing such a violation. However, if it was clear that no lives were put at risk due to Michael's action, the officer could have opted to give a warning rather than a fine. And the fact that he delayed issuing a ticket until Michael took him all the way to his destination does cast a significant shadow on his conduct. 

A True Story

Jacob (not his real name) groaned as he saw the traffic cop order him to stop. Glancing at the speedometer, he realized he had been driving at 90 mph in a 50 mph zone. The officer approached, notebook in hand, and Jacob couldn't believe his eyes. It was none other than Sam Freed, who lived on the next block.

Jacob tried his luck with Sam, offering various excuses and explanations, but Sam's expression was impervious as he continued to write. Finally, he handed Jacob a folded piece of paper. Jacob didn’t understand. "Wait, is this a fine or not?" He started reading:

"Dear Jacob, several years ago I had a daughter. She was six when she was killed by – you guessed it – a driver who was speeding. He got off with a fine and three months in prison. Then he walked free. Free to hug his own daughters. I only had one daughter, but to hug her again, I'll have to wait until we meet in heaven. Be careful."

From the book "The Duties of Man in His World – Issues in Morality and Ethics."