Is it normal for a girl to hitchhike?

You might be right about the chloroform, but luckily I live in Canada so people don't tend to have guns :) I also never flag cars that are commonly owned by gang members, or anything too flashy. But actually the argument against chloroform (and axe murderers etc) is that there is a very small percentage of people who both i) would do this and ii) actually have some set up to go so that they could use it on me when I get in the car - you see, no one expects to see a hitchhiker in the city, so predators aren't driving around with their chloro rags all ready, looking to pick up hitchhikers. Every single person that's ever picked me up (except in small communities where hitching is the norm) is very surprised to see me do it - so even if they wanted to hurt me, they would most likely be unprepared to do so. Mostly I get picked up by women trying to protect me from these types. But I do appreciate your input.

This is the problem with martial arts/self defense classes. Young people think they're even more invincible than they already feel. Nothing compares to actual fighting experience, and even that can't do much against a gun.