When I was a student I hitched all the time. I hitched rides home, to my GF in Ottawa, to a buddy's cottage. I was picked up by all types, including the OPP who told me it was way to dangerous to be thumbing on the 401 along the top of Toronto. He was good enough to drive me to the east part of his patrol area and told me where to stand on the ramp.
There were only two times I was scared. One was when I got in and the driver asked me to grab a beer out of the back seat for him. The cooler was almost empty and the back was full of empty cans. I told him I was only going to the next concession. The other time, a woman in her late 50's or early 60's (I was 20 or 21 at the time) asked if I could drive because she was getting tired. Well, no f*ing wonder she was tired, the alignment was totally screwed and the was at least 20 degrees of loose play in the steering. I was a total nervous wreck by the time my cut off came up and was damn glad to get out of that vehicle.
As I got older, I "returned the favour" a number of times, but can't remember seeing a hitcher in the past 6 or 7 years. I picked up single guys, single women (it always amazes me that single women would thumb) and the occasional young couple. I've never had any problems, but have had some very interesting conversations.
The only time I got any "action" is when I was hitching from Brampton back to Hamilton and got picked up by a very attractive woman. Other than that, it was all about the ride.