True, but seeing him around and getting into the car with him are light years apart, IMO. Mom and/or brother was just a phone call away.
I once hit the pavement hard while out running. No idea why I even fell. It was a freaky thing, but anyway, I rolled my ankle hard, gouged a hole in my knee so deep that I still have a scar 7 years later and took the hide off my palms where I caught myself. I was lucky I didn't damage my knee internally. I hobbled the 1/2 mile home. I am speaking for myself, but I would not have gotten in the car with anyone but a very close friend or relative, not even that day.
It might be hard to understand, but I bet other runners will get it. There is a real feeling of freedom out on the road letting yourself go under your own power. But there is also a real vulnerability, too, and it gets exposed anytime someone breaks that barrier of personal space. I have had that scary experience of being followed/chased/accosted while on a run. My pepper spray saved me that day. So that "barrier" of personal space becomes very important and it is ingrained in me that once that is breached someone may not have good intentions. It's just part of the precautionary state of a female out running alone. This also applies to getting into a car with someone other that a very trusted friend or relative. That would be the ultimate in vulnerability IMO.
So I just cannot see her voluntarily getting into the car with him. I will add that I grew up in a town about the size of Brooklyn and lived there all of my childhood and teens. I understand the small town way of knowing everyone in town and believe me when I say, you still did't just accept rides from people just because you had seen them around.