Being Safe or Just Paranoid?

I've learned though experience that one should never be too trusting of people you meet on the street. But is there a point where this caution becomes paranoia?

Tonight, I was at the local supermarket with my mother and as we were leaving, an older gentleman comes up to us and asks me in Chinese whether I have jumper cables. Apparently, his car battery had died near a bus stop around the block.

I truly did not have jumper cables so I told him "no". He then asks whether I would be willing to ask others in the parking lot if they had cables because apparently he didn't speak English.

I suggested that he perhaps call a taxi, but he said he only had $9 and he lived pretty far away (Surrey to be exact). I then said maybe he should call relatives. He replied that all his relatives were in Seattle for a wedding. At this point, I noticed someone else driving into the lot who might be able to help. He went over to ask the other person and I told my mom to leave for the car.

The entire time I was suspicious of this man, perhaps he was trying to con money from me, perhaps he wanted to rob me. That was my gut feeling. If I had cables, I would need to move my car to where his car was, but that would require him getting in my car and driving over there together...something I seriously did not want to do. I don't let strangers into my car at night!

As me and my mom hurried into the car, the man follows us and continues to ask me to help him find someone with cables. I spend about 5 minutes flagging people down and asking them, but everyone says they don't have jumper cables...maybe it's just because these people don't want the trouble, which I can understand.

Finally, he says he'll just take a taxi and if I could spare $4 (I'm still not feeling comfortable with this guy...asking me for money really don't help). I didn't want to take my wallet out in the open, so I ask my mother, who was sitting in the car to get some change. While she was doing this I was standing at the door in case the gentlemen had any bright ideas....

While my mom was getting the change, he suggested that I get back in the car because I was pretty cold, but me being so paranoid, I interpreted his suggestion as a way to get me away from my mother's purse. I politely declined his suggestion.

All she had was less than $2 in change and I handed this to the man and said goodbye. He reluctantly left.

Was I too paranoid? Was this man simply having car trouble?

My instincts told me not to trust him, but my compassionate side feels sorry that I couldn't really help him. What if it was me in the same position? Is this what society has become...Everyone for himself?