Is it normal for men to try picking up women this way?

Please bear in mind that the primary reason I feel I'm out of touch, and would like some clarity/perspective, is because... due to the fact that I was homeschooled, I grew up in the middle of nowhere for most of my childhood, and also... due to some other reasons I'd rather not go into here, I feel I'm still a tad ignorant/inexperienced because I never really started going anywhere by myself until I was already in my later twenties.

Even so, I have known the basics for a long time on what to watch out for if you're a woman going out by herself, and what kinds of areas to steer clear of if you don't want to get into trouble, etc etc. And for these reasons, (especially since I'm that type of person who rarely wanders from familiar areas, and I'm very goal-oriented to the point where I go to a place, conclude my business and leave immediately) I have rarely had any problems.

Plus I'm fortunate enough to live in a suburban area where, although crime has increased somewhat in recent years, people obey the rules and leave each other alone for the most part. And another thing that helps in my case is that I never, EVER go outside after dark, unless I'm going with someone else in a car.

The thing is though, there seems to be a gradual increase in men who occasionally try to approach me in a car and offer me a ride.

So I guess one primary thing I am curious about here, (and I am asking anyone who has had a lot more experience in life and being out and about than I have) well... has this always been a normal thing, or has there been an increase of it in recent years or something?

I mean, I'd say that most of the time, I can go out and not be bothered by anyone. But especially over the last couple of years, for some reason, it seems like there's been a moderate increase in how often this happens. And it seems to happen moreso during the Summer.

For the most part, I haven't really given it TOO much thought because I've never been threatened, and for the most part, I've found that if I say no to someone, they go away and seldom bother me again.

But there was something that happened earlier today which... well, I would hardly call it alarming, but it's just that one guy (a rather ugly one at that, even if that wasn't his fault) was VERY persistent.

I was simply walking home from the post office, where I happened to walk past a parking lot I've been by a thousand times, and someone apparently noticed me. He honked his horn and called out to me a couple of times, but I ignored him and kept walking. He even kept calling after me, "Hey lady!" and honked his horn a couple more times. I crossed the street, then turned and started to head up in another direction.

A few moments later, the guy in the car finally pulled up alongside me and called out to me specifically. I asked him in a snippy tone what he wanted, and he asked if he could give me a ride, and said he would pull over just up ahead. He did so, and I continued right on walking as though I'd barely noticed him at all, though he did honk at me again. After that, he took a hint and drove away, headed in the opposite direction.

It's just that this was the first guy I've encountered like this who was that persistent. And... I guess I'm just finding it a little odd, and a bit unnerving, because in my limited experience, I could imagine this happening if the guy was already acquainted with me from someplace and had developed an attraction for me or something. But this was a guy I swear I've never seen before, someone who just happened to notice me when I was walking by out of the blue.

Again, I guess I'm just a little curious... has this kind of thing increased in recent years? Or has this always been a thing in some ways?

Thanks in advance!