Hitchhiking & You?

[PrinceOfLeigh]

Hitchhiking. I've never done it. The main reason being that I lack the patience to sit there for several hours waiting for someone willing to pick me up. The other reason is that apart from saving a bit of cash I've never seen the point of doing it.

Has anyone been hitchhiking? Why do it? And did you have one of those red licence plates that they all seem to carry in the UK?

Alternatively, have you or have you ever considered picking a hitchhiker up. I've thought of it, but only when there were quite a few people in the car.

Hitchhiking. What's that about?

 

[Narz]

I did it once when I was with a group, lost them and needed a ride of about ten miles. The guy who picked me up was a pleasant, intelligent fellow and we had a nice talk.

I tried unsuccessfully to hitchhike one other time after a hurricane (forgot which one, there were quite a few) when I lived in Miami Beach. I was staying with a woman there during the hurricane but left as soon as it blew over because she was going batty and being disrespectful. She refused to give me a ride so I had to walk four miles home with all my stuff (I had brought about thirty pounds of laundry over because her facilities were cheaper than the laundermat near my house). I had to lug it home. I left my solar/crank powered flashlight/radio behind because it was simply too heavy to carry so far along with my other stuff.

I never did get a ride. I made it home quite tired.

 

[Marshy]

I used to hitchhike all the time when I was younger. I was broke and saved money. I met some great people as well.

My Dad lives in a rural area with an infrequent bus service so I still hitchhike from there to the next town on occasion. But only if I have no alternative.

I now drive occasionally but not often as I don't own a car. I usually pick up hitchhikers but occasionally I don't if I'm not in the mood for small talk. It can be a bit of a nightmare if you have some guy in the car with you for the next 3 hours and you run out of conversation after 3 minutes.

My worst experience hitchhiking was waiting for 8 hours outside a town as thousands of cars passed me and nobody would pick me up. My best was after staying up all night my friend and I hitchhiked about 150 miles. Got a lift from this guy in a really comfortable Merc. My mate passed out within seconds in the back seat and I just chatted to the driver for the whole 4 hours. He must have been 50 and I was 18 but it was one of the easiest most natural conversations I've ever had. Then he pulled over to the side of the road and .... (only kidding!)

 

[El_Machinae]

I'll pick up someone, if I feel like it. I wouldn't pick up someone if I had kids in the car, because I don't want hostages if things turn sour. But usually if someone's hitchhiking, they could use a break in their day, and I'm happy to give it to them.

Making someone's day better with almost no effort = great deal!

 

[Narz]

Then he pulled over to the side of the road and .... (only kidding!)

10char

 

[toxicseagull]

get a copy of tony hawks - around ireland with a fridge

he hitchhiked the circumfrance of the republic with a fridge for a bet.

 

[Bozo Erectus]

Anyone who hitchhikes in this day and age, is insane. Anyone who stops to pick up hitchhikers in this day and age, is insane.

Russian roulette is a more efficient way of playing with your life.

 

[Methos]

I picked up one hitchiker when I was in my late teens to early 20's, but that was 10 to 14 years ago. I always carried a knife in the drivers door so kept my hand near it the whole drive. He only needed to go about ten miles or so.

About six or seven years ago my truck broke down and I hitchiked back to a friends house. The guy and his family who picked me up were big time Christians, and while I'm a Christian as well I couldn't stand his conversation. The entire trip (about 20 minutes) he spoke only on the evils of sin and repenting my life. I told him I was a Christian, but it was like he didn't hear. Even his wife began trying to change the subject. Man did I hate that trip and learn a lot about extremist people.

I agree with Bozo about this day and age. I would never pick up anyone now nor desire to be picked up by anyone. One reason I make my wife take her cell phone everywhere she goes.

 

[col]

I used to hitchhike every day to get from where I was staying to uni. No problem in the morning - there was a lot of traffic along that road. It was a bit trickier at 3am when I was heading back though. I got a few lifts with some very weird people but it was all experience.

One lift I still have dreams and regrets about.

2am I stand by the side of the road. A red ferrari pulls up and the door is flung open. I climb in and see ....


blond hair
micro skirt with long legs
tight top
all covering the most gorgeous girl I'd ever seen.

"Where do you want to go?", she said.
Of course now I can think of a million smooth lines. But then? Sigh.
I'm known as a man with a lot of wit but when I really needed it, I was sadly found lacking.

She drops me where I ask and zooms off as I kick myself senseless.
I have relived that scene over and over and it never ends that way in my dreams....

 

[PrinceOfLeigh]

@ Col: I've seen that very thing happen in a... film. Different ending though.

 

[col]

Me too. Happened over 30 years ago - and I still think about it

 

[Bozo Erectus]

"Where do you want to go?"

Any place youre going to.

Depends on how far you want to take me.

I must be dreaming, so it doesnt really matter.


J/k, those will just get the car door slammed shut on your nose, most of time.

 

[PrinceOfLeigh]

@ Bozo: So you've seen a number of similar films also?

 

[De Lorimier]

Growing in a small town without public transportation, hitchicking is the normal way to go. I did it for a while before I got my car. AT least in the summer I could ride my little ride scooter to whatever destination was my choice, but in the winter months my thumbs did the travellin'.

I used to pick up hitchickers a lot in that region, but not so much since I moved to the city.

I remember the first guy I picked up. I just got my license and I was glowing with pride in my beat up 86' Honda Civic. I picked up this guy and asked him where he was going. He told me, well it souded like he was talking, he used some gestures and groans that made me understand he wanted me to drop him off at the strip club down the road. It was a fifteen minutes walk! I was later explained that thiss guy is one of those fella who did too much illegal substances and saw his brain cells disappear. I still see him hitchin a ride to the strip club, but I never picked him up again...

 

[Bozo Erectus]

@ Bozo: So you've seen a number of similar films also?

Indubitably Captain.

 

[Rambuchan]

col: I'm feeling that multi-replay story. Sheesh! What did you say in reply to her question....."to my nan's house please, she lives on the High Street in Greater Sodbury, just past the bakery"?


I did loads of hitchhiking when I was younger. Don't really have a need to now. Had some great journeys all around England and not a bad tale to tell for it, sorry not to feed your paranoia Bozo .

Best ride took ages in coming. It was after the full eclipse of the sun in the summer of 2001 or so. After about 4 hours of waiting in the middle of the night, I ended up getting a ride with some festival goers all the way from Falmouth (far southwest England) right to my front door in Islington, London! I found myself in the back of a camper van and was treated to "a jolly old ride". There was a full seat of jokers in the front, in the back was a cheeky little kid, his mum (who must have been chairwoman of some milf society), her friend (vice chair perhaps), a VW fridge full of beers, reefers and sing song. All quite reminscent of "The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test". And all to my front door. Nice.

I also pick up hitchhikers whenever I see them and it is convenient. Last guy I picked up was a Hungarian linguist, guitarist and Slash of G'n'R look-a-like. He was travelling around Europe to develop his many languages. We spoke about the roots of the English language, immigration, the EU, the role of artist in society, listened to some music and then I pulled up and let him down with directions to the next motorway.

Not sure about you guys, but I was brought up to offer extra kindness and hospitality to travellers. Be they pilgrims, refugees, migrants, people seeking something....'tis a very old and worthy tradition imo. Hitchhiking is just one part of that.

 

[Bozo Erectus]

Had some great journeys all around England and not a bad tale to tell for it, sorry not to feed your paranoia Bozo

You were lucky. About my 'paranoia', dont worry, its fed by reality.

 

[ComradeDavo]

Some intresting stories, keep 'em coming!

 

[De Lorimier]

You were lucky. About my 'paranoia', dont worry, its fed by reality.

And here I was thinking it was because of the pot!

Oh well, we learn everyday.

 

[Bozo Erectus]

And here I was thinking it was because of the pot!

Nahh, Id wager that most people who hitchhike, or pick up hitchhikers, are potheads, or might as well be