[AlanY]

Just curious if any of you stop to pick up hitchhikers? Any good (or scary) stories/experiences? I'll pick one up every so often, though I'm somewhat choosy. I've heard some interesting life stories, though I guess they're what you'd expect: young kids doing too much partying and middle-aged women with extremely abusive pasts. Generally good folks, fun to talk to.

 

[Feanor]

Hey, I hitchhike!

I usually even put my thumb out when waiting for the bus. It's a very interesting experience, you meet all kind of people, most of whom you'd have no chance of meeting normally.

 

[Gigabomber]

recently moved from california where it is illegal, to oregon where it is legal. really throws me off to be passing people walking on the freeway.

 

[Edwood]

I live in Los Angeles.

So the answer is a resounding No.

-Ed

 

[bhd812]

I think I seen one person in my life actually do it...

I was like wow! I should of thought of doing that!

"I was late to work today cause I didnt shave my legs."


hey anyone see the pic of Ray Samuels hitching a ride into town showing off his goods in montana..?

 

[Borat]

I am wary of both hitchhikers and those who pick them up.

I wonder if there are situations where both the hitchiker and the driver both have bad intentions for the other, and when they realize they are both crazy they become friends.

 

[stevesurf]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bhd812 I think I seen one person in my life actually do it... I was like wow! I should of thought of doing that! "I was late to work today cause I didnt shave my legs." hey anyone see the pic of Ray Samuels hitching a ride into town showing off his goods in montana..?

Billy - you pick up hitchikers in a TT? wow.

I like meeting people this way - they are usually late - like me. One of them was this girl that was telling me she needed a ride to another dry cleaning/laundry place because the one in town no longer took student checks. She was very cute; I almost offered to do her laundry

 

[cpw]

Used to do it a ton as a tennager and used to pick 'em up too. A bit too scary these days.
CPW

 

[chadbang]

A great way to get yourself killed.

 

[seeberg]

Quote:

Originally Posted by stevesurf I like meeting people this way - they are usually late - like me. One of them was this girl that was telling me she needed a ride to another dry cleaning/laundry place because the one in town no longer took student checks. She was very cute; I almost offered to do her laundry

Man, you totally shoulda(given that she was legal of course)!
Me, I guess it depends. I've got no car, so my opinion is sort of moot, but cute girls usually would top my list of accepted hitchikers, and at the bottom, the obvious choice: smelly old scraggly men. Ralph...
If I do, I'd like to make sure there's no chance of getting robbed/killed. So perhaps I should build an ejector seat in case I don't like my passenger, where the door swings open, the seatbelt breaks loose, and the seat itself is launched out the side, into side traffic or into a ditch

mwa ha ha!

,
Abe

 

[MN Ham Phones]

Quote:

Originally Posted by AlanY Just curious if any of you stop to pick up hitchhikers? Any good (or scary) stories/experiences? I'll pick one up every so often, though I'm somewhat choosy. I've heard some interesting life stories, though I guess they're what you'd expect: young kids doing too much partying and middle-aged women with extremely abusive pasts. Generally good folks, fun to talk to.

I never picked up someone flashing the thumb. Just no balls.

I did pick up a young couple and younger baby in her arms a few years back. They were walking about two miles ahead of a broken down truck on the freeway. So I doubled back and offered a lift. He was wary at first, but she got in front and he in back. I handed him my cell phone and he arranged for a buddy to meet him and fix his truck. So I took them back and waited.

I also picked up a drunk who had been beat up outside a bar. Weird, he protected a margarine tub of meat like it was his last possession.

 

[pank2002]

Quote:

Originally Posted by chadbang A great way to get yourself killed.

Don't have much faith in humanity, do you? I know I wouldn't ... if I lived in Florida

Either way, I don't mind driving with strangers or picking them up. But then again, people don't have the right to own a weapon here.

 

[Feanor]

Quote:

Originally Posted by chadbang A great way to get yourself killed.

I always hear warnings like this, but I havent yet heard anything bad from reliable sources (news or people I know). Are things so different in the states or is this just a public misconception?

 

[KYTGuy]

I have been both a hitchhiker and a ride provider...

Have gone from New York to San Diego, and New York to Florida both round trips. Got One Ride from Long Island to Panama City, Florida - best hitch I ever got - the Driver had to get to south Florida, and was willing to let me drive while he slept - when I offered fuel money, he countered with basically "door to door" service -took him out of his way about three hundred or four hundred miles.

All the hitching I did while in College, some thirty years ago.

I have offered rides at about a constant rate - about two rides a year. I will accept someone who is in obvious distress, standing by their broken car, in the desolate stretches, or in inclement weather. I will not accept a rider who is unclean, unless they are also injured. I never take money, nor ask for it - I just tell them to "pass it on" when and if they are able, to someone who needs help. If they start to light up without asking, I stop and put them out. If they ask, i offer thm the choice not to smoke, or to get out.

The only time I take multiple riders is if they were in a wreck, or are by their damaged/disabled car, and look like a family.

Just like a lottery, you can't get killed by hitchhikers if you don't pick them up, but i have never had any problem with any I have picked up.

 

[jjcapurro]

I've picked up a couple in my time. One was a college kid who had been taken to the drunk tank the night before and was trying to walk home... in the snow... from Reno to Lake Tahoe.

Nice kid, bad choices.

The other was just a kid walking between small towns in rural NoCal. I think he hitched the route regularly. Also a nice kid, but didn't say mutch.

My ex picked up a young man once with her girlfriend, and he was kinda creepy, but nothing came of it.

There are a couple posts about cute young ladies hitching... Where do you guys live?!?! I never see these or I might offer more rides...