hitchhikers/hiking....
Discussion
I used to hitch-hike during the early part of the 80's, thoroughly enjoyed it. If it was a nice day and I had nothing better to do then I'd walk out to the local A road and see how far I'd get until early afternoon, then try and get home again. Only once did I fail to get home before the end of the day.
Met all sorts of people from all walks of life.
Now if I'm out and about I generally stop and pick them up, but appearance and demeanour is what makes or breaks a decision to stop.
Met all sorts of people from all walks of life.
Now if I'm out and about I generally stop and pick them up, but appearance and demeanour is what makes or breaks a decision to stop.
I picked up two hitchikers on saturday.
I had gone to the tip in my Pajero. I live in a very rural area and the tip is in the middle of nowhere. Was driving back and saw two very bedraggled looking people walking along. They looked about 18-19, a guy and girl. The girl tried to flag me down. I pulled over to see if they were ok. They said they were trying to get to the nearest town. They looked pretty down and soaking wet.
Picked them up, started driving, was chatting, they had been to a rave in a forest somewhere and were trying to get back to reading which is a good 50-60 miles away. They had been walking through muddy fields for hours. Round here if you went the wrong way you could be walking for a really long time before hitting a town. Felt a bit sorry for them. They did look like they were on a come down though, very pale.
It was possibly a bit risky but risky for them too, no-one saw them get in, in the middle of nowhere and i could have been anyone.
Anyway, dropped them at the trainstation i was passing anyway on my way home and they were very grateful
Dont think I would have done it in my BMW but in the Paj, figured it would be ok
I had gone to the tip in my Pajero. I live in a very rural area and the tip is in the middle of nowhere. Was driving back and saw two very bedraggled looking people walking along. They looked about 18-19, a guy and girl. The girl tried to flag me down. I pulled over to see if they were ok. They said they were trying to get to the nearest town. They looked pretty down and soaking wet.
Picked them up, started driving, was chatting, they had been to a rave in a forest somewhere and were trying to get back to reading which is a good 50-60 miles away. They had been walking through muddy fields for hours. Round here if you went the wrong way you could be walking for a really long time before hitting a town. Felt a bit sorry for them. They did look like they were on a come down though, very pale.
It was possibly a bit risky but risky for them too, no-one saw them get in, in the middle of nowhere and i could have been anyone.
Anyway, dropped them at the trainstation i was passing anyway on my way home and they were very grateful
Dont think I would have done it in my BMW but in the Paj, figured it would be ok
Picked up a couple of people who'd delivered cars so had plates on them, never been going far in their directioon though.
I used to hitchhike loads a few years back (late-nineties), got as far as Bordeaux once. I did it mainly due to lack of cash but it was often quite enjoyable, and a lot of the time it made the journey part of the adventure rather than just a dull prelude on the train.
Never got a lift from anyone scary, one older guy seemed somewhat obsessed with the amount of homosexuality in the armed forces, then started telling me about his time in the navy
Most people just wanted someone to chat to though, or were just nice.
I used to hitchhike loads a few years back (late-nineties), got as far as Bordeaux once. I did it mainly due to lack of cash but it was often quite enjoyable, and a lot of the time it made the journey part of the adventure rather than just a dull prelude on the train.
Never got a lift from anyone scary, one older guy seemed somewhat obsessed with the amount of homosexuality in the armed forces, then started telling me about his time in the navy
Most people just wanted someone to chat to though, or were just nice.Went halfway round New Zealand doing it in 2004. Had to pay to do the other half.
Have picked up a few platers when I was in a larger car plus a coupl eof peopel stood with rucksacks at the side of the slip roads.
I quite enjoy both aspects of it.
Don't so it so much now. Not so much space in an MX5. They might smell.
Have picked up a few platers when I was in a larger car plus a coupl eof peopel stood with rucksacks at the side of the slip roads.
I quite enjoy both aspects of it.
Don't so it so much now. Not so much space in an MX5. They might smell.
I picked up a guy once who was VERY down at heel. It was a long time ago in my first car - a Reliant Rialto!
He told me 'his story', was pretty sad - he explained that through some pretty unlucky circumstances, he'd lost everything.
I guess he could have been lying, but I'm pretty sure he wasn't, he seemed genuinely down and generally upset with his lot. He was homeless, or so he said.
Anyway dropped him off, wasn't that far from where I picked him up.
And the reason I did it was because it was Christmas Eve and so I was feeling generous, plus he didn't stink of alcohol, like a lot of homeless do, so figured he was really trying his best to sort out some sort of life again for himself. So when he got out I also gave him a tenner.
If I'm not mistaken, I saw genuine and real gratitude in his eyes, from a one human being to another.
I actually felt like crying at that point - I was off home to see my loving family in a nice warm house with lots of food and a nice holiday coming up.
As I watched him walk away with a battered old rucksack containing his worldly posessions, I'm pretty sure he wasn't heading to any warm house with nice food anytime soon.
He told me 'his story', was pretty sad - he explained that through some pretty unlucky circumstances, he'd lost everything.
I guess he could have been lying, but I'm pretty sure he wasn't, he seemed genuinely down and generally upset with his lot. He was homeless, or so he said.
Anyway dropped him off, wasn't that far from where I picked him up.
And the reason I did it was because it was Christmas Eve and so I was feeling generous, plus he didn't stink of alcohol, like a lot of homeless do, so figured he was really trying his best to sort out some sort of life again for himself. So when he got out I also gave him a tenner.
If I'm not mistaken, I saw genuine and real gratitude in his eyes, from a one human being to another.
I actually felt like crying at that point - I was off home to see my loving family in a nice warm house with lots of food and a nice holiday coming up.
As I watched him walk away with a battered old rucksack containing his worldly posessions, I'm pretty sure he wasn't heading to any warm house with nice food anytime soon.
An interesting topic. I usually pick up hitchhikers though it's very rare to see them in UK.
Last one I picked up a few years ago was in Scottish Highlands, the weather was... well, typical. The guy did look like he'd been standing in the rain for a long time, we weren't in a hurry so I stopped. Just as he got into the car I noticed he smelled of alcohol, not too badly but he certainly had a few beers. He then proceeded to express his appreciation for me picking him up, swiftly followed by making small talk about casual subjects, such as him having recently gotten out of prison where he spent last 15 or so years. He didn't specify what for but I'd wager it wasn't for not paying the TV licence. Hmm... The way to Inverness was a little more exciting than I anticipated, but we parted ways in a very friendly manner, I even gave him £20 to help him make his way to a friends funeral. He didn't ask for it, but it was the right thing to do, he certainly needed money more than I did.
All in all I didn't regret picking him up, I genuinely feel he needed to have some faith in humanity restored, but I still think it wasn't very clever of me to subject my wife to a scary situation. That being said I think there are far more dangerous people driving cars on the roads than hitchhiking.
I'd say it's still a good thing to do and I've had some genuinely fascinating conversations as a result.
Last one I picked up a few years ago was in Scottish Highlands, the weather was... well, typical. The guy did look like he'd been standing in the rain for a long time, we weren't in a hurry so I stopped. Just as he got into the car I noticed he smelled of alcohol, not too badly but he certainly had a few beers. He then proceeded to express his appreciation for me picking him up, swiftly followed by making small talk about casual subjects, such as him having recently gotten out of prison where he spent last 15 or so years. He didn't specify what for but I'd wager it wasn't for not paying the TV licence. Hmm... The way to Inverness was a little more exciting than I anticipated, but we parted ways in a very friendly manner, I even gave him £20 to help him make his way to a friends funeral. He didn't ask for it, but it was the right thing to do, he certainly needed money more than I did.
All in all I didn't regret picking him up, I genuinely feel he needed to have some faith in humanity restored, but I still think it wasn't very clever of me to subject my wife to a scary situation. That being said I think there are far more dangerous people driving cars on the roads than hitchhiking.
I'd say it's still a good thing to do and I've had some genuinely fascinating conversations as a result.
I hitchhiked all over the country during the early/mid 90s. It was a question of economics. Met some interesting people, rode i some interesting vehicles.
Used to take ages to get some destinations as you couldn't necessarily plan your route.
Interesting that a alot of people who picked me up said they never picked up those wit trade plates as they said they would already have been paid a fare to catch train etc but were hitching tosave money. Don't know how true that was or why it was a problem.
Also, from hitching, there used to be a lot of interesting graffiti on the back of the motorway signs on the entry slips to motorways.
Not surprisingly it lost its appeal when snowing or raining but sometimes that's when you got a quicker lift.
Some people were really generous. I remember one woman taking a detour to get some drinks and stuff, leaving me alone in her car having only just met me. One bloke took me of a tour around central London in his convertible sports car (I don't remember what it was) and then dropped me at my door.
I used to really enjoy it and, if you're not in a hurry to get to where you're going, it was fun. People always used to say that picked hitchers up because they wanted some company.
I can't remember the last time I saw someone asking for a lift nowadays though.
Used to take ages to get some destinations as you couldn't necessarily plan your route.
Interesting that a alot of people who picked me up said they never picked up those wit trade plates as they said they would already have been paid a fare to catch train etc but were hitching tosave money. Don't know how true that was or why it was a problem.
Also, from hitching, there used to be a lot of interesting graffiti on the back of the motorway signs on the entry slips to motorways.
Not surprisingly it lost its appeal when snowing or raining but sometimes that's when you got a quicker lift.
Some people were really generous. I remember one woman taking a detour to get some drinks and stuff, leaving me alone in her car having only just met me. One bloke took me of a tour around central London in his convertible sports car (I don't remember what it was) and then dropped me at my door.
I used to really enjoy it and, if you're not in a hurry to get to where you're going, it was fun. People always used to say that picked hitchers up because they wanted some company.
I can't remember the last time I saw someone asking for a lift nowadays though.
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