Who picks up hitchhikers?

[Evans, Marv]

I hitch hiked all over California and parts of the east coast in the mid '60s into the '70s. I hitch hiked along the east side of the Sierras back to my car or a friend's place a few times into the '90s. Last time was '97, & I wasn't sure I'd get a ride from the road coming down to 395 from the Taboose Pass trail head to Bishop but - I did. I also used to hitch back & forth to school when I was going to college. Sorry to say today I wouldn't pick up anyone & wouldn't expect anyone to pick me up.

[oldE]

Same here. I used to pick up hitch hikers a lot because not so long before (early '70s) I had been one. However, talking with some friends who were LEOs, I was advised that the number of hitch hikers who had criminal records was going way up.
I pretty much stopped after one summer I picked up a young fellow who in course of conversation claimed he ws selling drugs at the local jr. high school and a few weeks later picked up a guy who tried to sell me some tapes (all identical).
I dropped each of them off and had a quiet talk with my LEO friends.

Best
Les

[wdfifteen]

I worked at a Fiat dealership in the early 70s and the shop manager was so laid back he let us keep beer in the shop 'fridge. I would grab a beer and drink it on my way home and toss the empty on the floor on the passenger side. After a couple of weeks they began to accumulate. One day on the way home I came across a hitchhiker and stopped. He opened the door and half a dozen beer cans rolled out and there I was at the wheel with a cold one in my hand. He declined the offer of a ride.

[livi]

Not the last twenty years or so. Does not feel safe anymore.

[Eric 951]

About 8 years ago heading up to Snowshoe. I had my Wagoneer and (4) buddies in the car. It was dark and snowing and some guy was hitching up the mountain--real long stretch of a windy desolate 2-lane. When I pulled to the side, my buddy in the back said "what are you doing" when I replied "picking him up" his eyes about bugged out of his head since he was going to be sitting next to him.

Guy turned out to be alright--bit of an older stoner type. Told us some story of working in CA on Stevie Nicks' ranch and she had a Wagoneer--didn't really believe him--dropped him at the store at the top of the mountain and that was it.

[recycled sixtie]

Way back in the 1970's I was driving my VW bug by myself. I see this young guy in military uniform and see no harm in picking him up.I get talking to him enroute and ask him if he is in the military. He said no and he wore the uniform to get a ride!
Guy.

[june82000]

Originally Posted by Slimpickins

So I'm driving home from work today-traffic is at a standstill. A woman with grocery bags and a gas container is trying to hitch a ride- the old man in front of me won't let her in. " what the heck , get in". Big mistake... She was f*### ing nuts! .. Rambling on about her heroin addicted son , the evil medical industry, her inability to lose weight, evil Obama ...looney tunes. Soon found out the reason for the traffic congestion-her heroin addicted son is passed out at the next intersection in her car -out of gas. I manage to get the crazy biatch out of my car... She spills gasoline on the passenger floor on the way out... Geeez .. Should have listened to my mother, " never pick up hitchhikers".

So what were you thinking as soon as your car door shut and she turns to look at you...?

[GWN7]

I used to but for the last 10 years there is a 106 lbs ball of fur that takes up the passenger seat.

Many years ago I drove my sister home to her apartment downtown after Sunday dinner at our parents house. It was the start of a blizzard that night. Cold, blowing snow, not fit for man nor beast. There is a guy hitchhiking so I stop and pick him up. He's going a couple miles North and he gets to his corner and gets out thanking me for the ride. As he gets out the back door opens and a woman gets it. I say to her do you need a ride? She is *****faced drunk and mumbles something about a street further North. So off I go. We get to her "street" and she is now sleeping, layed down on the back seat. I yell at her. She isn't moving. So I drove a couple blocks further North and pulled in to the police station parking lot. Go inside and tell the desk officer about sleeping beauty in my back seat. He rounds up a couple of co-workers and they drag her out by her ankles. She drunkenly yells at me that I'm a ****ty cab driver. Both cops start to laugh. I went home.

[ckissick]

I never pick them up. But when I approach them while driving the old Westfalia, they always get very hopeful.

[diverdan]

Steve McQueen did and i was one of them. I was stuck in Hollywood in 1965 or 66 waiting for parts for my Veloce and pretty broke. He pulled into a Sunset Blvd. gas station in his Lusso and I told him my Alfa story and said that I had never been in a Ferrari and would appreciate a ride. He graciously replied, "Hop in." and I had my first Ferrari ride.

Yes, I pick up hitch hikers occasionally when circumstances are right. I also stop to assist folks in unusual vehicles that are stopped at the roadside. A positive countenance works well on me.

Diverdan

[scottmandue]

I'm a big hearted guy but no... I don't pickup hitch hikers...

Can't remember last time I even saw a hitch hiker.

[on2wheels52]

My wife and I picked one up in eastern Iowa last summer early one morning. He kept us entertained for a couple of hours into Missouri.
That was the first one in quite a while, gave many rides during my hippie days in the 70's.
Jim

[2porscheguy]

I remember back in the late 70's in my teen years, I was hitchhiking back from a party in rural Quebec. An old fellow stops in his old Ford pickup. I get in and he doesn't say a word. I noticed that he had a scarf on..it was a hot, humid summer day so I thought that was rather odd. When I shut the door I told him I was headed back to Aylmer (now Gatineau) and still he said nothing. We are heading down the road when he reaches into his pocket and pulls out what I thought was a gun....I freaked out!...."what..no! no! hey What have I done man! Stop!!!" He pulls off his scarf and puts the device to his throat...it was a voice transducer! The poor fellow had suffered throat cancer and lost his voice box so he communicated via this device with the "Darth Vader-like box sound"!...really nice guy though! He invited me back to meet his family and we all had dinner together and then he drove me back out of his way, back to my place.....man I miss the "old days".....

[Jolly Amaranto]

Back in the 70s I thumbed myself and picked them up. Not often but every now and then. Sometimes I was broke down and sometimes they were. Lots of cool experiences but I guess I was lucky. Six friends of mine and I had repaired an old life boat and decided to sail it along the beach in Galveston. We launched it into the surf on the west beach, sailed (and rowed) all day till we pulled out at Stewart Beach on the east end. Two of us volunteered to go back and get the towing vehicle and trailer so we could go home. We were hiking down Seawall Boulevard and decided to stick our thumbs out. Two really hot girls stopped and we got in. They wanted to take us all the way back to Houston with them. We were just too darn loyal to our buddies back at Stewart Beach and had the girls let us out at 61st street to continue our hike. About a year later, the same guy and I were in his VW Beetle on I-80 outside of Elk Mountain, Wyoming when it threw a rod. No one would pick us up there. We ended up walking 10 miles to a gas station without a ride.

[Nostril Cheese]

I hitchhiked across Europe around '98-02. Never felt in any danger. Most people were cool as hell as long as you tried to speak their language. I even fixed some cars here and there..

Not so sure I'd try it here.

[nvr2mny]

Growing up in Montecito in the early '70's was a surreal experience. Hitched or boarded all along the coast from Goleta (UCIV) south to LA with no problems. Boarding down Hot Springs Rd in Montecito hitching rides back to the top, usually got picked up in Benzs' and a few times in Rolls'! Once in a while Michael Douglas would blast by in his Ferrari, never offered me a ride though. I used to pick them up every once in a while, but sadly no more.

[jcommin]

My one and only hitch hiking story. Back in the early 70's in my college days, I had a friend who had a 65 Pontiac Catalina , 389 4bbl w a 3 speed Dearborn manual tranny on the floor. This car had no bottom end and could go. He wanted in the worse way to blow up the trans so he could replace it with a 4 speed. He was married, with a limited budget, going to school and couldn't justify spending the money. However if it was broken, well, he would need to get it fixed.

On a Friday, after a week of school my friend and I decided to blow off some steam. After allot of beer, we decided to visit a school friend, to drink more, about 30 miles away from campus. He lived in a very rural area south of the city. We also decided that tonight was the night to break the 3 speed. With a 12 pack in the car, we set out to drive and we did - down the interstate until we got to within about 5 miles of our friends house. We probably broke many laws on the interstate and we were full of ourselves.

As we got off the highway, we saw a guy that was hitch hiking. We picked him up, he sat in the back seat, gave him a beer. I was driving. I lit up the tires, whole shot, shifting w/o clutch and screaming down a 2 lane road. I remember watching this guy thru my rear view mirror going front to back ( no seat belts) as I'm shifting gears. Well I did this several times just to push the car. I think after the 3rd attempt, he wanted to get out. I remember telling him to relax that we would actually take him to where he was going and to have a beer and relax. My friend and I were having a blast and when he finally got out, he ran. I remember lighting up the tires when we left.

We arrive at our friend house to drink more and left the next day. As hard as we tired to break that Dearborn box, we couldn't. I have allot of respect for the 389 Pontiac engine.

I have never shared this story until now. - My kids don't know, I did some crazy stuff.

Would I hitch hike - heck no. I might be in a car with jerks, ( I'm being kind here) like my friend and I when we were in college in a 389 Pontiac.

[Groesbeck Hurricane]

I used to pick up hikers all the time, on the military installations where I was stationed.

I used to stop and help broken down motorists all the time.


I will now stop for people who are broken down and seem to be in a place where I have protection. Wife holds a friend and I will walk within talking distance to determine about the person.

[72doug2,2S]

Originally Posted by scottmandue

Can't remember last time I even saw a hitch hiker.

I think they're all being held captive in somebody's basement.

[stuartj]

Originally Posted by scottmandue

Can't remember last time I even saw a hitch hiker.

True, not very common anymore.

I generally do pick them up. I picked up an elderly man hitching just a few weeks ago, after midnight. Im glad I did, he was clearly confused, dressed inappropriately for the weather. I took him to an address which wasn't far out of my way, and took him to the door. His daughter answered- she was distraught- half the family was out looking for him. The gent was in the early stages of Alzheimer's, and had taken to wandering at night.