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Hitchhikers… have you ever picked one up? (1 Viewer)

Once. When I was young (20ish then and 51 now) and foolish. Nothing bad happened but part way through the ride I felt very uncomfortable. He only needed a ride about three exits away. Maybe 15 minutes total. Never have done it again.

 
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Years ago but friend of a friend I had interacted with before. Very little concern and went just fine.

 
3 in total

1) middle of nowhere new zealand, was 26, saw a pretty attractive, dreadlock'd hitchhiker... grabbed her, was dutch, just needed about 30min in the car.

2) highway in mooloolaba, australia - prostitute and obv a prostitute... 10min in the car, let her out. no issues.

3) hamilton, ontario. went thru the car in front of us, looking for god knows what (money)... offered favors... asked if we could stop at a corner store quick. we did. and we took off on her. was messy/uncomfortable.

 
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i'm old (hitched over 100K miles in my time), so still do. even since covid. rural VT has a lot of people who walk/hitch a good distance ("a fer piece": we call it) between towns and i gave rides to most before the pandemic. they dont put a thumb out anymore but, if i recognize them as ferpiecers, i'll pull over and ask em if they got a mask.

 
No, but I just listened to John Waters book, Carsick: John Waters Hitchhikes Across America

 
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I remember when I was maybe 10 or 11 on a family trip to a little mountain town in SoCal called Idylwild, we were on our way up the mountain and saw someone needing a ride (thumb up, I presume) up and we took 'em.   I think it was a guy... no issues.

No way I'd do it now.  Although I was tempted on my drive from Cali to Austin when I moved there in '06.  Very attractive hippy-type girl looking for a ride at a gas station in AZ.  Looking back I probably shoulda let her ride with me.

 
yes.  a fair amount.  and i've been the hitchhiker as well.  

mostly in the islands and the mountains where the sense of community is stronger.  gave a dude a ride, just this last january, in mammoth.

oddest 2 were a crack ho in tempe AZ.  gave her a ride home to her trailer.  very strange ride.  she offered to show me a good time inside.  i declined.  

the other, i was the hitcher.  jumped into the back of these two dudes suv, with my wife and daughter :oldunsure:   they were helping people get unstuck in a huge snow storm in mammoth.  cool dudes.  the odd part?  the HUGE pitbull, in the back with us, that seemed to want to eat us the whole time.  i had a firm grip on his collar and was petting him the whole time.  he still wanted to eat us.  car REEKED of weed.

 
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When I was young I'd hitchhike or pick up hitchhikers because I hoped for someone willing to share their weed.

Later, maybe 15-20 years ago, as a paddler, I'd hitchhike or pick up other paddlers, as it was common to drop off your car at the take out and hitchhike back to the put in.

Added: I remember once in the 70s picking up some kid with a backpack, sleeping bag etc., obviously not just traveling locally. Once he got in the car it was also obvious he hadn't showered in a long time. No amount of weed could make up for that. Told him I needed to get off at the next exit but was happy to get him a little farther in his travels. 

 
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Once back in high school, I wasn’t driving though.  We had gone to the biker beach earlier that day (it wasn’t just a biker beach but it was basically a little manmade beach that bikers frequented that also had lots of wet t-shirt contests and didn’t really monitor for underage drinking)

anyway once we got back around home we still had some beers left in the cooler so we were finishing those off (yes I realize how irresponsible this is) and my buddy slams on the breaks.  I’m like WTF and he says “hitchhiker “.  We ended up picking up some older lady (I’m guessing 40s) that needed a ride.  let her sit up front and with the driver and I hopped in the back with my other buddy 

she kept going on about how she was a guardian Angel and running her fingers through the drivers hair.  I think we dropped her off at some bar or something…I know she said she’d help us get some cocaine if we needed it

 
In college I worked one summer in Yellowstone National Park. Needed to drive from Indiana to the Park at the completion of the semester so put up an ad, old school style on a bulletin board seeing if someone wanted to split gas.

Got a hit and it was from a ballet student who was going to Colorado Springs. She was smoking. All things were coming up daisies for The General.

We start driving. Conversation is great, this is awesome. Somewhere in Illinois I see a car broken down along side the interstate. I want to be a good guy and impress my ballet student co-pilot with my overall great nature and pull over to assist. Couldn't really make out what was going on and I know dickall about cars but figured I'd look under the hood, shake some cables, and drive the folks to the next exit.  It ended up being a woman and her daughter, got to help them out.

We get to the next exit at a gas station, I pull in and the lady won't get out of my car. She flat out refuses to leave. IIRC was saying I'd have to pretty much call the cops. She says her son is graduating from boot camp and that the only way she will make it in time is if I drive here there. It was hours out of my way, like many hours each way. The mom is becoming more irrational the more she talks and the daughter gives me a look like "good luck, bud". 

Ballet student and I pow-wow and I relent, we are driving to BFE now, somewhere in Missouri. I had one of those AAA "TripTik" things and the #### wasn't even on my pages it was so far out of the way. While I don't really remember the conversation, I do remember the lady was completely insane and talked the entire time. I don't even know if the story about the son is true. The daughter I don't recall speaking at all.

After dropping off crazy lady and child, me and ballet student end up driving pretty much all night, pull into Colorado Springs and she lets me sleep on her friends couch. Sadly this is the end of the story, got my nap in and left to get to my job. Ballet student and her friend said we needed to meet up again, a love connection was brewing, but alas we never spoke again...

But this was the one time I picked up a hitchhiker and I will never forget it.

 
When I was young I'd hitchhike or pick up hitchhikers because I hoped for someone willing to share their weed.

Later, maybe 15-20 years ago, as a paddler, I'd hitchhike or pick up other paddlers, as it was common to drop off your car at the take out and hitchhike back to the put in.

Added: I remember once in the 70s picking up some kid with a backpack, sleeping bag etc., obviously not just traveling locally. Once he got in the car it was also obvious he hadn't showered in a long time. No amount of weed could make up for that. Told him I needed to get off at the next exit but was happy to get him a little farther in his travels. 
Sounds like he needed a little patchouli oil

 
When I was young I'd hitchhike or pick up hitchhikers because I hoped for someone willing to share their weed.
Man I never needed weed that bad.  Though I will say it was my main motivation to get a job as a Dominos Pizza delivery driver in Santa Cruz.  Tips in weed or invites inside for bong rips were an everyday occurrence.  

 
Sounds to me like someone is trying to solve some cold cases. 

#lawyerup

 
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rural VT has a lot of people who walk/hitch a good distance ("a fer piece": we call it) between towns and i gave rides to most before the pandemic. they dont put a thumb out anymore but, if i recognize them as ferpiecers, i'll pull over and ask em if they got a mask.
Ever pick up a guy named Larry and his two brothers both named Darryl?

 
No but I was picked up as a sort of hitch hiker.  Fort Myers, summer of 2003- I had just turned 21. My friends and I were coming out of a bar at night and it was pouring. I mean end of the world level downpour (the world ends a lot in Florida in the summer). A little coupe pulls up and a woman who I thought was kind of old (but I now recognize was probably 30) pulls up and waives me in. I was skeptical but #### it was pouring, I would rather die than walk home in this. She was cool as hell. Gave me a ride, burned one with me. She probably wanted to hit too but 30 seemed ancient to me. I turn 40 in 4 weeks so this story really feels old now. 

 
Not on purpose. Three times in my life someone jumped into my car at a light. (Back before doors auto-locked). The first time was a guy in our hometown who was known to jump into cars and try to "get a ride to the gas station." Had no idea who this guy was and he jumps into the back of my 81 Malibu Classic. My buddy is in the passenger seat. We were 17. We were like... "Uh... WTF are you doing dude??" He gives me the song and dance about needing a ride to gas station.. Car is out of gas, etc... Being young and naïve I'm thinking "Ok.  This story is possible... I'll be a nice guy and give him a ride." After he convinces me somehow he needed to go to the gas station MUCH further away from the closest one on the wrong side of town I'm starting to second guess this idea. Then he noticed the bag of Doritos my buddy had up front he got all excited and said "YO! CAN I HAVE SOME DORITOS???" Um.. Ok weirdo.. A few minutes later he dropped the "You guys have any spare change?" I pulled over and told him to GTFO or we were kicking the crap out of him on the side of the road. He left without issue.

Six months later same dude opened my passenger door at a light and climbed in. I grabbed the tire iron I kept on the side my seat and politely told him to leave immediately. He complied. I think it was about a year later he jumped into the wrong lady's car and ended up getting a charge for intimidating her. Never saw him again.

A couple years later I was driving home with my 2 year old daughter asleep in the car seat in the back seat. It was about 11pm and a drunk lady jumped into my car at a red light. She slurred her words so hard I have no idea where she asked me to take her. I literally drove around the block and told her "Hey you are here!" dropping her off at the exact location she got into my car.

Thank God cars that I bought going forward started auto-locking when you went into drive shortly after that. I was apparently way too stupid to hit the lock button when getting into the car.

 
2 Stories

I totaled my car (my 1st brand new car, Datsun 810 with only about 3k miles on it) a couple months before the blizzard of 78. I still hadn't received anything from the insurance company (which is why I'll never get Liberty Mutual again). I lived in Lowell MA and worked in Chelmsford MA which probably less that 5 driving miles door-to-door. While waiting for insurance $$ to replace my car, I was using a combo of thumb and feet to get to and from work.
I was walking home from work om I 495 North that 1st night of blizzard of 78. Traffic was a #### show, southbound was a standstill but northbound was moving. I had just passed an abandoned vehicle in the breakdown lane when some good Samaritan stopped to give me a ride. Guy actually drove me right to my door. Pretty nice of him.

2nd hand story but I still remember hearing it. I can't remember the exact year but this was Summer in the early-70s. One kid, not a real friend but I knew him through extended social connections, had a father who owned a used car business. One day the kid takes a school bus off the lot so he can drive a bunch of friends to Hampton Beach NH. Along the way he picked up every hitchhiker he saw plus a couple people he just pulled up to and offered a ride to the beach. A pretty fun smoke filled ride that was only interrupted by a couple brothers he picked up who wouldn't stop fighting each other and had to be broken up by others on the bus.

 
Yes.  Picked up some on Big Island Hawaii with my wife in the front seat. 

Hitched up to and back down from one of the tallest mountains in Taiwan. Did that with a colleague from work during a work trip.  Family of 3 with a teenage daughter in the back seat picked us up (two white guys in their 30s). We crammed into their back seat and the daughter took a selfie with us on the 30 min drive up the mountain.

My Taiwanese colleagues thought we were insane when we told them what happened over the weekend. 

 
In the right place, it’s fun.
 

In Jackson hole, parking is free if you 3+ in the car.  My wife, daughter and I were walking to the shuttle stop, to go to the mountain.  And a couple pulled over and asked us to jump so they’d get free parking. We happily piled in the back seat. 

 
I lived in a ski mountain town in the 80s and many people would ditch their cars for the winter and take the bus but many-many-many times we'd hitch.

Picked up hitchhikers and have hitchhiked many times and hardly 'ever' got brutally murdered. :pokey:

 
7

That's the number. 7 chipmunks twirlin' on a branch, eatin' lots of sunflowers on my uncle's ranch. You know that old children's tale from the sea. It's like you're dreamin' about Gorgonzola cheese when it's clearly Brie time, baby. Step into my office.

 
But I used to pick them up all the time on the road to our local beach. Had to drive up over a "mountain" (CA coastal range) with nothing but parkland in-between...it was a pretty common way of getting out and back "over the hill". 

 
I drove a one-legged man with a six pack of Bud Lite from a Walmart parking lot to his house a mile away.  Does that count?

I had to limit breathing to keep from gagging, he smelled so bad. Worst 5 minutes of my life. 

 
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I knew a guy who had two DUI’s and lost his license.  He lived 10 miles from the nearest bar.  He purchased a gas can and would hitch hike to the bar every day,  people thought he was out of gas, he would put the can in the back of the bar and then went inside.  He told me he never waited more then five minutes for a ride, the gas station was across the street from the bar.  He never did put gas in the can.

 
7

That's the number. 7 chipmunks twirlin' on a branch, eatin' lots of sunflowers on my uncle's ranch. You know that old children's tale from the sea. It's like you're dreamin' about Gorgonzola cheese when it's clearly Brie time, baby. Step into my office.
Why?

 
I knew a guy who had two DUI’s and lost his license.  He lived 10 miles from the nearest bar.  He purchased a gas can and would hitch hike to the bar every day,  people thought he was out of gas, he would put the can in the back of the bar and then went inside.  He told me he never waited more then five minutes for a ride, the gas station was across the street from the bar.  He never did put gas in the can.
had a buddy in Reno who was a pitboss in one of them tiny Nevada towns that only existed because of the casino for a few years, who claims to have gotten DUIs in/on a car, bike, golf cart & horse during his time there. he did the gas can thing (and wearing a suit as his duties required) to get to work until he gave up and moved to a flophouse next to a downtown Reno tower casino so he could "crawl home" from work if he had to.

 
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My only experience hitchhiking was at 16 years old.

My 1978 Jeep Wagoneer broke down about right here. Which is a decent definition for the middle of nowhere. I had no other option except hitchhike back to Sheridan. Although back then I was probably in good enough shape to walk the ~25 miles to the closest town.  No cell phones or anything like that.

Thankfully I was picked up by a couple of older ladies and they drove me back home.

 
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Many years ago (1980's), I used to hitchhike home from school.  Private School / limited bus route / both parents worked.

It was about 8 miles from where I could take public trans to get home....  me & 2 schoolmates hitchhiked home about 3x/week.

We found it better to separate since 1 "well dressed teenager" was more likely to get a ride then 3 (it's a gang of JW recruiters!)

Over the course of 4 months, I probably got picked up by the same 3 people a total of 25 times.  It was interesting they would see me/us & stop. 

Always positive experience. 

In the last 5 years, I have picked up 2.  Always when alone, wife would flip if I did it.

Short runs, no drama.  Appreciative of the ride even if I did not get them to their final destination. 

 
About 20 years ago I lived in Breckenridge and worked in vail.  I would occasionally pick someone up and drop where I was headed.  All pretty tame... one guy started preaching the word  on the drive.  :rolleyes:

 
7

That's the number. 7 chipmunks twirlin' on a branch, eatin' lots of sunflowers on my uncle's ranch. You know that old children's tale from the sea. It's like you're dreamin' about Gorgonzola cheese when it's clearly Brie time, baby. Step into my office.
7 minutes abs.  

 
DA RAIDERS said:
In the right place, it’s fun.
 

In Jackson hole, parking is free if you 3+ in the car.  My wife, daughter and I were walking to the shuttle stop, to go to the mountain.  And a couple pulled over and asked us to jump so they’d get free parking. We happily piled in the back seat. 
That's a commuting option in the DC area. We call it slugging. There are certain locations that people wait for cars to come pick them up so they can use HOV. 

 
When I was young I'd hitchhike or pick up hitchhikers because I hoped for someone willing to share their weed.

Later, maybe 15-20 years ago, as a paddler, I'd hitchhike or pick up other paddlers, as it was common to drop off your car at the take out and hitchhike back to the put in.

Added: I remember once in the 70s picking up some kid with a backpack, sleeping bag etc., obviously not just traveling locally. Once he got in the car it was also obvious he hadn't showered in a long time. No amount of weed could make up for that. Told him I needed to get off at the next exit but was happy to get him a little farther in his travels. 
These are the pros and cons of hitchhiking. /waters

 
had a buddy in Reno who was a pitboss in one of them tiny Nevada towns that only existed because of the casino for a few years, who claims to have gotten DUIs in/on a car, bike, golf cart & horse during his time there. he did the same thing (and wearing a suit as his duties required) to get to work until he gave up and moved to a flophouse next to a downtown Reno tower casino so he could "crawl home" from work if he had to.
I knew a guy who worked/drank in a bar who did the same but his apartment was upstairs of the bar itself (separate entrance in the back). His big daily achievement was crawling up the stairs at closing time and then crawling back down to work in the afternoon. Did at least keep him off the roads. 

 
A few times.  I think I've only picked up a thumber off the side of the road once, but I have had random people ask for rides several times and I've complied.  Twice in the past year:

  1. Last fall this lady at a Wal Mart approaches me in the parking lot asking for a ride a few miles across town.  She was petite and middle-aged.  You could tell she was a little rough but not completely homeless and she didn't seem high and didn't stink.  I was heading that general direction so I complied.  She had some story about a son and ex-husband that I didn't really believe.  Found out in conversation she was an off the grid Roma.  Took her to her spot and dropped her off with no issues.  If she had asked for money I would have said no.
  2. About a month ago at a stop sign an elderly man (maybe 75-80) asked if I could give him a ride to the pharmacy about a mile away.  I said sure and he hopped in.  Dude talked my ear off and sat in my car after we arrived for about 3-5 minutes to finish his story.  Guy was probably just lonely and wanted someone to chat with plus he did seem a bit old to be walking that far.
 
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Couple weeks ago most recently. 
 

honestly not sure why people are so averse to this. The guy I picked up a few weeks ago, his car had died, he had to walk almost 10 miles to his house. Nice enough guy. Said so many people had passed him that he’d just about given up trying. 
 

funniest one that I can remember. College years, raining out, saw a 20 something female, cute enough, thumb out. Pulled my Acura Integra over, and as I’m stopping realize she’s got a decent sized dog w her. At this point had half a mind to speed off but couldn’t do it. She’s soaked to the bone, very thankful. Dog gets in, immediately shakes off, car is a mix of BO and wet dog. Dropped her some miles off, and it took days to get the car back to a neutral scent. I don’t regret it though, always happy to help. 
 

I guess my only barrier would be if I had kids w me, wouldn’t pick someone up with them. Otherwise, I figure why not help 

 
On the flip side, most recent hitchhiking...

Me and a buddy (and his dog) hiking up in the Whites.  Did an overnight, very aggressive hike.  Were intending to hit four 4k peaks, final one being Wildcat, and finish in Wildcat lot.  We bit off more than we could chew, that was a tough hike.  End to end, leave a car at each side.  As we came down to an AMC hut we still had a massive incline to get onto Wildcat and I said no mas.  There was a bailout from there, so we hiked out to the main road.  I knew no one was picking up the two of us plus a dog, so I dropped my pack w my buddy and started thumbing.  I'm sure I looked sweaty and smelled terrible, but within 10-15 a kind soul stopped, got me the 4-5 miles down the road to the car.  

In sum....pay it forward, you never know when you'll be on the receiving end

 
if this thread keeps going, i'll end up having to tell my story of hitching from Susanville CA to Holland, MI without sleep (and 29¢ in my pocket). it's consensus Top 5.

 
Many years ago (Christ, had to be almost 30 years now), but then girlfriend/current wife and I were somewhere in Atlanta. A woman comes flying out of a building, screaming for help. We let her jump in the car as she’s yelling “GOGOGO!!” Just as a start to pull back onto the street, a cop car comes screeching in directly in front of us. Girl jumps out and tries to run, but is immediately caught. Wife and I are briefly questioned, then sent on our way.

First and last time…

 
Many years ago (Christ, had to be almost 30 years now), but then girlfriend/current wife and I were somewhere in Atlanta. A woman comes flying out of a building, screaming for help. We let her jump in the car as she’s yelling “GOGOGO!!” Just as a start to pull back onto the street, a cop car comes screeching in directly in front of us. Girl jumps out and tries to run, but is immediately caught. Wife and I are briefly questioned, then sent on our way.

First and last time…
Would love to know what your immediate reaction was when you first saw the cop car pull up.  

 
Back in the day my dad always picked up this guy who didn't have a car and would walk everywhere. He was mentally challenged but a good dude, Teddy, always happy and smiling. Had about three teeth. I hated it because he was a big fella and dad drove a truck with a bench seat. Teddy didn't exercise regular personal hygiene so I'd end my day smelling like Teddy. Ah good times...

Side note and sign of the times, when I was in 8th-9th grade, late 70's, I'd hitchhike to my friends house 3 miles away all the time. Wouldn't think of doing it now.

 

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