Hitchhiking - when did you last?

[robjh]

I did my good deed for the week this morning on my weekly commute* to Coventry when I picked up a young Polish hitchhiker. It was in the chaotic maze of the rebuilding works at the A14-M6 junction, where I saw a young chap with a huge rucksack and a guitar case and a sign saying ‘COVENTRY’, and I dropped him at the city bus station to finish the last couple of miles to his friends’ house. His English was limited and we soon ran out of conversation, but he was friendly and said where he was from, and that he was hoping to find a job here.

For a few years around my student period I used to hitch quite a lot, around the UK and Germany, but you almost never see hitchhikers these days.

When did you last hitch, or pick up a hitcher?

*not a bike commute in case there is any confusion

 

[AndyRM]

Comin' over here, taking our friendly drivers...

Couple weeks ago we did quite a bit of hitching around Skye. Very common on the islands.

 

[Saluki]

About 18 months ago when I need a ride to Horsford and I had lost my wallet so had no bus fare.

 

[Dayvo]

Hitched loads in the 80s and 90s: Europe, Israel, Australia, Canada and USA.

Can't remember the last time: must have been about 10-15 years ago.

Loved it then, but wouldn't do it now, unless essential, although I'd happily pick up a (genuine-looking) hitch-hiker.

 

[hoopdriver]

I hitched a fair bit in the late 70s, all around America. It was fun then. No way I'd do it now.

Last time I hitched was back in 1996 when I was hanging around the surfing area of Margaret River in Western Australia. Everybody hitched there. It was great. Again, all this was years ago...

 

[Brightski]

Never have ..

 

[summerdays]

I haven't hitched a ride in years, bit had with a family. Similarly I do see hitchers and wonder if they are intending to sit on someone's lap as the car is usually full on longer trips, when I do notice them.

 

[spen666]

I had to stop picking up hitch hikers as its become too risky trying to dispose of the bodies

 

[Creamcrackered]

Hitched a lot when I was a student in the 80s - a great way to travel and a lot of fun.
The last time I did was in Argentina about 10 years ago. Me and the Mrs were touring when we hit a 30 mph headwind in the desert and were going nowhere. As our water started to run out hitching became the only option. Standing there with our thumbs out with two bikes and all our gear I'm thinking "This is never going to work" - we were picked up within 20 minutes and taken the 200km to the next town.

 

[dan_bo]

I give and receive.

 

[Ajay]

My best hitch was from Porto to Paris, all long time ago! Got to somewhere near Bordeaux with a German trucker, then onto the Paris area with an Iranian student in a souped up Renault 5. I reckon I used up 8 of my 9 lives on that journey!
Last pick up I did was about five years ago, a guy just out of prison, trying to get home to see his kid.

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

Last year - in Glencoe, though it was more of a request at the youth hostel pinned to the board than an thumbs out at the side of the road...

 

[Doseone]

Used to do it loads in many different countries. Got in to a few scrapes but also met some great people who are still friends now.

 

[jefmcg]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Backpacker_murders

 

[jefmcg]

I've only given a lift to a stranger once in my life, and taken one once.

The time I feel "asleep" on the train home, woke up to find I was several stops passed my stop and the doors were shutting, so I leapt off as they shut. Realised seconds later the train was heading back towards my station (having been to the end of the line) and was the last of the night. I hitched that night.

Another time - not really a hitchhiker - a young woman came out of the bushes from the Thames bike path, and told me her boyfriend was following her, and she needed a lift to a train. It was late and lonely, and I was worried if she had a weapon, and that this was a ruse. But of course I couldn't leave her there, if she was in trouble. Luckily there was another person I knew there, so she followed me. Nothing untoward happened, of course.