Why does nobody hitch any more?

[Ethan]

I've only hitched once. Funnily enough it was a massive spar (as in the shop) articulated lorry that stopped for me, that certainly put a smile on my face! What an awesome thing to be sitting in. (Though I was a little concerned that my friend had to sit on the bed in the back, no offense to any lorry drivers on here )

Hitching seems to be far less common than it was when even I was younger (keep in mind im only a baby.)
I dont know many people who'd even be willing to try and hitch a lift, never mind stop for someone!

 

[swee'pea99]

I suspect the main reason there's so little hitching compared to when I was hitching is that when I was hitching almost none of my peers had a car. So that was how you got around. I think these days, your 'hitching age' generation has enough cars that most either drive there or get a lift with a mate.

 

[slowmotion]

I suspect that one of the reasons is that both drivers and prospective hitchers have been convinced by a hysterical media that the world is entirely populated by axe murders and rapists. Do you remember when mobile phones first became available? Suddenly every single lady driver had to have one. Why?....because is they broke down at night they would almost certainly be attacked by one of the many psychopaths lurking in every layby, behind every bush, and in every car that came to offer help. I suspect that the urban myths originated in the marketing department of Vodaphone. They did a very good job, didn't they?

 

[Globalti]

Cheap bus tickets and train deals and more cars have finished off hitching.

My brother once hitched back from Scotland on a hot summer day. Somewhere early in the day a fisherman gave him a shark steak. By the time he got home it was really minging; he never got the smell of it out of his rucsac and he had to throw away the towel he had wrapped around it.

 

[Black Sheep]

I've often been tempted when walking a long distance but, as already said, the 'belief' that the car that stops could be someone who's a bit unbalanced has put me off.

I did try and stop for a trade plate hitcher once, but couldn't due to the high volume of traffic stopping me from getting across for him.

 

[Globalti]

I never stop for the trade plate guys; met one once and he was monosyllabic, then somebody told me they are fiddling their expenses anyway because they get paid for the return journey. Allegedly.