Hitch Hikers?

RandallFlagg

Can't remember the last time I saw someone thumbing a lift with a cardboard place name held up.

Are hitch hikers a thing of the past in this age of paranoid, terrorism fearing, fake news, social media consumer madness?

octatonic

Go to Scotland.

VimFuego

still see the odd one down here (SW) beach bum/dreadlocked alternative  types. I generally give them a lift, well those body parts won't find themselves, will they?

Sporky

I see a fair few with trade plates, but both my insurance and the company's policies preclude picking them up.

ThePrettyDamned

I saw loads across Europe, but I've never, in my life, seen one in Cambridgeshire. Nor did I see any driving around Norfolk but I only did that for a couple of years. 

robgilmo

I used to hitch hike when I was young, but I'm old as fuck now and no one hitch hikes nowadays,  probably because us old cunts are a different breed from you young fandazzled too sensible to have fun types.

Bridgehouse

"What's in my bag???????"

RandallFlagg

Bridgehouse said:

"What's in my bag???????"

Dunno, it better not be a fucking Helix or you can walk!

Budgie

I used to love hitching when I was younger. I was inspired by Kerouac and was quite daring and managed to get all over Europe with some really interesting and occasionally scary characters. I regularly stopped for hitchers myself and often went out out of my way to drop them somewhere useful. Like the OP, I don't recall seeing any for quite a while. I blame the evil Tories

littlegreenman

Hitch-hiked all the time when I was younger in the 80-90's, around the UK and in Europe. Had a great time mostly, and one or two "interesting" encounters. Worst and scariest was a guy picked me up on the M1 who was absolutely pissed as a lizard and set off doing 100+ in the rain! I feigned an imminent diarrhea attack to get out the next services. Best was getting a lift off a trucker from Barcelona container base (scary place) back to the UK in one go!

Not sure if it's any more or less risky now? Hitching has been around as long as horse and carts so it's probably still just as easy/ hard as it's been for centuries.

notanon

Used to hitch hike alot and still stop for p hitch hikers if I see them though rare now. I used to do it because in worst case public transport would take 14 hours and I hitch hiked it in less than 7 (personal best). Was good to talk about stuff ranging from computing, philosophy, . . . to the price of oranges. Good fun :-). All sorts of stories too. at one point when I was younger I used to hitch hike rather than catch a bus for a 4 mile journey (time was important) because I couldn't stand waiting for a bus.

Bridgehouse

RandallFlagg said:

Bridgehouse said:

"What's in my bag???????"

Dunno, it better not be a fucking Helix or you can walk!

I'm ok then. It's an Ampeg 8x10

not_the_dj

Bridgehouse said:

"What's in my bag???????"

Lol ;-)

mike_l

ThePrettyDamned said:

I saw loads across Europe, but I've never, in my life, seen one in Cambridgeshire. Nor did I see any driving around Norfolk but I only did that for a couple of years. 

There used to be quite a few "regulars" on/around the A14. Most were vehicle delivery drivers, who were given a car/van to get to a dealership, then make their own way back to base. Haven't heard of, or seen this for a few years now though.

pintspiller

Bridgehouse said:

"What's in my bag???????"

Open your mouth and find out?