PeteMorris Posted October 4, 2012 Share Posted October 4, 2012 I remember when I was a youth, I was always hitchhiking here there and eveywhere. I once hitched from St Ives in Cornwall back home to the midlands, and thought nothing of it! On other occasions when I got transport, I would often stop at bus stops and give complete strangers a lift into town or whatever to save them the bus fare. Nobody seemed to bother or even think twice about it! On one occasion I was driving a works van and stopped entering a motorway sliproad and picked up about 8 people, who were all hitching (separately), and dropped them where they were going en route, and again thought nothing of it! Nowadays, I very rarely see anyone hitching, and have to admit, even if I did I would be a bit dubious. Have we all got paranoid? Is there too much information, which makes us all think twice? Are bad 'happenings' too readily reported? Or do we simply live in a dangerous world where nobody trusts anyone? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Obelix Posted October 4, 2012 Share Posted October 4, 2012 I think it's more that people are much more likley to be able to afford their own vehicles these days, compared to say thirty years back. About the oly hitcher's I ever see are those with trade plates wanting to get to their next pickup or drop off. I've not seen a "real" hitchhiker for probably five years, and the last pair I did pick up were French. Now that's where there are a lot of hitchers - France, and Spain. You only see them if you stay off the autoroute though but they are fairly common still. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regatta Posted October 4, 2012 Share Posted October 4, 2012 I remember when I was a youth, I was always hitchhiking here there and eveywhere. I once hitched from St Ives in Cornwall back home to the midlands, and thought nothing of it! On other occasions when I got transport, I would often stop at bus stops and give complete strangers a lift into town or whatever to save them the bus fare. Nobody seemed to bother or even think twice about it! On one occasion I was driving a works van and stopped entering a motorway sliproad and picked up about 8 people, who were all hitching (separately), and dropped them where they were going en route, and again thought nothing of it! Nowadays, I very rarely see anyone hitching, and have to admit, even if I did I would be a bit dubious. Have we all got paranoid? Is there too much information, which makes us all think twice? Are bad 'happenings' too readily reported? Or do we simply live in a dangerous world where nobody trusts anyone? We used to hitch to skeggy in the early seventies, we was a gang of lads, but we used to split up into pairs tho, but these days I don't think anyone would stop, even for blokes with hgv trade plates, IT'S A JUNGLE OUT THERE! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaFoot Posted October 4, 2012 Share Posted October 4, 2012 I still pick people up. Maybe I'm gullible/vulnerable, maybe I'm just a nice chap. Either way it can be a way to make the journey more interesting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Bloke Posted October 4, 2012 Share Posted October 4, 2012 I still pick people up. Maybe I'm gullible/vulnerable, maybe I'm just a nice chap. Either way it can be a way to make the journey more interesting. I would still be happy to give anyone a lift - sadly though there is only just enough room for Mrs Bloke in the rear basket of my company mobility scooter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeteMorris Posted October 4, 2012 Author Share Posted October 4, 2012 I don't ever actually see anyone hitching these days but having said that I don't drive as much as I did in my youth! At least not, long distance! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regatta Posted October 4, 2012 Share Posted October 4, 2012 I don't ever actually see anyone hitching these days but having said that I don't drive as much as I did in my youth! At least not, long distance! With car jackers, and the fred west of this world it's safer to just keep driving along, don't take chances you might regret, it's tough on the genuine stranded but like Esther Rantzen says, thats life! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeteMorris Posted October 4, 2012 Author Share Posted October 4, 2012 With car jackers, and the fred west of this world it's safer to just keep driving along, don't take chances you might regret, it's tough on the genuine stranded but like Esther Rantzen says, thats life! Yeah, someone put a thread up the other week about stopping for someone who had apparently broken down, and ended up getting ripped off by buying some sort of worthless jewellery. It does make you think twice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olive Posted October 4, 2012 Share Posted October 4, 2012 Saw a hitchiker last week, can't remember the last time. I remarked to my Other Half what a rarity to they have become. Reason we didn't pick them up was because we'd got past them before it dawned on us that they were hitching - just not expecting it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeteMorris Posted October 4, 2012 Author Share Posted October 4, 2012 Saw a hitchiker last week, can't remember the last time. I remarked to my Other Half what a rarity to they have become. Reason we didn't pick them up was because we'd got past them before it dawned on us that they were hitching - just not expecting it. So you would have picked them up? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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