Have you ever hitch hiked?

[asdjrocky]

Another post in GD ask if we remembered our first vote and mine was in 1980, even though I could have voted in 78. I spent nearly three years on the road from 1978 until sometime in 80 with only my thumb. I went from New York to Florida, to Chicago to Houston to LA, Phoenix and San Diego, eventually I ended up back home. In many ways, it was the most alive and best time of my life and thinking about it tonight got me wondering...

Could I do it again? I'll be 50 in April and I wonder and I find myself more and more thinking about hitting the road just one more time.

Have you done it? Have times changed too much to even think about attempting it again?

[Art_from_Ark]

1. I've hitchhiked for short distances

mostly in the same time frame you did. My longest hitch was from somewhere in New Hampshire to somewhere in Rhode Island.

[asdjrocky]

2. I just wonder who picks people up these days.

I'm in CA, and I don't see to many hitch hikers.

[david13]

6. I have not seen a hitch-hiker in ages. dc

[Art_from_Ark]

9. It's been a long time since I've seen, or picked up a hitchhiker

It's been even longer since I've hitched. A close call back in '80 or so convinced me to take the bus for cross country excursions. And in those days, Trailways and Greyhound had really cheap bus passes that I used to travel around the country. Sleep in the bus, shower in truck stops. Visit friends on the Atlantic, Pacific, and Gulf coasts. All for, what, $100 for 5 days? $200 for 2 weeks? Something like that.

[Drunken Irishman]

11. I've picked up two people over the last few years.

The first I was downtown with a buddy at a stoplight. A man came to my window and asked for a ride. I didn't know what to say, so I gave him one to this apartment complex in a very seedy neighborhood. Not very wise.

The next time was about a year ago, New Years Eve to be exact. I had stopped off to get some fast food after dinner and as I was pulling out, two women came up to me and asked for a ride. One had been crying, so I felt I couldn't say no.

They got into the car and off we went down to some random convenient store. During the ride she kept talking about some dude and how he was after her. Once I dropped 'em off, I was on my way.

Only times.

[Heidi]

18. !!!!

:hug:

:hi:

[qnr]

3. All over the country. However, this was in the 60's and 70's n/t

[david13]

4. A few times. In the 60's. I usually had cars, or friends with cars,

but they broke down a few times. A few times I/we gave others a ride. I gave that up by the early 70's, having picked up a stoned out maniac or two, and realized it wasn't a good idea.
dc

[arcadian]

5. Yeah, I have

Thinking about doing it again. Down South.

[JonLP24]

7. I did once

I was stranded near Payson in the summer of 2001 with a friend (long story), we walked most of the way and received really bad sun burns. Anyways we managed to travel 2/3rds the way there. We walked most of the way but we got a ride to the end of a construction zone by a road worker before someone picked us up hitchhiking. He drove us into Mesa City limits and we walked the rest of the way home. Nothing happened and he seemed to be a nice guy.

[trackfan]

8. Just short rides

in Northern New England.

[Blue-Jay]

10. Not really. I was prepared to walk, but a nice family picked me up.

I slept through my train stop, and decided to walk back to my car. I wasn't trying to hitch a ride, but a good samaritan stopped and gave me a ride back to my car. I offered him some cash, but he wouldn't take it. (I did a some money to each of his three kids, and told them to buy something for their Dad.)

[laylah]

12. Back and forth from

Colorado, to Illinois, Missouri, Seattle, Portland, Phoenix, New Orleans, Nashville. This between 1975 - January 1980. Wouldn't dream of doing it today, things are WAY different.

[Callalily]

13. Yes, when I was in high school

I lived to close to school for bus service, but yet quite far for walking, especially during the winter. Many times people would pick me up and tell me how unsafe it was to hitchhike.

[bif]

14. Spent 6 months doing it in Europe

That was back in the 1970s. I don't think I'd have the patience to do it now though.

[bikebloke]

15. Mostly around Europe.

Also, in Israel and through the West Bank. And one time each in New Zealand and Australia.

[Winterblues]

16. Back in the sixties I did but the roads were filled with hitch hikers then

I've hitched from coast to coast and all the way to Mexico City. It used to be common place..

[Brickbat]

17. All the time in Russia, but that's more a gypsy-cab situation.

Got some good stories out of it.

You see hitchhikers up here fairly often.

[graywarrior]

19. I did nothing but hitch back in the 70's

All over MA & NH. I stopped when the sister of a friend of mine was murdered and left in a closet in Cambridge, MA.

[rug]

20. Longest was South Dakota to Michigan.