Hitchhiking- who still does it? Or picks them up?

Discussion in 'General Discussion' started by Merlin Cat, Aug 28, 2018.

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  1. Merlin Cat

    Merlin Cat Moderator

    Today I picked up a fella hitching in Dad’s village and gave him a lift into town. We were discussing that you hardly ever see folk hitching any more.

    I’ve picked people up in France and Spain but rarely see anyone in the UK now.

    When I was younger we hitched all the time. As a teenager I hitched to my weekend jobs in villages. When I lived in a village I hitched in and out.

    As a worker who frequently missed the work bus I hitched to work.

    I’ve not done it for ages tho and may be a bit more nervous about doing it nowadays.

    Does anyone else still hitch, or pick up hitch hikers?

    I’ve met some interesting folk doing it over the years. :)
     
    Merlin Cat, Aug 28, 2018
    #1
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  2. bernjb56

    bernjb56 Supporter

    I've never done it - never picked anybody up either.
     
    bernjb56, Aug 28, 2018
    #2
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  3. Merlin Cat

    Merlin Cat Moderator

    Is that due to always having a car?

    A friend of mine said her son was hitching in Chipping Norton fairly recently and a personalised plate roller pulled up, driver shouted ‘get a job’ and drove off! I’ve forgotten who it was but it was a well known fella. (Nobber)

    My friends son is a tree surgeon but didn’t have time to say I have a job as he was so surprised! :)
     
    Merlin Cat, Aug 28, 2018
    #3
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  4. crossy2112

    crossy2112 Supporter

    Once stopped for someone at j36 m1 on my way to loughborough uni. Turns out he was going there as well :eek:

    Better than the time I stopped and it turned out to be a tramp that just wanted a warm o_O
     
    crossy2112, Aug 28, 2018
    #4
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  5. Terrordales

    Terrordales Nightshift

    I did when I first travelled around Europe in the early 70's, haven't hitched since.
    Don't think I've picked up a hitchhiker since the late 80's. Too many weirdos around these days.
     
    Terrordales, Aug 28, 2018
    #5
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  6. bernjb56

    bernjb56 Supporter

    To be fair, they mostly turned down the offer back in the day....

    [​IMG]
     
    bernjb56, Aug 28, 2018
    #6
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  7. Merlin Cat

    Merlin Cat Moderator

    :)
     
    Merlin Cat, Aug 28, 2018
    #7
  8. Barneyrubble

    Barneyrubble

    Makes ya arms and legs ache dunit .
     
    Barneyrubble, Aug 28, 2018
    #8
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  9. Pickles

    Pickles

    hitched occasionally back in the late 80s and early 90s. when going to or coming from rock climbing in one of the national parks, carrying a rope over your rucksack was an easy way of being identified as another climber and generally picked up by other climbers, did the same for other climbers myself. The funniest must have been coming off the Pyrenees, three blokes carrying big rucksacks, a Renault 5 stopped driven by a young french lady with her fella, we crammed into the back seats with two rucksacks and her fella had the other rucksack on his lap, got a lift to the closet town about 10 miles away.

    would probably still pick up climbers and walkers but otherwise would speed past.
     
    Pickles, Aug 28, 2018
    #9
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  10. CollyP

    CollyP Moderator

    Saw a group of young’uns Doing one of the charity run things, was in Brighton. Thought I could get them to sw London and they would liven up the journey. Pulled a couple of u-turns to go back and found they wanted se London / Kent. Who wants to go there?????
     
    CollyP, Aug 28, 2018
    #10
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  11. Barneyrubble

    Barneyrubble

    No one we don’t want any more tourist types drifting in from London out of skirts
     
    Barneyrubble, Aug 28, 2018
    #11
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  12. Louey

    Louey Moderator

    I've picked hikers up in the past, but I haven't seen any for a couple of years.

    Sent from my BND-L21 using Tapatalk
     
    Louey, Aug 28, 2018
    #12
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  13. Purple

    Purple

    Used to back in the 80's - but ran out of space to 'drop them off' in Epping Forest.......
     
    Purple, Aug 28, 2018
    #13
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  14. Merlin Cat

    Merlin Cat Moderator

    :eek:
     
    Merlin Cat, Aug 28, 2018
    #14
  15. Merlin Cat

    Merlin Cat Moderator

    I had a few lifts where I decided to get out earlier than I had originally wanted to!
    Also refused a few, on the grounds that getting into the back of a pick up with a group of unknown chaps may not be entirely sensible :)

    Tho I’ve also stopped for a few hitchers without thinking then wondered if it was a bad move after all. However, they were all perfectly nice if a little scary and/or off their heads! :)
     
    Merlin Cat, Aug 28, 2018
    #15
  16. Louey

    Louey Moderator

    The last hikers I picked up were on their way to get their giro and whatever substances they were into. they were so grateful as there was only two buses a day from where they lived. I did wonder at one point if I had done right thing or not, but thought they weren't going to be any bother - too bloomin stoned to worry about me

    Sent from my BND-L21 using Tapatalk
     
    Louey, Aug 28, 2018
    #16
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  17. cunny44

    cunny44

    The last time I , or my wife, hitch-hiked was back when we were students in the mid/late 60s. I did used to pick up hitch-hikers but can't say I have seen a hitch-hiker in the last 10 years let alone picked one up
     
    cunny44, Aug 28, 2018
    #17
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  18. lost-en-france

    lost-en-france

    tout le tom...:D

    Last week a poor girl had broke down on her moped ,put it in the trailer and took her to work...(not strickly hithicking)

    Picked a guy up from bordeaux and took him 200 km ,my french improved a lot...;)
     
    lost-en-france, Aug 29, 2018
    #18
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  19. Faust

    Faust Supporter

    I try and pick them up ....but when they come to the door ...they usually say , ohhh it's alright thank you very much and shut the door .
     
    Faust, Aug 29, 2018
    #19
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  20. Low n slow

    Low n slow

    I saw some weirdo with dreadlocks on the road to Banbury once with their thumb out wanting a lift so I just drove straight past her ;)
     
    Low n slow, Aug 29, 2018
    #20
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