Picking up hitch hikers?

[Glennsallnighter]

I must admit, I have done both. Myself and a friend hitched quite extensively around Germany, Austria and Switzerland in 1990.
Also when I worked in Clifden in Co Galway it was so remote that public transport was very poor and many people hitched as a way of life.
I have however been very lucky and have met the most interesting people both as a driver and a hitcher.

HOWEVER...... nowadays there appears to be so much more danger in doing this (I'm sure it was there then too, I was just oblivious..... and VERY fortunate) and I don't think I would pick up somebody unless I knew them. And I would shudder to even think of Laura doing it as a young adult.

[MikeA]

It was different when I was growing up...much different than it is now days. The college I went to in the mid 60's was around 75 miles from where my folks lived. If I didn't hitch, I'd have only been able to come home maybe once a month.

I'd have dirty clothes in a duffel (too lazy to wash at the dorm laundry) and sometimes, even had my guitar along. Met a lot of interesting people hitching rides and never felt uncomfortable about it.

Of course, times have changed. I wouldn't think of it now days. I ran out of gas while riding my motorcycle a few years ago. There was no gas station anywhere near so I started walking. I was on a 4-lane road, but neither did I stick out my thumb nor did anyone stop and offer me a ride. Long walk on a hot day, but did get the gas (paid some dude at a wrecking yard $15 for a gallon of gas and a ride back to my bike.

I've got lots of "gas" stories concerning that old Yamaha Virago 750 motorcycle. It only had a 3 gallon tank and did NOT get typical motorcycle fuel economy!