Hitch hiking

I have only ever hitch-hiked once. I was 16, at college, and had been potholing with a group of friends. Three of us, two girls and a boy, went off to catch the bus home and to be honest, we were so wet and muddy, in spite of having worn overalls, that I am not, on reflection surprised when the bus driver refused to let us on the bus. So we set out to walk - sixteen miles. It was late afternoon. We walked about five and decided to hitch. A car, driven by a man in a morning suit, stopped and asked us if we would like a lift! He put a rug on the back seat, chucked our mucky rucksacks in the boot and took us almost all the way home. I've never been so grateful to anyone. When I told my parents about it, my father was furious and made me promise never to do anything so stupid again! (It didn't seem to worry him that potholing wasn't just as stupid and potentially dangerous!).

Never brave enough to try hitch-hiking but in retrospect had very near miss at Birmingham station.
Only 2 of us did Geography A Level at school so went on a field trip to Llanwrst (sp?) in North Wales, which involved a tortuous rail journey.
We were having a coffee and a man approached us and asked us where were we going, when we said Bristol he said he'd give us a lift as his car was outside and that's where he was going. This was 1971 or '72.
We said no (as my dad was picking us up) and he became very persistent but scarpered when a BR policeman wandered by.
I thank my lucky stars I said no - would this have been around time of Fred West??

You don't see much hitch hiking in the UK now but in the 60s it was very common.
We hitch hiked round Europe in the mid 60s getting as far as Greece.

Then once after marriage when our kids were young in the 80s hitched with them in Spain.
Our train had broken down, hundreds of people trying to get buses so we thought what the hell lets see if we can get a lift. Within 5 minutes a women stopped and took us all the way to Barcelona, got there quicker than being on the train.
I've never had any problem considering all the solo hitch hiking I did only met really nice helpful people.
We regularly picked people up in the UK in those days but I can't remember seeing anyone resonantly.

I was in Slovenia last year on a touring and singing choir holiday through beautiful rural and sometimes mountainous locations. Our leader, a very organised man who knew Slovenia very well, took it for granted that he or we might hitch hike to meet up.

I was surprised, thinking it was only the desperate or hippies who hitch hiked these days. He and a local guide said on the contrary, it had been almost national policy, in a largely rural country emerging from austerity, to pursue hitch hiking as entirely respectable and to be encouraged, as socially desirable.

Even so, to protect myself in case of health and safety issues, I would always say - you do it at your own risk.

I was in Slovenia last year on a touring and singing choir holiday through beautiful rural and sometimes mountainous locations. Our leader, a very organised man who knew Slovenia very well, took it for granted that he or we might hitch hike to meet up.

I was surprised, thinking it was only the desperate or hippies who hitch hiked these days. He and a local guide said on the contrary, it had been almost national policy, in a largely rural country emerging from austerity, to pursue hitch hiking as entirely respectable and to be encouraged, as socially desirable.

When I was in my teens me and a school friend used to hitch hike everywhere - we never caught a bus or train. I also took a seasonal job in a hotel around 100 miles from home when I was 16 and used to hitch hike home and back when I had 2 days off together. Everyone used to say how dangerous it was but I couldnt see any danger at that age. We had lifts from posh cars, lorries, vans, even Elton in his aircon car which was a big deal back then lol
One day while at home listening to the radio I heard a news broadcast about a girl called Barbara Mayo who had been hitching on the same road that I had the week before. She had disappeared and was found murdured. It frightened me so much that I stopped and have never accepted a lift from a stranger since. I still remember her name I wont ever forget it all these years later. When you are young you dont see danger so it took this happening to stop me.

I feel sad sometimes when its pouring with rain and I see school kids and old people walking/on a bus stop and getting soaked when I am in a nice warm car. I really want to stop and offer them a lift but I know I cant as its not the done thing nowadays.

In 1980 exhusband and I, with our children were travelling in France in our campervan and ran out of petrol. Ex decided it would be quicker to hitch hike to the nearest town. Who should pick him up but a Frenchman he had worked with a year before back in Australia. Small world.

She was a very special woman Eloethan- now we live back here, my friends always tell me how they envied me for my very different and amazing mum. I was very lucky... and so were all the hitch-hikers.

As I lived in a village and buses were few and far between, I used to hitch into town, with my boyfriend. On one occasion I hitched on my own. I was OK but even then I knew it was a bit risky.

Once I accepted a lift as I was leaving work - I thought that the person who offered it was employed at the same place (although why that should make any difference I don't know). I found out that he wasn't - and he soon started making some very lewd comments, such as what did I get up to with my boyfriend, etc. etc. I asked him to stop and let me out the car - fortunately he did.

I can't believe how foolhardy I was in those days.

My husband and I often used to pick up hitchhikers but haven't done so for a long time. I don't know if it's any riskier now or if we're just less inclined to take risks, but sometimes I think it would be nice to go back to our former more trusting natures.

Your mum sounds lovely granjura.

When we first arrived here, we had to go and see the Bank Manager- in his 50s and looking very formal in his work suit. After we had arranged the accounts and mortgage- he asked me if my mum had a red 2CV and commuted to the local town in the 70s. Yes, why I replied. He said he and his best friend had a yearly train ticket to go to the 6th form college at that town- but always hitchhiked instead as they knew my mum would pick them up- and it was so much quicker- but more importantly, so much more fun and interesting. Apparently she used to talk about her travels, and her daughter who'd gone to work and live in London. 'Nice to meet you at last' he said.

My mum would pick up most hitch-hikers, partly because we hitch-hiked, but it made her long commute less boring. My first English friends were hitch-hikers, a young couple about 18, who called themselves 'Chutney' and 'Spice' - and she brought home for a meal and to spend the night, as it was getting dark when they got to our village. They stayed for 2 weeks! Would love to see them again. My mum was amazing.

I agree with all the postings about hitch hiking when young, years ago, and yes I did it too.

More recently aged 47 I found myself living in a remote rural area with no car for a while, and not much money, and hitched then. No problems.

A few years later, unable to get a job, I hitched around the UK. No problems.

But when talking about it especially to younger people I never recommend it. I recognise there are risks but my own view was that the odds of meeting a violent psychopath anywhere are something like 1000's to 1 whether hitch hiking or not and I can live with that, especially as I do most things on my own, including living and going out alone in a city now.

I always dressed down when hitchhiking, and said I was a student.

grannyactivist; just realised we're both talking about the same man. I'm sure he mentioned 'Imagine' as well, so I wonder if the BBC have made a documentary about him?

They've just interviewed a guy called John Waters who has written a book about hitching in America called 'Car Sick'. He sounded really funny and interesting so I imagine the book is worth a read. It made me remember a man I picked up one day who was hitching to meet his father from whom he'd either been long estranged or had never met, It was because he'd just had his first child and fatherhood had given him a desire to meet up with his own father. I wonder what happened? the thing about hitching is that you didn't swap adresses and phone numbers afterwards [at least, you didn't back then] so you never got to hear the end of the story.

Way back in the 50's there was a bus strike (remember trolley buses?)
We were told by the headmistress that those of us who normally caught a bus to the station, could hitch a lift instead as long as there were two of us. At the same time we were given the usual lecture to be a credit to the school and wear our berets at all times.

Where we are now in Portugal we frequently give a lift to anyone walking or waiting at the bus stop into town. At the start of the long hill back again there is a corner where secondary school kids regularly hitch home. Mostly in twos but not always.
There is also an older woman, definitely inadequate in some way, who appears to be dropped off in the town most mornings and is well known for hitching a lift back, including jumping out in front of cars she recognizes and then refusing to get out until you take her all the way home. A village about 5 miles further into the hills than our hamlet.

Radcliffe and Maconie on R6 are having a phone in throughout this afternoons show [now on] on 'wierdest lifts people have ever had whilst hitch hiking'.

My sister and I used to hitch from Harlow to the Tottenham Royal in the 60's and also to Rhodes Centre in Bishops Stortford or was it Epping - long time ago now - to see all the new groups. That was the only way to get around. I worked Saturday's at Timothy Whites and was paid 1 pound. Three pence tax left me with too little for transport, entrance fee and a vodka and lime(yuk). We used to have such fun. We all hitched in the 60's. It wasn't a problem and I never felt threatened.

last time I hitched a lift was a couple of years ago. British friends from FRance had come to cross country ski here with me for a week, and we got caught out in a blizzard. I found a café for them to sip hot chocolate and hitched a lift back to my car. The two spent the time wondering what they would do if I did not return, and tell my OH that I had disappearing in a white out, lol. A farmer picked-me up immediately and went out of his way to take me to my car. I would not hesitate to hitch-hike here at all if I had to.

The time before was on 22nd of December 1970- a friend pick me-up and later lost control of her vehicle on wet snow. I spent the next 6.5 months in hospital, and we even got married there, as I re-broke my leg 2 days before the wedding... (future OH just arrived from the UK when I slipped and fell over- and his family arrived the next day... an unusual wedding that is for sure- he returned to UK on his own, and I followed in a wheel-chair nearly 3 months later) but that had nothing to do with hitch-hiking, just bad luck.

Yes, hitch hiking is still quite popular here in rural France/Switzerland.
If we are together, we take more or less anyone who looks decent- if on my own I am much more careful- I have at times driven past, had a careful look, and come back if I felt ok (always make sure my purse is under the seat, and I have a 20 note and change in another purse in the glove locker- just in case. All the youngsters I've picked up in last few years round here have been great, polite, grateful and interesting- and loved ot know I've picked them up because I used to hitch-hike all over.

Never felt threatened once.

The only time I got into a car of a stranger was on my 18th birthday. I had gone to a nightclub with my friend and put the 18th birthday necklace in my purse to keep safe. It was my first time in a nightclub. After dancing I found my purse missing from my bag. I was upset and outside threw my bag on the ground where my friend and brother scrambled around to pick everything back up. I carried on walking and sat on the church steps crying. (Wasn't I dramatic?, lol) A car came round and the driver told me to get in. I said no and he drove off. He came round again and again told me to get in. So I did. Even if he had thought of doing anything, by the time I was in his car, full of snot, red eyes and bawling my eyes out, he probably changed his mind! I must have looked so stunning!

On getting home, my mum went mad when she asked who was the driver of the car and I told her "I don't know, some guy who gave me a lift home"
Ah, well.

No, I wouldn't advise my children to take a lift off strangers but you can bet that my son would if he wanted to. Whatever I say to my 17 year old, he does the opposite! Man in training.

Anyone happy for any of their family to do it now?

Is it still done in parts of Europe?

Amazing that we have all survived ;)

My most epic hitch-hike was back from the Isle of Wight Festival 1970- had not washed or slept for about 5 days- and there were 1000s of us lining the road. I had the idea to take out my little Swiss flag out of my rucksack- and I was picked up by a young couple almost straightaway and gave me a lift back all the way to West London, where I lived.

Yes, early this summer. I knew one, an 18 year old boy, a friend of my son's. He was waiting for the bus and I was going into town. A young woman was also waiting so I offered her a lift too! She was Spanish, from Seville and was going into town for the first time since she had moved to the UK with her English boyfriend, so was very happy to have a guide. As I finished all the things I needed to do (I had shown her where to catch a bus back) I saw her again walking to the bus station, so I took her back to her house.

I had a French boyfriend as a teenager, and he thought nothing of hitch-hiking. I never told my mother, but when he came to stay with us we used to travel from Tunbridge Wells to Brighton or London, always lorries because they said their journeys were so long that they got bored and liked to have company.

bookdreamer On that occasion yes and Dubrovnik wasn't specifically my destination but, given the opportunity… I also used to hitch with others, although never more than two of us at a time. On another occasion, my friend and I were given a lift by the two Scottish guys who used to play songs on the BBC Tonight programme. (Would that be Robin Hall and Jimmy McGregor?) We were freezing cold and very wet on our way back from a spontaneous and chilly weekend on the Isle of Wight in the middle of winter. Not only did they go out of their way to drop us back directly outside our college gates, but bought us hot toddies in a pub on the way there.

I hitched a lift home on the back of a workmans scooter in my early teens; in mid teens was with my Norwegian girl friend in N Norway and we hitched a lift to our B&B; hitched a lift to my hotel with my boyfriend in London - that was a bit dodgy being a car full of lads- late teens and when I was doing some research at a college in Cambridge I asked a bloke going to his car in the car park for directions to the railway station and he offered to take me and I accepted! That was only 10 years ago. I don't think I'd do it now and certainly wouldn't advise my children or GC to do it.

Ooh if we are doing celebrity hitching I and a friend once got a lift from Edwin Starr and his road manger. They invited us to stay over and go to his gig, but I had a boyfriend waiting for me so we didn't go. And it was the hitching that was considered dangerous, once got picked up by a police patrol car, outside a town. He gave us a lift to the nearest bus stop and told us we were risking our lives. Of course once he had gone we went back to hitching. We were young and thought we were invincible!!