UKC

Just back from hitching all over France (Alps, Verdon, Font) and for some reason it seems much easier over there than it is here (came to a grinding halt halfway round the M25, gave up and got a train home). Do you lot stop for hitch hikers? If not, why not? Just idly wondering, really.

In reply to Andy Hobson:

Always. if I've got room. Did loads of hitching years ago. Even made the mistake of trying to hitch around France during Armistice Weekend. That wasn't fast.

In reply to Andy Hobson:

A lot of years ago did Manchester to Chamonix in 36 hours. Coming back cost 5 days, mostly in France - it just depends.

In reply to Andy Hobson:

i never stop for hitchers but thats because i don't have a car and there isn't enough space on the back of my bicycle

have hitched many times including coming back from Aconcagua to Mendoza after 2 weeks on the mountain, Also hitched in to the start of Elbrus in Russia

Phil

In reply to Andy Hobson: Never hitch these days, but used to a fair bit. As for picking up hitchers, sometimes I do, sometimes not, depends on how I'm feeling and where I'm going. Last time I climbed at Dunkeld I picked up a hitcher on the way there, who was just trying to get home a few miles down the road and was fairly pished, but harmless. On the way back I picked up 2 diff groups of foreign fruit pickers, one of which I went out my way to take them to a supermarket. But sometimes I just don't like the look of a hitcher and I won't stop.

In reply to Andy Hobson: If there's space in the car then I'll usually stop and offer a lift. The last hitcher I gave a lift towas some batty old woman who had wandered the wrong way of a hill and needed a lift back home on a rainy day. The could breath through her ears, not needing to pause for breath as she regaled us in monotonous detail of each step of her walk, whilst dripping all over the back seat. Company of sorts though.

In reply to Andy Hobson:

I used to hitch years ago, and used to give lifts. Now I stop for climbers or sometimes if I think the person looks ok in my eyes, ie desperate.
I do stop sometimes for none hitchers in remote areas to see if they want a lift, half do but a lot of women are suspicious of a male driver, even with a woman.

Never offer lifts to kids that I know have a mile or two to walk after getting off the bus in the dales as too dodgy for both now unfortunately.

In reply to Andy Hobson:

I used to hitch a lot too and regularly had to jostle with a queue of other hitchers at motorway services, when do you see a queue of hitchers now?
I guess we are all more affluent now and can fly to Scotland for 29 quid; when I used to hitch Thatcher was still in power!
I will pick up folks if they look like they genuinely want to go somewhere (i.e. carrying a rucksack).
I actually had some great experiences hitching - I had lifts from Paul Nunn to Glencoe and from Jim Perrin to Tremadoc - it is a trusting thing to do and perforce opens you up to meeting random people. The deal was that they picked you up so you had to provide conversation if required or maybe roll their splffs.
Alas it is a dead art - gone the way of all thrifty persuits.

In reply to Andy Hobson:

The first time i tried hitching was because i really needed to. Had no money and my car had broken down. Got picked up by a lovely young lady who said that although she had never needed a hitch before, she would hope that if she did someone would offer her a lift. That ethos should be carried by everyone i think.

Iain

In reply to Iain Downie:

I agree.

If you want to go to the spiritual home of hitching try Cuba - its government sponsored and considered bad manners not to stop.

In reply to Andy Hobson:

Years ago a mate of mine (and a few on here might know about this) was hitching to the alps, stuck on a slip road at night in the rain, when a kindly bloke picked him up and offered a doss for the night. Later, my mate was woken up in his bag by said kindly bloke, who was naked, rampant and very insistent. One violent altercation and long walk later, and my mate was back at the slip road in the rain, anal virginity still intact.

Two best lifts I ever had: one in Switzerland from a lovely woman who took me home and made me very comfortable, and a journey home from the alps in two lifts: a truckie from Chambery to Newcastle (without paying for the ferry) then after a 5 minute wait, a car from Newcastle to my door in Edinburgh.

Hitching is the best way to travel and meet people, and sadly does seem to be on the wane. There used to always be a queue after the roundabout at Fort Bill, hardly ever anyone now. Post-thatcher britain I guess.

In reply to Removed User: A curious couple of incidents a few years ago, when driving from Chamonix to Grenoble and back, most striking for the sheer contrast between the 2 hitchers.

On the way there I stopped for a very demure, well-dressed, middle-aged French lady, who sat in the car primly and properly and made polite conversation until we reached the village she was going to, when she got out with a very correct "au-revoir merci monsieur", as though we had been having a formal cup of coffee in a cafe - the air of the drawing room was palpable.

On the return journey, the hitcher could not have been more different. As I climbed toward a remote col, up twisting, narrow mountain roads, in heavy rain, I saw a wild figure, long dark hair and haggard visage by the side of the road. When I stopped, I was even more struck by how eire a figure he was, but being now stationary and it being such a filthy night, I felt obliged to help him.

We carried on into the darkness, the storm now lashing the car violently, while I was increasingly concious of a deep, sheer gorge only feet away from the unprotected side of the rough winding road. As the road switched to incessant hairpins, the weather got still worse, till finally we reached the col. At this point my guest said "J'arrete ici monsieur".

I looked around. Sodden dark pine forests stretched into the darkness which was absolute apart from where the car headlights illuminated the lashing rain. There was no sign of habitation and the slopes either side of the col climbed steeply away into desolation.

"ICI monsieur" I enquired.

"Ici" came the unambiguous response, and with a brief "Merci" he disappeared into night, just as the storm rose to a still more violent crescendo.

When I related this story, a friend commented "you do realise that you gave Death a lift that night?"

In reply to Andy Hobson:

I hitch occasionally, normally when travelling.

Was hitching in china - gf and I spent a day with an extended chinese family, who shared meals with us, took us fishing and fruit picking - all without us speaking chinese or them english (well, we spoke basic traveller language of thanks, numbers etc). A most amazingly brilliant day!

In the lakes, from south to north to meet friends for a lift home, got given a brilliant fast ride in a new audi.

When I have a car, I sometimes give lifts, depending on what the person looks like, where we are (hills yes, inner city manc, no!)

In reply to Andy Hobson: I've never hitched - certainly would never do it on my own. If I had a car (which I don't) I might pick up a woman or women, but would be very nervous of offering a lift to strange men. Sign of the times.

In reply to Andy Hobson: only given a ride once, felt fine at the time but afterwards along with peoples comments not to sure. I've not yet been in the opposite position (always being fortunate in car ownership) but would hope to have a similar lift offered. Perhaps it's one of those things that everyone should try??

In reply to gingerdave13:

Yeah, if more people did it, more would offer lifts etc etc.

Picked one guy up once whilst a friend and I were in the middle of deep theological/philosophical conversation. He sat there in stunned silence!

In reply to Andy Hobson:

A few years ago I was driving on my own from Surrey to Edinburgh. It was boring so I thought I'd try to find a hitcher for conversation. I pulled in at almost every service station up to Manchester but didn't find a single hitcher. After that I gave up. I think it's a dying art.

Best lift I had was from Aviemore to Edinburgh. I started hitching at the same time as some friends were driving down in their full car. I got picked up straight away and dropped 100yds from my flat in Edinburgh, beating my friends who had driven.

In reply to Andy Hobson:

I'll usually pick up hitch hikers and have hitched several times myself. I once picked up three stunningly beautiful Lithuanian girls while driving on my own. Unfortunately they were only going about 10 miles down the road so I (being dodgy but not that dodgy) let them out and continued the journey alone wondering if I had imagined it all.

In reply to Andy Hobson:

I used to hitch a lot before I had a car. I very occasionally give lifts now, but only if they look like climbers or similar, and in a mountain area.

I have had a couple of dodgy experiences giving lifts. I didn't twig it at first, but one turned out to be a drunk who vomited in my car, and I once gave a lift to a girl who I became convinced was a lunatic on the run!

In reply to Trangia:

Once gave a lift to a drunk who told me to stop, got out and spewed. I was so thankful to him for not spewing in the car I let him back in to continue the journey.

In reply to Andy Hobson: I pick up hitchers but not if they are at a service station on a motorway. I even managed to get the number of a drop dead gorgeous Czech lass once. It was such a shame her mate (bloke) couldn't speak English. I had her all to myself! Went on a date, but she was due to fly back before anything got going

In reply to Andy Hobson: I have done alot of hitching in the past, mainly around the alps in particular the haute savoie. Had a few interesting lifts at times. Sutff like getting a lift in a porsche 911 turbo after standing on the side of the road for 3 hours. I got in a car one time which i'm fairly sure was stolen but the guys driving were alright.

If i'm travelling cross country & there's space in the car i'll usually give hitchers a lift. In principle i generally have no problem doing it but like everything in life it's all circumstantial & you can't always fit an extra person in the car.