I remember seeing hitch-hikers all the time in California. Never once saw one here in Tennessee. I wonder if time was the difference or place? I can't think it was the time, because the Zodiac killer had been doing his work only a handful of years earler, up and down the coast. I've never hitch-hiked, but then neither did my mom or brother, or for that matter, anyone I knew. I assume if it has been acceptable I would've.

It must be the place. I see them all the time

No way have I ever hitched. We have, on occasion, picked up people in foreign countries in which far fewer people own cars.

I've never hitch-hiked, per se, but I did grow up in a small midwestern city where I sort of knew everyone, and I learned it was nearly impossible to walk any kind of distance without someone I knew, however vaguely, pulling over to offer me a ride. But that's different than sticking up one's thumb and hoping for the best.

Steve and a friend of his once hopped freight trains half way across the country. They learned it is not even remotely as romantic as they'd imagined and narrowly avoided jail in one of the southern states (Alabama?) in the process...

From what my Mama tells me, it was not uncommon back in their early married years and the war years because a lot of people's vehicles sat up on blocks for lack of money, or rationing of the rubber to make tires.

It was also not too uncommon where I lived in the Ozarks. That was a small town with a university and freshmen weren't allowed to bring a car to campus. Back then a lot of fresmen didn't own a car. (unlike today when wheels come with the sixteenth birthday).

Did I hitch? Only in cases of dire emergencies, like a car breaking down to get to a station. Did I pick up hitchers? Sometimes. But all that changed after "The Age of Aquarius" became a memory.

Hitched a bit and picked up some, only one bad experience when hitching but got out of that quickly and unscathed. Made friends with two girls and a guy I gave a ride from Salinas to LA and visited them for a week a couple months later in Portland. Long ago.

Hey Don? Did you ever find your angel who helped you with the motorcycle accident?

I've never hitch hiked. I guess I was born after it was acceptable. The only people I see now, are more likely homeless than trying to get from home to Grandma's or something.

I remember seeing quite a few movies in my childhood, about people getting kidknapped and worse, so I never did it.

@ Rob, sadly I only found dead ends after checking with the Hospital, two papers, the Highway Patrol and local police. All had purged their records that far back. It remains a mystery.

If you know her full name (even if it is maiden), try Facebook. It's an amazing tool, when used right.

I guess I first hitch hiked was as a teen when we would run out of gas halfway to or from the shore. Generally with at least another person, but did it by myself also at various times. I did pickup people sometimes too, when I was younger.

I guess my most memorable hitch hiking experience was hiking from Ohio to Washington D.C. to attend a peace rally with the guy I was living with. Rides weren't that plentiful at times and we ended up spending the night in a culvert alongside the road. It was dry and felt safe. Ah yes, the olden days. Smiles.

I used to hitchhike a lot when I was younger. (MUCH younger, lol) Hitchhiked to California once with a boyfriend. Hitchhiked around parts of Europe with my (now ex-) husband. Only had one bad experience and lots and lots of good ones. Met some great, kind people. I guess those were more innocent times. Or maybe I was very naïve. Probably a bit of both. WouldnÂt do it nowdays, (even if I werenÂt too old).

Once as a teenager in Wash., D.C.; a snowfall that was heavy enough to suspend Capital Transit (bus service) made me and two friends start walking to school. There weren't too many vehicles moving, but we hailed one and got a ride most of the way.

There weren't any *school buses* as such, but bus tickets for kids were $.30 for a book of ten--a weeks' worth. I realize now that that really was a safer, gentler time.

I moved back here in time to finish off my senior year, and there were no city school buses, either. The only buses were those to cart in rural kids if they didn't have schools close enough in their part of the county. Same deal.........there was only one public high school and it wasn't anywhere near where we lived. We bought discounted city bus tickets and on occasion had to take shanks mare. It was just shy of two miles, and through some of the shadier parts of town mid-way. Most of the students did not have cars, but I managed to find a boyfriend who did. LOL.

Yes, times have changed. Now there aren't city schools in each ward. There is just one great big one, necessitating carting all the kids from the city by transport. Few ride the busses, their parents take them and pick them up. There are few jobs in town anymore, they all moved to the outskirts, so did the people.........most of the high school busses ride empty because all the kids have cars. The city buses have no riders either, so they have a skeleton fleet. Then we wonder why we consume so much gas?

Me, hitch hike?
Never! My mother would have had a fit!

I can remember my step father would always pick up hitch hiking soldiers and pay for their transportation home.
It's the one nice thing I remember him doing.

Did my share of hitchhiking in my teenage years but always with a group, we used to hitchhike up to Canada in the summer, and if my parents ever found out they would have killed me. Used to take a bus to our Peace Bridge and then just catch a ride to Canada lol. Those days there were no rules as to how many people you could have in a car, so sometimes there would be four of us hitching and get into a full car. No hassles at Customs either. Would pick up hitchhikers periodically back in those days too but only if I had someone else in the car, most people were just looking to get from point A to point B. In today's world you just don't have the trust or stupidity you did back then.

Heavens, yes! Often in college (Madison in the mid-70's). Only ever heard of one bad experience there. In Israel, we used to hitch all the time in the late 70's, as fewer folks had cars, and it was considered patriotic to pick up soldiers trying to get home for the weekend, etc. I used to stand with them, in an actual line, and if a ride came along in my direction, I took it only if there were no soldiers needing it first. Got all over the country that way. Only one girlfriend ever had a problem doing the same thing. My (now ex) husband and I hitched all the way up Route 1 in the early 80's, nary a problem and some lovely times.
After the divorce and subsequent empty pockets in the early 90's, I would often have to choose to use the coins in my pocket to get to work 40 min. away, or buy bread and milk for three kids. So I hitched. Fewer rides for a 40 year old woman, but I usually got to where I was going.
But once, I needed to get from Israel to the US, and had a finite amount of cash, which I would have rather kept for when I got there, so I (to make a very long and rather wild story short)hitched a ride on a Norwegian freighter out of Haifa - an international port town - to anywhere in the States. I was on the water for two weeks, landed in Newport News, Va, and took the train to Chicago, my parents none the wiser.
As far as I'm concerned, it's in theory a great way to save resources, build community and reduce wear and tear. The danger and the unpredictability of people's bad behavior, especially for women, is the reason most don't do it anymore, and it's very sad that a logical, easy and friendly way of travel has been taken from the many by the few. Carpooling is the dim cousin of hitching.
But as for me, and my thumb, you betcha!

Batya, you skipped over one very good story. We have all the time in the world. Wish you'd tell it
;)

batya,

I'm so glad you contributed to this thread.

My mother went to Israel in the 70s and that was one of her favorite stories to tell...the tour bus she was on stopping to pick up soldiers.

I wondered if that was still the 'norm' there.

No, I never hitchhiked; my brothers (both younger and older) did so, with no ill consequences. Living near a military base and near DC, thumbs were seen quite often; and yes, I did give lifts. In one year, I had riders from every state except Nevada. Heard quite a few interesting stories of their travels.

Times changed, and when one friend [male] was badly injured by a rider, I stopped opening the door to passing thumbs. I suppose that marks the end of a more trusting era.

not anymore, I'm afraid. Too many wackos, just like in the states. It's even against military law now for soldiers to hitch, if they're caught they're in trouble.

But I'm very glad I did what I did, when I did it.
B

I did in Europe in the late 70's. Mainly England, it was legal then. The wildest ride was with an off duty policeman who raced as a hobby. Fastest I ever went. Just prayed I didn't puke. A few months after we were married I found a joint in the glove compartment of dh's car. I was horror stricken. As far as I knew he was not even a recreational drug user. Had I married a stranger? A Jeckyl and Hyde? (We met and married within 18 months) When I confronted him in tears he said he had picked up a young kid hitchhiker, given him a few bucks and the kid wanted to pay him and had given him the joint. DH couldn't say no so shoved it in the glove compartment and forgot about it. I freaked out. you could have been arrested for posession etc etc.

Last of our hitch hiking experiences.