Where Have All the Hitchhikers Gone?
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Quote: avargovThey all seem to be at truck stops now. I get hit up for rides 2-3 times a week.
My brother drives a semi and will get fired for having a passenger. I'm talking about the people who used to hitch short distances, I guess. 10 or 15 miles. They used to be everywhere.
Quote: EvenBobThis is a good question. In the late 60's and early 70's, I hitched a lot of rides and picked up lots of hitchers. In the last 20 years they've all but disappeared. I looked it up, its legal to hitch in every state. What gives? Does everybody have a car now? I haven't seen a hitchhiker in 15 years.
Same thing that happened to unlocked car doors, opened front doors and children being allowed to go out alone: you can't trust, or assume, strangers to be decent people.
I've never hitchhiked, but I used to pick up hitchhikers now and then when I first started driving. Not since then, though. Nor ahve I seen any hitchers for years and years.
Quote: NareedSame thing that happened to unlocked car doors, opened front doors and children being allowed to go out alone: you can't trust, or assume, strangers to be decent people.
I don't know if thats true. I hitched out of need, so did most hitchers. I just think the country is better off and the need isn't there. I can't believe some 22 year old kid is terrified to stick out his thumb because Charles Manson might be his ride.
Those are usually female "hitchhikers".Quote: avargovThey all seem to be at truck stops now.
Its not unknown, but its not really safe anymore. Though nowhere near as dangerous as some think. I know two young women whose first time was each a rape by a man who picked them up hitchhiking. Now things like that happened when I was young but they were rare. Consider the young woman leaving a Reno concert a few years ago. She went up to the speed bump in the casino's parking lot and rapped on the window of the first car to pass by. She could have walked it but at 19 her shoes are stylish not sturdy. So she makes use of the low neckline and high hemline and pretty smile and asks for a lift even though the windows are so tinted she can't even see who or how many are in the SUV. What happens? He drives her safely to her destination without any improper suggestions of an alternative destination, sees her safely inside her building and then becomes the object of a police search the next day when her roommate appears to have been raped and the body is missing.
All the elements were there: dark cold night, stranger, unable to see the interior of the vehicle, etc. but nothing at all happened. The roommate who was safely home was the one who was raped and murdered. So who is going to predict safety?
Quote: EvenBobI don't know if thats true. I hitched out of need, so did most hitchers. I just think the country is better off and the need isn't there. I can't believe some 22 year old kid is terrified to stick out his thumb because Charles Manson might be his ride.
The need may be less, not just in the US but also in other countries. I doubt the need is gone, however.
My parents didn't allow me to hitch a ride. I could ask friends, relatives, and people I knew (like teachers and schoolmates), but not random strangers. I never had any need (except once when I was 18, but I was less then 3 miles from home, so I walked). And that was at a time when Mex City had a low crime rate. I can only imagine what my mother would say now, when kidnapping is so rampant robbery is considered a nuisance.
Quote: FleaStiffThose are usually female "hitchhikers".
I know two young women whose first time was each a rape by a man who picked them up hitchhiking.
Well duh! Women never hitched, even in the 60's and 70's. Thats just insane.
Quote: NareedThe need may be less, not just in the US but also in other countries.
From what I'm reading, hitching is alive and well in Europe. Hitchers are everywhere. Its just in the States that they seem to have vanished.
There are a lot of university towns where students hitch regularly, if you visit Santa Cruz, CA there are a number of hitchhikers going between the city and college.
Same with the truck stops- there are a lot of crust or traveler kids where I live in the Northwest who hang around rest stops looking for a ride. Normally they just pick one another up, they usually know the same people, and the hitchhiking is just an excuse to get out and do some drugs and get from Eugene to Portland for a few weeks before you go back.
Otherwise everyone is right- it just isn't safe. Not that it's even safe in those situations.
Didn't the Manson Family take part in some highly publicized crimes while hitchhiking, or against hitchhikers?
Quote: FleaStiffThose are usually female "hitchhikers".
I have to disagree with that statement.
I drive over 150,000 miles a year and spend over 300 nights at truck stops. For every woman I see looking for a ride, I see 10 men. Just tonight I was approached by a fellow at the Pilot in Carlin trying to get to Tahoe.
I will concede that there are more female panhandlers at truck stops. As well as the 'commercial company'.
Insane it may have been, but quite common! I did most of my hitchhiking from airports where the women were numerous. On the open road it was less common but did take place a lot. Rural areas mainly. Or suburban beaches, etc. Still a common mode of transportation in the Pacific NorthWest but now its more organized ride sharing to and from festivals or communes instead of just thumbing at the side of the road.Quote: EvenBobWell duh! Women never hitched, even in the 60's and 70's. Thats just insane.
Note as to airports: Talk about the ordinary hitchhiker being at risk from drunk drivers, ... wait till find pilots that are not always that sober. Usually though it was fine. Rarely a charge too. I once flew from Boston, had two night's lodging, big farm breakfast and wound up in Columbine, CO all for fifty dollars. Missed a free ride on a Lear Jet from Kansas to Virginia because I was down at the pool chatting up the lifeguard. That was a disappointment. Flew from Indianapolis to Virginia for free.
My mechanic is a couple miles down a relatively busy 2 lane highway and after dropping off my truck a couple of years ago I tried to hitch a ride home. I sat out there for nearly an hour without anyone stopping and I finally got a ride from one of the mechanics suppliers. I've not tried since, and either get a ride from the mechanic or from a neighbor.
The last time I picked up a hitchhiker was 4 or 5 years ago. The guy was a dishwasher at a local Inn and he smelled horrible and it was obvious he hadn't bathed in some time. He also didn't talk much, so even though it was a short ride it was extremely unpleasant.
I hitched and picked up a lot of people in the 70's and 80's and while there was occasionally a poor experience most of the time it was fun and interesting on both sides. Now it seems like the odds are much greater of it not going as well. Of course that may be in part just because I'm an old fuddy duddy now.
Quote: NareedSame thing that happened to unlocked car doors, opened front doors and children being allowed to go out alone: you can't trust, or assume, strangers to be decent people.
The children going places alone cracks me up. I hear people talk of "allowing" kids to go to the store. Back when I was a kid (late 70s/early 80s) I was SENT to the store. And I was not alone.
People over-estimate dangers. People say they are worried about their kids being "stolen." My reply is that if you want to lower the chance of that simply don't get divorced as that is the source of 90%+ of child abductions. I'm not saying to not teach kids to be careful, but I am saying since the 70s and moreso the 80s we have taught every stranger is someone looking to do very bad things. Then by 2000 we wondered why the neighborhood was not as friendly as it used to be.
Outside of a few breakdown when I had older cars in college, I've never hitchiked. But when I did I fully prepared myself for being picked up by a homo, since there were stories in Boise about them driving around looking for strapping young men. I'd think normal people would have to be extremely stupid for picking up anyone today, and the only drivers stupid enough to pick them up have to be experiencing mental problems.
Quote: AZDuffman
People over-estimate dangers. People say they are worried about their kids being "stolen." My reply is that if you want to lower the chance of that simply don't get divorced as that is the source of 90%+ of child abductions.
Exactly. When I was a kid, almost nobody was divorced. If you take away kids being abducted by their parents, there aren't that any more abductions then there were in the 50's and 60's, you just hear about them now because of cable TV and the internet. And every guy over 30 is now a pervert if he even looks at a school playground or pats a kid on the head. Its to the point of insanity, try talking to a kid in the grocery store when his parents are standing right there. They look at you like you should be on the sex offender list.
Is it safe to assume that "I was not alone" was intended to mean that you were not the only person to get such a task.Quote: AZDuffmanThe children going places alone cracks me up. I hear people talk of "allowing" kids to go to the store. Back when I was a kid (late 70s/early 80s) I was SENT to the store. And I was not alone.
I.E. Getting sent to the store was a common chore, and not that it was common to be sent with someone.
Quote: DJTeddyBearIs it safe to assume that "I was not alone" was intended to mean that you were not the only person to get such a task.
I.E. Getting sent to the store was a common chore, and not that it was common to be sent with someone.
I had to walk to the neighborhood store all the time, always alone. Nobody thought anything about it. We also played outdoors till dark in the summer, often blocks from where we lived, and our parents had no idea where we were, and I doubt cared very much. Parents in those days weren't obsessed with their kids like parents are now.
This "helicoptering" of constant hovering over the kids for fear they might encounter the real world is foolish but then much of what people do in regard to "risks" is foolish.Quote: EvenBobParents in those days weren't obsessed with their kids like parents are now.
Seven times more likely to kill someone on a one-mile drive to buy a lottery ticket than you are likely to win the grand prize? So what, people go on that drive with visions of millions of dollars in their mind, not auto crashes.
Quote: FleaStiffThis "helicoptering" of constant hovering over the kids for fear they might encounter the real world is foolish but then much of what people do in regard to "risks" is foolish.
Seven times more likely to kill someone on a one-mile drive to buy a lottery ticket than you are likely to win the grand prize? So what, people go on that drive with visions of millions of dollars in their mind, not auto crashes.
Do people really make a drive to a store to buy lottery tickets? I only get them when I happen to be AT a store, and if I forget, even if the prize is $200million, I go without.
Quote: DJTeddyBearIs it safe to assume that "I was not alone" was intended to mean that you were not the only person to get such a task.
I.E. Getting sent to the store was a common chore, and not that it was common to be sent with someone.
I was sent alone and lots of other kids were sent alone. I think as a kid I knew how to do more at the store than college freshmen do today
For example, we had mostly "local" pharmacies back then. My dad had Rx coverage and the place let you run a tab. At age 12 I knew how to get the empty bottle, or more commonly just write the number so they didn't "count" it as a refill. (Refill policies were not enforced nearly as much back then--and for "sick" medicines the doctor would give 5 or more refills anyways.) Then take that refill to the counter, hand it to the person, get the refill, and SIGN THE INSURANCE FORM! I'd be willing to bet the insurance company had more of my sigs than both my parents combined.
That was the one of two I had to walk to--many more was the time to be "sent in from the car" for a few items for dinner.
Oh, yeah, and at age 13 or 14 I had my own checking account for a paper route. Waked to the bank and opened it myself. Did my own 1040EZ at age 17 with no parental help. Seemed so simple.
I feel sorry for kids with those helicopter parents. Even if we assume Walgreens isn't going to give scrips to a 12 year old and let them sign, they will miss all of the sense of pride of doing all this on their own.
Quote: AZDuffman
I feel sorry for kids with those helicopter parents.
I knew only one family who was over protective with their kids, and we all thought they were from outer space. We constantly made fun of the kids because they couldn't fart without asking mom or dad first. It was weird then and its weird now. When they got older they had major problems, the oldest son turned into a real degenerate and was kicked out of school in his senior year. Yes, you could actually get kicked out, something thats unheard of now.
Quote: EvenBobI knew only one family who was over protective with their kids, and we all thought they were from outer space. We constantly made fun of the kids because they couldn't fart without asking mom or dad first. It was weird then and its weird now. When they got older they had major problems, the oldest son turned into a real degenerate and was kicked out of school in his senior year. Yes, you could actually get kicked out, something thats unheard of now.
What amazes me is the crazy things people and society do to "protect" the kids.
For example the "Tot Finder" program fire departments used to use to show firemen there was a kids bedroom ended because----people were afraid of "advertising" there were kids in the room lest they be kidnapped. I'm sure there are some kinds of stats, but I would guess a kids chance of dying in a house fire is higher than that of "the boogie man" breaking into their room and taking them.
I have also read of some hyperprotective parents taking pictures of the kids DAILY so if the same boogie man "gets them" they can show the cops what they were wearing. Surely said kids will grow up and enter society as messed up as you can imagine.
Quote: AZDuffman
I have also read of some hyperprotective parents taking pictures of the kids DAILY
My wife takes pics of unusual trick or treaters costumes when they come to our house. A father went off on her and said she couldn't take his kids picture because he doesn't know what she'll do with it. I told him they were on our property of their own free will, I can take as many pics as I want. He huffed and puffed and went away. Idiots are everywhere.
Quote: EvenBobMy wife takes pics of unusual trick or treaters costumes when they come to our house. A father went off on her and said she couldn't take his kids picture because he doesn't know what she'll do with it. I told him they were on our property of their own free will, I can take as many pics as I want. He huffed and puffed and went away. Idiots are everywhere.
Good for you telling him that. What did the moron think someone was going to "do" with pics of all the kids that came to their house?
Sounds like his daughter will eventually make someone a nice ex-wife.
Quote: AZDuffmanGood for you telling him that. What did the moron think someone was going to "do" with pics.
He didn't know. If you're that paranoid, keep the kids home.
I think I heard warnings about hitchhiking, but later.
Oh yeah, razor blades in halloween apples.
Quote: rxwineThe dangers I heard about as kid include, getting locked in a refrigerator, stepping on a rusty nail, staring too long at the sun, swallowing your tongue, running with scissors,
We were told never to get in a strangers car, and never take candy from a stranger because it might be poisoned. Why they would poison candy is still a mystery to me. We played with real knives, bows & arrows that had real points on them, had BB gun fights, climbed up on roofs and way up into trees, flew kites around power lines. Never heard of one single kid in my grade school who was ever seriously hurt.
There is no such sense of community play any longer. It is partially the parents fault for, I think, overprotecting their kids. Also kids seem to just enjoy playing video and computer games more than kids liked Pong when I was a kid. Now my wife drives long distances and makes plans for "play dates" for my 4-year-old. I never heard that expression when I was a kid. I tell my older kids to "go out and play" often, but there are never other kids hanging around to play with, and even if there were, they probably require pre-authorization before playing with strange kids.
Quote: WizardWhen I was a kid there were always several kids running around the street from school getting out until dinner time. On non-school days it would be all day. Often we went off to the gas station to buy candy and Charlie's Angels Cards and nobody had to ask permission. The parents just expected their kids to be home by dinner. Parents could also scold neighbor's kids.
There is no such sense of community play any longer. It is partially the parents fault for, I think, overprotecting their kids. Also kids seem to just enjoy playing video and computer games more than kids liked Pong when I was a kid. Now my wife drives long distances and makes plans for "play dates" for my 4-year-old. I never heard that expression when I was a kid. I tell my older kids to "go out and play" often, but there are never other kids hanging around to play with, and even if there were, they probably require pre-authorization before playing with strange kids.
I was talking about that with a friend. When we were kids if we got in trouble at a friends house we got yelled at there and then double when we got home. It is the same with teaching. If my teacher called home I was dead in the water. Now the parents yell at the teachers.
Quote: Wizard"play dates" for my 4-year-old. I never heard that expression when I was a kid.
You see it with rich kids in the old movies from the 30's. The parents carefully selected their kids friends and set up times for them to meet and play. These kids were invariably scorned by normal kids and got the crap beat out of them if they ever ventured into the neighborhood.
Where have all the flowers gone -- long time passes.
Quote: WizardWhen I was a kid there were always several kids running around the street from school getting out until dinner time. On non-school days it would be all day. Often we went off to the gas station to buy candy and Charlie's Angels Cards and nobody had to ask permission. The parents just expected their kids to be home by dinner. Parents could also scold neighbor's kids.
There is no such sense of community play any longer. It is partially the parents fault for, I think, overprotecting their kids. Also kids seem to just enjoy playing video and computer games more than kids liked Pong when I was a kid. Now my wife drives long distances and makes plans for "play dates" for my 4-year-old. I never heard that expression when I was a kid. I tell my older kids to "go out and play" often, but there are never other kids hanging around to play with, and even if there were, they probably require pre-authorization before playing with strange kids.
We used to go to the Mini-Market and get a 32oz drink for 32 cents or buy sweedish fish that were still $.01 each at the time and you could by an odd number like 13 if you chose. To get there you needed to cross the busiest section of state-numbered highway in PA. In prespective, fewer lanes than the strip but much higher speed of cars and no pedestrian bridges. Now someone probably would arrest the store owner for selling soda-pop to kids.
We had some "play dates" when I was 4-5 but they were not planned and they were on the same street. By age 5 or so, which is to say kindergarten, once you met the neighbor kids you "called on" them yourself. Parents only involved if they had to borrow or deliver an item, but most times if that was the case you took it with you unless it was too large.
The world has changed, not for the better.
Quote: rxwineOh, and in like the first grade, we did duck & cover for nuclear war.
Everything old is new again.
Quote: pacomartinThere is a website to hook up for trips in Europe . When I was younger I picked up hitchers all the time, but so many creeped me out that I stopped. I figured I got two kooks for every normal person looking for a ride.
Once a guy told me about his summer where he hitched to the Jersey Shore for a summer job. Said he was offered items from chewing gum to LSD by the various drivers.
Quote: rxwineThe dangers I heard about as kid include, getting locked in a refrigerator, razor blades in halloween apples.
I once was half way through reading a list of prize winning children's books before I realized there were no such titles as:
The Magic World Inside The Abandoned Refrigerator or How Mr. Fork Met Miss Electrical Outlet. I believe there has never been any verified incident of blades inside apples in the USA.
Things are different these days though. Some very young girls give thanks every night to those Dateline specials on To Catch A Predator. It has raised the prices they can charge astronomically.
Decades ago a girl rode a bicycle through several states sleeping with various farm families she approached as daylight waned. Today, such a thing would make headlines. Its sort of like that cartoon of a police station where Diogenes is shown filling out a complaint about a stolen lamp.
Of course much of the statistics are deceptive. One couple went out for a night on the town and when they got home she decided to pack her bags. He decided to wait patiently until the suitcase was nearly full and then dump it on the floor. Please Note: No physical violence, just drunken behavior. It escalated, he got a gun and shot his computer monitor which elicited the famed response "I didn't know it was loaded". Please note: Drunk yes. Stupid Yes. Still hadn't aimed it at any person.
The charge: Firing a missle (the bullet) at or inside of a dwelling place. This of course made him a terrorist in the various crime statistics and computers.
We've gone from Drunk and Disorderly to Terrorism. With the stroke of a pen. Surely proof of how bad crime is these days. Such as the schoolgirl who sexted an image of herself to her boyfriend and was charged with possession of child pornography.
Quote: kenarmanI did all that hitching because I seldom had much money.
I think thats whats behind it. People have more money now and everybody has a car, so they hitch rides with people they know. And because there are so many cars, they borrow them from friends and relatives.
Quote: EvenBobI think thats whats behind it. People have more money now and everybody has a car, so they hitch rides with people they know. And because there are so many cars, they borrow them from friends and relatives.
Good point, also add in Craigslist. Even with some of the element there it is less random than taking a chance of what you find if you just stick your thumb out.
Quote: FleaStiffWe've gone from Drunk and Disorderly to Terrorism. With the stroke of a pen. Surely proof of how bad crime is these days. Such as the schoolgirl who sexted an image of herself to her boyfriend and was charged with possession of child pornography.
There are all sorts of irrational responses to crime. Like charging with drug posession a student who finds a bag of weed and takes it to the principals office. Not to mention the mandatory minnimum sentences for even minor drug-related offenses.
