I went down to LA for a couple days, about 850 miles in all but I didn’t see one hitchhiker. But it made me wonder what kind I would pick up. I thought maybe a mother & her child would be safe. So, what do you think folks?
I WOULD pick up Howard Hughes (if he were alive) or ELVIS (some say he is still alive). Other than these NO WAY!
I used to go out of my way for hitchhikers at every opportunity. I don’t so much any more. How much time does it cost you to drive 10 miles out of your way? How much time and energy does that simple act save the hitcher?
I, being a wife and mother, have a hard time with picking up hitchhikers. In my younger rowdy days, I actually did hitchhike. A dangerous business!! I almost offered a ride to a 18-19 yr-old boy with a back-pack in a Dairy Queen, who was looking for a bus stop in the area. He said he had been walking about 5 miles in the Texas heat, and I felt sorry for him. He left before I did, and when I was through eating, I drove toward the Park-and-Ride that we had directed him to. It was closer than I thought, and I didn’t see him. I had been feeling bad, so I was glad he found the place without too much more effort. Another time I was tempted, I saw a 25-ish hippie-looking man and a baby, with a gas can in his hand. His truck was up the street. He was not hitch-hiking. I guess I might be a good samaritan one of these days, but I’m pretty chicken. You never know!
I picked up a hitchhiker last summer. I was going on a 3 hr roadtrip and across the street from the gas station in my town, I saw a hippie-ish looking guy, mid-20’s I’d guess. He was holding a sign with the name of a town i was going to go through anyway so I offered him the ride. He was pretty cool and was company for part of my drive. Of course, my children were not with me, I would not dream of picking up a hitchhiker with them in the car.
Helluvalot, if he decides to knife you. Unless, that is, you believe in reincarnation.
I have never picked up a hitchiker, too chicken I guess. With my bf though I have picked up ppl with car trouble and countless stray animals on my own. I have never hitched but have on two occasions taked rides with people while accompanied by a friend. Not smart but hey I was 14 or 15 who is, at that age.
I would pick Elvis up.
I have never picked up hitchhikers. Probably might pick up Elvis, Jesus Christ…
All I can say is thank goodness no one has made the “Chesty Long-legged Blonde in Hot Pants and Halter Top and Spike Heels Eating the Popsicle” joke. Thank goodness.
Mr. C,
I’d say that the vast majority of hitchhikers are just looking for a ride. In all the times that I’ve hitched, not once have I been suddenly possessed by the urge to kill someone at random. I don’t believe that being a hitchhiker automatically makes someone a dangerous person. Now, I will grant that I am a lot more trusting than most people. Not everyone can be as fortunate or lucky as I have been.
Yeah, Ike. Thank goodness no one’s brought that up.
I agree with you totally, Tymp. I’m one of those that prefers to err on the side of caution 
'Sides, I know that I’ve had those thoughts before!
I typically pick up hitchhikers when I see them. Not a big deal to me. It probably also helps that I am 6’3", 265 lbs. and not very physically intimidated. If anyone were ever to try anything funny, I have this fancy scenario all worked out in my head (of course, it could wind up getting me killed). For those of you who pick up hitchhikers, think to yerselves: How often do you see them wear a seatbelt? In the 50 or so that I have picked up, only 3 or 4 have put their seatbelt on. Now, I just figure that if someone decides to try and pull something with me, that I can try this. Out of nowhere, just stomp the breaks. At the same time, reach behind him and shove his head/face forward into the windshield. Problem solved, other than the resulting mess. I can’t see why it wouldn’t work, because you’d definitely catch the guy completely off guard.
Now, OTOH, if they put their seatbelt on AND want to stab me, I’m probably in a world of trouble. But I guess I can live with those odds.
mouthbreather,
That tactic might be effective if your guest decides to get funky once you’re already in motion. I don’t think many car jackings happen this way because the driver is definitely in control when the car is moving. Hell, I’d be willing to run my car off a cliff rather than let somebody seize control. The problem comes when your guest decides to attack you before you’ve started moving. In that situation, it’s a straight fight from a seated position - not a good situation. Now, you can always do something crazy later if the assailant allows you to stay behind the wheel, but, chances are, he’s gonna leave you on the side of the road, dead or alive, and make off with your car.
Tymp, I agree to a point, but I guess you are thinking more about a gun, and I am thinking more about a knife. A guy who shows a knife before he gets into my car sure as shit ain’t gonna make it into the front seat with me. Now, if he has a gun, I’m pretty much hosed any way you look at it.
However, I’ll still probably take my chances. Most of the folks I have picked have been very friendly and appreciative. Although one time, I did have to kick one guy out of my car for being a racist prick.
So I pick up every one I can manage to. Not particularly smart on my end, but I haven’t gotten hurt yet. And I am the chesty blond in a halter top eating a popcicle. Some of them I take an hour, some only a few miles, but its my version of living dangerously. If I have the kids (my little sisters) in the car all bets are off. I’ll ‘risk it’ with a stranger when the stakes are just my life and my car, but my baby sisters? Not a chance.
shh… don’t tell my mom.
I wouldn’t ever pick up a hitchhiker if I were driving by myself. However, I have stopped and waited by the side of the highway with someone whose car slid out of the road into a ditch. If I had seen the accident happen and she wanted a ride to the next town, I’d probably take her.
My husband and I picked up 5 hitchhiking teenagers one night last winter. They looked cold, we had the space, and the chances of all five of them getting a ride together if we didn’t take them was pretty slim. I was against it but he’s got more faith in humanity than I do, I guess.
I’d be more likely to pick up a female hitchhiker than a male one. Sounds like I’m not alone in this 
I picked up my psychologist who was on the side of the road. She needed a ride to the gas station. That was pretty safe.
The big concern is that there might be someone who appears ‘safe’ to take & as soon as they get in, their friend runs out of the bushes & gets in too.
I pick up the ones who don’t send “bad news” signals to the ancient middle part of my brain, the part that reacts to smells and such. I used to hitch a lot when I was between 16 and 25, and continue to think of myself as a person who would do that to get from one place to another if no more convenient method presented itself.
Statistically, I’ve heard that they are taking a far bigger risk on you than you are with them, although I’m a little unclear on how they assemble their stats.
I’m torn between asking what you do with them when you’re done taking them for an hour and asking where the heck do the chesty blonds get their popsicles from…
::hitching to another thread::