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Scott
storyteller
Username: Scott
Post Number: 2146
Registered: 5-2003
| | Posted on Sunday, November 11, 2007 - 3:45 am: |     |
I don't hitch hike much but have in the past. Today, I watched a well dressed woman with a back pack hitchhiking at a bus stop. She was obviously late, in town, and not some psycho. I was stuck at a red light with a small accident. For 10 minutes no one picked her up. I couldn't believe how cold people are! This is totally unacceptable behaviour. Might I mention that there was a slight drizzle too.
I turned the corner finally and the a uturn and picked the woman up, asked her where she was going. She was going to work, first day and got the Saturday bus schedules mixed up. She said no taxis had passed her either.
Where are people's heads? Are we so self-absorbed that we won't help our fellow person anymore?
Disgusted.
Scott
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Ces gens, Jondalar, ils sourient. Ils me sourient. - Ayla |
Annie
storyteller
Username: Annie
Post Number: 2158
Registered: 5-2003
| | Posted on Sunday, November 11, 2007 - 4:26 am: | |
The not-my-problem mentality is more prevalent in big cities to be sure, but there is another side to the coin.
I used to hitchhike when I was in the army, as did just about everybody - army bases are mostly stuck away in goshforsaken holes, and bus service is usually lousy.
I have never tried to hitchhike before or since - it's just not done around here. This is because of the danger of kidnappings. Soldiers hitchhiking are tolerated, because everybody knows the bus problems, plus they are usually traveling in groups, and at least one of the group is armed - but civilian hitchhiking is very much frowned upon. I don't really approve of picking up civilian hitchhikers either, particularly young ones, because by doing so you're teaching them that hitchhiking is an option to be considered, and it's a habit that's very easy to grow into - free travel, fun, etc.
Of course we have dangers here that Canada probably doesn't have,  but still hitchhiking is never really quite safe. You may not have terrorists, but there will always be various psychos.
Chess is the purest form of debate, unadulterated by a topic. |
Angakuk
flint knapper
Username: Angakuk
Post Number: 737
Registered: 6-2005
| | Posted on Monday, November 12, 2007 - 12:56 am: | |
I used to do quite a bit of cross country hitching. When I was going to college in Minnesota ('73-'77) I regularly hitched out to California and back for Spring break. No car, little money and a closed campus during break made it practically a necessity. I never had a problem or even a really scary moment, but I often did wonder why in the world some of those people stopped to pick me up. It appears that there are a few truly compassionate people in the world. I don't very often pick up hitch-hikers today, not out of fear, but because there just aren't very many people hitching rural Iowa roads.
Despite my overall positive experiences with hitching, it is not something that I would recommend to people today. There certainly are risks and I think they are greater today than they were 30 years ago.
When I was growing up in San Diego (my father was in the Navy) my mother would routinely pick up sailors who were hitching rides from the base into town. I don't believe she ever did the same for a civilian hitching. However, on those occasions when I was a college student, and they knew I was on the road, my folks would stop and pick up hitch-hikers. Sort of trying to balance out the karma I think.
Anyway, I have to say that I treasure my memories from those times on the road. I had some wonderful experiences, met some great people and learned a hell of a lot about life.
I do have one fairly recent hitch-hiking story. I ran out of gas on my way to a wedding, so I began walking and hitching the remaining 3 miles to the town where the wedding was to take place. Despite that fact that I was wearing a suit, complete with clergy collar, car after car passed me by. Finally, someone who knew me personally stopped and gave me a ride. The moral to this story? If you are going to hitch-hike a military uniform trumps a suit and a clergy collar any day of the week.
To dare is to lose one's footing momentarily; not to dare is to lose oneself.
- Soren Kierkegaard
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Scott
storyteller
Username: Scott
Post Number: 2152
Registered: 5-2003
| | Posted on Sunday, November 18, 2007 - 5:26 am: | |
I agree Annie, Canada has few of the dangers that say Israel does with regard to hitch hiking. But while hitch hiking may not be the best way to get around, what is wrong with people that they won't pick up someone, in obvious need of help, in the rain?
I picked up a lot of people hitching off the local reservation into town - cars being a luxury way out there. Some scared me (hygiene), but by far most were just like me, bathed and normal and needing a ride.
Are the risks greater or are more people hitch hiking or are "bad" things being reported more Angakuk?
I wouldn't pick up clergy either - think of the risk I might be to them, converting them to FICAS! That just wouldn't be right somehow!
Scott
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Ces gens, Jondalar, ils sourient. Ils me sourient. - Ayla |
Angakuk
flint knapper
Username: Angakuk
Post Number: 742
Registered: 6-2005
| | Posted on Sunday, November 18, 2007 - 5:55 am: | |
Scott,
I don't know that the risks are actually any greater today than 30 years ago. I think that they probably are, but that is really nothing more than speculation on my part. It is also my perception that there is less hitching than there once was. That it is less socially accepted today.
To dare is to lose one's footing momentarily; not to dare is to lose oneself.
- Soren Kierkegaard
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