Would you ever pick up a hitchiker?

[OpiesOldLady]

Or would you hitch?

Just curious as I'm in the middle of a 250 mile joirney that i do several times a month, usually on my own and it gets a bit boring and monotonous on my own.

As a 17 year old i hitched from Hungary back to the UK, and it's a wonder i didn't end up dead in a ditch somewhere. I was very lucky indeed that most of the people that picked me up were friendly but it could have ended very badly. I certainly wouldn't want my child to do something like that.

However, i got to thinking that if I did see a hitchhiker i probably would offer them a lift. What about you?

I've hitched and picked up hitch hikers too, but not for about 25 years. I wouldn't do it now.

Using an official car-sharing app like BlaBlaCar would be better. You get some company and can split petrol costs.

I hitched for a short journey once in Norway and it was fine. Also picked up a female Norwegian student on the Isle of Skye (this was with my husband) but I wouldn't pick up anyone on my own.

I’ve never hitched myself but I’ve twice picked up a hitcher.

Once, many years ago, with my then boyfriend on the way home from a rave. He was going to a seminar at our local uni. He’d flown up from down south and decided to relive his youth and hitch.

Second time I was on my way home from a night out, car full of people, almost home and we passed an older lady walking along a very dark road. I dropped everyone off and went back to check she was ok. She was meant to be staying with her friend but there had been some kind of argument between friend and her husband so she felt she had to leave. She was attempting to walk 15 miles home at 2 in the morning. I ended up taking her home, didn’t feel right just leaving her. She was so grateful.

Yes. This is the real sharing economy, not Uber-style taxis. I give lifts whenever I can,
But it's more difficult to hitch these days in Europe, with all-motorway interchanges meaning that a motorist can't drop hitchers in the best location.
I've hitched in 5 continents in my youth, with no nasties but one or two dodgy incidents which make good stories.

I have picked up lots of hitchhikers, also offered rides to people walking on busy roads but not hitchhiking. It has always been fine.

I was about to say “No, never” but then I remembered once in Zambia we were walking home across town and accepted a lift in the back of someone’s pick-up for a mile or so. It was broad daylight and there were a bunch of us in there, so pretty low-risk (aside from the obvious risk of riding unsecured in the back of a truck ).

I was leaving a playgroup once in the pouring rain and a very elderly man asked if I would drive him down to the local garage to pick up his car. I didn’t have the heart to say no (and I was pretty sure I could take him if it came to fisticuffs).

My parents used to do it all the time (pick people up) but they were from a generation to remember car ownership as not for everyone. I have hitched in the past, wouldn't now because hardly anyway does so feels more likely only odd people would pick you up?

We picked up an English couple walking back to town from a small beach in Greece recently. They were in their 60s I'd say, English so we had a chat. You could see they weren't psycho killers. I think follow your instincts.

God no. I'll leave that to the many grizzled lorry drivers on the roads

My mum used to hitch to and from university with her brother, but never alone, back in the 60s. Different times, maybe. But I don't think she'd have been happy with me hitching as a student!

As a young woman I once picked up a couple who'd broken down late at night. I was alone. As they approached the car my entire life flashed before my eyes but all was well. If it had been a man or woman alone I don't think I'd have done it.

Now I'm just too scared. I have ds to look after. It's a huge shame as it makes travel much more accessible but im not going to do it.

No

I've hitched with my sister in a few countries when we were 16/20 and I also give lifts. When I'm on my own I'll call my husband to let him know what I'm doing. I've met some great people and some ones that life is being pretty cruel to, including butchers who have been spat at just for standing at the services with a sign. I have also given strangers free accommodation via Couchsurfing and some people would think I'm a lunatic but I have met some wonderful people. I feel obliged to share my own good fortune - there's a quote isn't there about building bigger tables rather than higher walls? Old hippy that I am...

Butchers??? Hitchers!!!!

Nope, I've seen enough horror movies to know that you don't pick up hitchhikers, you don't go down in the basement when you hear a noise, and you stay away from creepy looking cabins and abandoned hospitals.

Not on my own no but if I was with someone else I might.

Hitchhiking? This is Mumsnet, where many posters don't even answer their own front door!

Yes. But with some points to put it into context.

I'm a man so less worried about strangers attacking me.

I tend to only pick up professionals or groups.

I wouldn't stop for a lone woman if I was on my own.

I don't pick up crusties.

Usually my wife is with me and she's also prone to picking up people, sometimes they're not even hitching. Two weeks ago I got in the car to find a young girl in the passenger seat. My eye had seen her walking down a road with a heavy suitcase and thought she must be going to uni so was taking her to the train station

@CrowleysBentley - ah the chance I'd pick someone else who's a serial killer is remote

My dh and I were walking in Derbyshire and we had come down into the wrong valley. Couldn't go back, so had a long walk back along roads. Tried to hitch but no one stopped, so did that long walk
Have given lifts to single hitchers before but only with dh in car. But not for many years.

I don't pick up crusties

Why?

No

@catalystc

Past experience. I hate being lectured about being an evil capatalist while giving someone a lift. Also, crusties are not famed due their hygiene

I have picked people up in the past. I lived in a mountainous area with lots of off piste snowboarders. Would pick up boarders who'd ridden down and then needed a lift back up the pass to do it again as we were headed up. They often had really good weed on them (we were backcountry skiiers) so they'd get a lift back up and we'd get to smoke up in the car park and then go ride ourselves. Win-win.