I think you answered your own question..... hitchhikers don't want to get murdered by weirdo's that pick them up, and drivers don't want to murdered by weirdo's that they pick up. I think it's known as a Mexican Stand Off....... or common sense.

You may find yourself scattered across half the Continent?

I was reading an article about hitchhiking and a lost national past time and I was thinking to myself

Say what?

Even as a kid I never understood the sense of doing that. If you got allot of miles between you and your destination you better have a bike.

I road half of Long Island on a bike in a hour... well maybe a quarter.

More people die playing golf than are taken by sharks, etc.....and it serves them right for such bad dress-sense...

Well... I guess I should go hitch hiking then.


I still won't do it dispite the statistical probability of being hurt. Its just wierd!

I have always found it wierd. I didn't quite understand why some people liked it.
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I've thought about hitchhiking across canada. I figure I could take my guitars with me, and earn money in towns to pay a little for my rides.

Fresh out of Army AIT at Ft. Knox, KY, I had to hitchhike the last 200 miles home as my "ride" decided to take another route so as a result some pervert picked me up and in 50 miles decided I had to "pay" for the lift as he began to grope my leg. Military reflexes shoved my elbow into his jaw and I heard a loud pop. He quickly pulled over and before things got real ugly, I grabbed my gear and bolted.

But then some nice old couple picked me up and took me within 10 miles of my destination.

I never hitchiked again.

In my wild youth, I picked up a few hitchhikers on the freeway. I had a flashy red convertible sports car. But, they never gave me any trouble. Probably because I was more crazy than they were at the time. Needless to say, the world has become more crazy and I have mellowed considerably. So, I don't do that anymore.

I hitched across the States two times, with no trouble... 'course that was in 1960. Jack Kerouac's novel On the Road had a lot to do with it. After a decade of Cold War and McCarthy, the hippie generation began first by moving onto the road, in the late 50's and early '60's. We had blind faith in each other. Anyone under 30 was safe, and worthy of respect. That lasted until 1969 and Altamont.

So... Im the oldest person here, probably by a decade

ya. jack did it so thats what makes me believe a lot of other people just want to travel and not give people trouble. but you never know...

Jafo wonders just how old fIvE sPiDeRz really is...if he's a decade older than 'anyone'....
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I used to hitchhike all the time. I think it's a matter of saavy and common sense. Don't accept the ride if you feel uncomfortable.

On the other hand, I've met some interesting people and gotten places I wouldn't have been able to otherwise. Memorable examples are a spring break in Washington's San Juan Islands, hitching from ferries to campsites and back and touring Nat'l Parks in Utah, hitching rides between. Also used to often hitch to and from work, when working hours that buses didn't run.

One downside is the common belief that a hitcher is not actually someone in need of a ride, but actually "looking for a good time" Had a couple misunderstandings of that vein. Biggest problem I ever had, though, was with the police - certain municipalities are less friendly to folks just passing through.

I wouldn't hesitate, even today, to try and hitch a ride if the need arose. But I am male, and confident of my own safety. I understand how folks wouldn't themselves hitch or pick up riders.

but we didn't have to worry to much about nut cases wanting to murder us or anything back then

...do you really think things have changed? As far as I'm aware, the murder rate per 1000 etc hasn't changed that much (at least, not in rural areas - cities figures do tend to be skewed because of other crimes/drug related deaths)...but what has changed a lot is the public's perception of these risks.