Used to live in New Zealand, where hitch hiking is fairly common. People see a guy in his twenties with his thumb out, and instead of thinking "psycho", they think "trying to get home to visit mom". I got rides with a priest, a police man, a mom with her two young kids in the car, the CEO of the national electric company... the list goes on. Met some great people. Got invited into their homes for dinner. But that was New Zealand. The US is a much bigger and much less trustworthy nation.

I don't hitch myself here, and I pretty much only pick up people in ski towns on the way to the mountain. In Snowmass, if you have 4 or more people, you don't have to pay to park at the base of the hill so a hitch hiker or two can be a real money saver.

In Australia its pretty common, especially from foreigners. I pick them up maybe 20% of the time... they're usually good for a yarn.

I know a bloke that picked one up 100kms north of Perth (West coast) and took him all they way to Melbourne (East coast) which is about 4 days drive away.

Interesting - my old man doesn't pick up hitchers who aren't walking and hitching because he thinks they should be making some effort to get there themselves.

no
 

I think it went out in the early eighties, although I really know nothing.

I hitchhiked a lot ten or so years ago. Mostly to and from and in between concerts. Found most of my rides in the parking lots but occasionally found myself walking when a ride didn't work out. I've stood under those signs that forbid picking up hitchhikers because of a nearby prison and gotten rides. Never stuck out my thumb or anything, just walked and collected rides. Sometimes I walked a long-ass way.

I usually pick 'em up too. I won't pick up old people or anybody sitting on their ass on the side of the road. Never had a bad experience picking one up - quite a few crazy but harmless guys that didn't really know where they were going or where they were. Had quite a few fucked up experiences getting rides, including speeding drunks, violent rednecks, and a bearded lady that couldn't keep her nasty hand outta my pants.

I've also gotten written warnings from police who then leave you standing on the side of the same freeway they just tried to ticket you for walking along. Fucking geniuses.

As for my personal experience with it, I've only actually been picked up once after my car broke down. And that was from someone I knew. When they picked me up it was about a block from where I wanted to go anyway. I appreciated it though, they said they saw me walking when they drove by earlier.

I'm suprised. I'd never pick up anyone I didn't know I don't think. Unless I felt particularly compelled to help them. I do believe I would pull over to help some woman to change a tire, but besides that, they're on their own.

Just too risky. I usually carry a lot of cash, and I have a lot of valuable crap in my car (stereo, CDs, etc), so its not worth it.

I've hitch-hiked and/or picked up hitch-hikers between Quebec City and Montreal a bunch of times. Had some odd experiences, but never unpleasant ones. I've never picked up some one by my self, and have only been picked up solo. No problem. Usually everyone just splits the gas.

Also in this little farm town in Jersey, a huge national trail runs through that people are often waiting by the road on. With a three mile walk to the market. I pick those people up all the time. They've been walking a long way and have a long way to go still. What ever I can do.

I'm very curious about that Cuban thing too.

-bear