A Poll, who picks up hitchikers?

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Brandon-

climber

The Granite State.

Topic Author's Original Post - Sep 22, 2014 - 09:10am PT

I've hitched thousands of miles and got by on luck and charisma and kindness. There were certain rides that I've declined or asked to be dropped off, but for the most part I've really enjoyed hitching. I've met some amazing people from Alaska to Panama to Maine.

Part of me says that my success hinges on my good but not too good looks (tongue in cheek, I'm ugly as sin). Another part of me says that I'm just extraordinarily lucky.

The realist in me says that a kind demeanor coupled with a healthy dose of realism will keep me safe in all but the most dire and extreme circumstances.

Here in NH, hitching just isn't a thing and I don't encounter hitchers very often. Sadly, when I do the dude is pretty sketchy looking and I drive by.

It seems that the days of just sticking your thumb out and meeting cool people is dead on the east coast. Sad, because new acquaintances are great.

So, who picks up hitchikers and what are your criteria for stopping?

Also, I know that hitching has been previously discussed.

The Larry

climber

Moab, UT

Sep 22, 2014 - 09:14am PT

I hitchhike and pick up hitchhikers if they don't look sketchy. Never had a problem either way.

survival

Big Wall climber

Terrapin Station

Sep 22, 2014 - 09:15am PT

Brandon, I also hitched thousands of miles as a youth, so I felt I owed something back.

As I became a vehicular pilot, I picked up hitchers all the time. Paid my debt.

Once I started having kids in the car all the time, my ride giving got less and less.

Reilly

Mountain climber

The Other Monrovia- CA

Sep 22, 2014 - 09:20am PT

Brandon, how does yer charisma get you a ride in the first place?

Picked up a dude hitching to Kings Canyon a couple of years ago.
Cost me about $20 in air fresheners over the next couple of months. WHOA!

anita514

Gym climber

Great White North

Sep 22, 2014 - 09:27am PT

Never hitched but have picked up hitchhikers. As long as they don't look sketchy, but I always had someone else in the car with me.
On my own, I don't think I would. Maybe in the Gunks where people often look for rides from town up to the cliffs, etc.

Dapper Dan

Trad climber

Menlo Park

Sep 22, 2014 - 09:30am PT

I used to always pick up hitchers coming out of Yosemite . Someone always need a ride down into the Central Valley...if they looked like I could take 'em in a brawl , I'd pick them up ... never hitched myself though .

Mungeclimber

Trad climber

Nothing creative to say

Sep 22, 2014 - 09:31am PT

Several a backpacker looking for a ride out of the Valley is about all I do anymore. One backpacker out of JTNP (climber/desert soujourner type).

Mostly good peeps.

Had a nice valley local give Gomz a ride to his rig when we came off Zodiac in the middle of the night.

Mostly I see them in the foothills of the Sierra, and the 'tweaking' look is very apparent and avoided.

mouse from merced

Trad climber

The finger of fate, my friends, is fickle.

Sep 22, 2014 - 09:33am PT

I ain't a-saying you treated me unkind:
You passed me by just like you were completely blind.
It was your choice to make, it wasn't mine
So don't think twice, it's all right.

RyanD

climber

Squamish

Sep 22, 2014 - 09:33am PT

Not every single one I see, but yes I regularly do.

SC seagoat

Trad climber

Santa Cruz, or In What Time Zone Am I?

Sep 22, 2014 - 09:43am PT

Hitching was the primary way we got around in college...and maybe a Greyhound. But that was many decades ago. I will pick up hitchers if I am with someone and we are around a camping/climbing/hiking area and that looks like what they are doing.

Susan

limpingcrab

Trad climber

the middle of CA

Sep 22, 2014 - 09:44am PT

Yup, if I have room and my family isn't in the car. It's pretty much always just in the mountains or the parks.

I've hitched a fair amount and really like it but sometimes it takes forever to get picked up.

Picked up a dude hitching to Kings Canyon a couple of years ago.
Cost me about $20 in air fresheners over the next couple of months. WHOA!

Ha! The stinkiest guy I ever picked up was on the way to Kings Canyon and my wife had to sit by him in the back seat because a friend called shotgun. She's still mad about that one.

HighTraverse

Trad climber

Bay Area

Sep 22, 2014 - 09:52am PT

Hitching was the primary way we got around in college...

My first "serious" girlfriend and I met the day after Kent State at the campus demonstration. That summer we hitchhiked for about three weeks from Salt Lick City out to San Francisco, hung out for a few days in Marin and Bolinas, then hitched down to Laguna Seca in a race car van, camped at the races. Then back up and over the Sierra via Yosemite, down 395 and finally back to Happy Valley. We had a wonderful trip.

I'm picking up mouse this afternoon. I expect he's scarier than any other hitchhiker I've ever picked up.
Who can vouch for him?
Am I Gonna Die?

Reilly

Mountain climber

The Other Monrovia- CA

Sep 22, 2014 - 09:59am PT

Am I Gonna Die?

I've $20 that says yer gonna die...

laughing.

stevep

Boulder climber

Salt Lake, UT

Sep 22, 2014 - 10:06am PT

As others have said...it depends.
In the winter here in SLC, there are often folks hitching up and down the canyons to the ski resorts. If I'm skiing by myself, I'll usually pick people up. If I'm with my daughter, I won't.

In other situations, it depends entirely on how sketchy the people look.

The Larry

climber

Moab, UT

Sep 22, 2014 - 10:08am PT

I picked this dude up a few weeks ago. He was picking up trash on river rd. He was trying to explain how you can understand messages from ripples in other people's brain waves.

Peter Haan

Trad climber

Santa Cruz, CA

Sep 22, 2014 - 10:09am PT

I will often pick up hitchers. If they look interesting, reasonable and safe, that is.

HighTraverse

Trad climber

Bay Area

Sep 22, 2014 - 10:11am PT

From the Way Back Machine (about 1973). I picked up Wavy Gravy one night in a Santa Cruz Mts winter hurricane and took him to where he was crashing.
But that's a longer story for another day.