Do you pick up hitchhikers?

4T5 · 27 Aug 2012 at 10:44

ElliorR · 27 Aug 2012 at 11:01

4T5 said:
The original Hitcher trailer

Thank you for not linking that piece of crap remake.

dowie · 27 Aug 2012 at 11:34

only once - was climbing in Scotland with my dad and there was another mountaineer hitching a lift at the side of the road - was clearly just wanting a lift back to his hostel as the weather had turned bad so not much risk.

don't think I'd do it usually

Conscript · 27 Aug 2012 at 11:36

Funnily enough I saw a young couple hitching the other day, standing at the Gravesend junction of the A2 holding a sign for Dover. Did make me wonder if I'd stop for someone. If I was heading to Dover on my own and had enough seats, then maybe I'd have stopped.

Energize said:
I don't think in my entire life I've ever come across one.

You probably need to stop for them first.

Zing!

Hades · 27 Aug 2012 at 11:38

Generally no. The risk is too high. If it's a bloke then you could get robbed. If it's a girl then you could still get robbed or she could be a nutter and accuse you of all assault.

I've only taken pity on a hitch hiker once. He was a student who had back packed around europe and was on his way home. He asked me for a lift at a motorway service station and I agreed. But I wouldn't do it again because he absolutely stunk once he got in thecar.

SixTwoSix · 27 Aug 2012 at 11:38

I was actually under the impression it was illegal to hitchhike and in turn, pick up hitchhikers in the UK.

Don't know why I thought this, guess it's one of those things you get told when your younger and no one has ever said otherwise til this very day

naefeart · 27 Aug 2012 at 11:38

I've thought about it, but then I watched 'There's something about Mary'. I don't even slow down now.

Van Hellseek · 27 Aug 2012 at 11:45

Why are people claiming danger as a factor?

Don't recall any incidents of hitchhiker related killings recently, or even at all for that matter.

I reckon your brains have been compromised by hollywood. In reality it's no less risky for the poor guy doing the hitchhiking. Maybe YOU are the crazyperson.

Freakbro · 27 Aug 2012 at 11:48

Van Hellseek said:
Why are people claiming danger as a factor?

Don't recall any incidents of hitchhiker related killings recently, or even at all for that matter.

I reckon your brains have been compromised by hollywood. In reality it's no less risky for the poor guy doing the hitchhiking. Maybe YOU are the crazyperson.

I was thinking exactly the same, is there any data about murders/rapes from hitchhiking?

It's probably more dangerous just to be driving the car in the first place than picking up a hitchhiker

Hades · 27 Aug 2012 at 11:49

Moses said:
Is that based on anything objective, whatsoever... or is it merely a perception?

Perception. I don't want to put myself in a position where I am alone in a car with someone I don't know. It's similar to my house; I wouldn't let someone into my house unless I had a fairly good idea of who they were and what they were there for. My car is no different.

HAz · 27 Aug 2012 at 11:50

maybe if she was fit.

[FnG]magnolia · 27 Aug 2012 at 11:55

fifov said:
I remember hitching in Europe with a female friend from uni, would always send her out to get people to stop before I popped up out of the bushes, she always seemed to get more success at getting people to stop

robgmun said:
If i saw that i'd just speed off, not sure the drivers appreciate being conned like that either.

Yeah, no one likes their rape plans disturbed :mad:

Hades · 27 Aug 2012 at 12:27

Moses said:
k... so the risk isn't too high... you think the risk is too high.

Yes absolutely. As we traverse life each of us needs to make our own decisions. My decision on the matter is that I perceive there to be a risk that I don't need, and don't want, to expose myself to. The risk is incredibly small. But I choose not to expose myself to it unnecessarily. I cannot base this on statistical fact but simply on many years of wandering through life.

Meridian · 27 Aug 2012 at 12:29

Out of interest, can anyone point to any verified story of a hitch-hiker in the UK attacking the driver? Seriously? As for risk, the risk you are taking by driving is vastly higher than the risk of attack.

The two reasons I never bother are: 1) you almost never see them, and 2) they're always wanting to go somewhere else.

M

Theophany · 27 Aug 2012 at 12:39

Meridian said:
Out of interest, can anyone point to any verified story of a hitch-hiker in the UK attacking the driver? Seriously? As for risk, the risk you are taking by driving is vastly higher than the risk of attack.

The two reasons I never bother are: 1) you almost never see them, and 2) they're always wanting to go somewhere else.

M

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/4386446.stm

Only one I could find, everything else seemed to be hitchhikers being attacked rather than the other way around. Although I did find a stat from the FBI that in 40 years, 459 people were killed by hitchhikers. Statistically, just driving is orders of magnitude more dangerous.

Puzzled · 27 Aug 2012 at 12:49

Never

I don't often travel that far so not much point, however when I do see them they always seem to be waiting in stupid places where you couldn't even stop if you wanted too.

Van Hellseek · 27 Aug 2012 at 12:49

Hades said:
Yes absolutely. As we traverse life each of us needs to make our own decisions. My decision on the matter is that I perceive there to be a risk that I don't need, and don't want, to expose myself to. The risk is incredibly small. But I choose not to expose myself to it unnecessarily. I cannot base this on statistical fact but simply on many years of wandering through life.

You've probably got a greater risk of harm/death by walking down your local highstreet on a saturday night.

[FnG]magnolia · 27 Aug 2012 at 12:51

~! STRANGER DANGER !~

Kenai · 27 Aug 2012 at 12:54

Van Hellseek said:
You've probably got a greater risk of harm/death by walking down your local highstreet on a saturday night.

And he probably perceives that risk to be balanced by his need to walk down the high street for a particular reason, such as going to a shop, or meeting his friends, whereas as he doesn't perceive the risk of letting a random person in his car to be balanced by the ... well, there is nothing to balance it really, maybe a sense of self satisfaction due how wonderful you are.

It's all a risk assessment - you balance the potential negatives with the positives that result from the action. I struggle to think of any real positives that result from taking a risk with a hitch hiker, who knows, maybe you'll meet the love of your life?

Van Hellseek · 27 Aug 2012 at 12:56

Kenai said:
And he probably perceives that risk to be balanced by his need to walk down the high street for a particular reason, such as going to a shop, or meeting his friends, whereas as he doesn't perceive the risk of letting a random person in his car to be balanced by the ... well, there is nothing to balance it really, maybe a sense of self satisfaction due how wonderful you are.

Love how you make helping another person about your own ego.

Is it not possible to do it because, well, they need help?