When was the last time you picked up a hitcher?

nice_guy80

Picked up two lads in Moycullen yesterday on the way into Galway for the evening.

They said it was hard to get a lift.
I spent my youth hitching lifts all over Ireland. Before the motorway network it was nearly quicker to thumb than to get a bus Eireann bus

When was the last time you picked up a hitcher?

cajonlardo

Always did give anyone a lift but haven't seen any in a long time. Last one was about 3 years ago. An older guy - maybe in his 70's. He was sitting on a wall and just stuck his thumb out. Wanted a lift to roundwood " to visit the church...." I told him I'd be going back that way of he wanted a lift home but he said he'd be "quite a while" Didn't know what to make of that so changed the subject

Oliver Beetroot

Never but I rarely drive outside Dublin.

Trojan

Yesterday. His story was that he's a retired guy who had lived in Oman for years, just moved back here recently and doesn't have a driving licence.

The previous guy was 3 weeks ago, a farmer who went to the shops and wanted a lift part way home. Don't know why not driving.

Previously, 3 or 4 months ago, two young lads with a rake of beers on them around 8pm. They were happy out. Must have spent the taxi money on cans.

I often stop because I had to hitch a fair bit when I was younger. I'm a big enough guy so I don't mind doing it. It might make up for some of the folks who are uncomfortable with stopping for - what's to them - a scary looking person.

I still take a good look at the hitcher before deciding though. If they're particularly rough looking I'll pass on it and leave it to someone who knows them.

punisher5112

Use to but ran out of body bags.

SimonLynch

Frequently when i'm down in Wexford and Kilkenny, half of them won't have a chat but the other half make it worthwhile. Generally wouldn't give a lift to anybody under about 40yo though

aujopimur

Only young wans waving their nickers.

NIMAN

Maybe about 6 or 7 years now. It was a young girl and her ma at the side of the road, as their car had broke down.

I would be reluctant to now to be honest, the world turned into a strange place over recent years, I would hate for someone to make accusations about me or even have evil intentions themselves. That guy who picked up Rutger Hauer thought he was doing a good turn!

AgileMyth

Couple of years ago, mostly driving motorbikes and two seater vans since so rarely an option.

Ended up having to hitch back to my car after moving a boat for someone recently. Was a long time waiting on a fairly busy road. Eventually picked up by an absolute gentleman who went out of his way to bring me to my car.

fineso.mom

Gave a lift to two Dutch backpackers who were walking in the pouring rain from Farranfore airport to Killarney. Had a great chat about the Irish /English road signs. Lovely young fellas. I only picked them up cos there were two of them and I figured murderers would hardly go to the effort of carrying massive backpacks.

Supergurrier

Never would unless it was an emergency, too many insurance implications if anything happenned.

Widdershins

A few years ago. A German woman on her holidays, needing a lift to town which was an hour down the road.
I probably won't do it again. You never know with people.

bren2002

Supergurrier wrote: »

Never would unless it was an emergency, too many insurance implications if anything happenned.

What do you mean?

Haven't picked up a hitchhiker in years but i could go 12 months without seeing one. It's usually the tourist areas- Killarney/Connemara etc that you'd see them. I prefer backpackers as they tend to be very grateful and willing to talk.

Supergurrier

Supergurrier wrote: »

Never would unless it was an emergency, too many insurance implications if anything happenned.

I never thought of that- surely they're just treated as a passenger if anything happened?

dar100

No Larry Murphy went and ruined it all

dmc17

Deleted User wrote: »

I never thought of that- surely they're just treated as a passenger if anything happened?

What would happen if your passenger got terrible neck pains after a minor accident?

Bazzy

About 8 months ago

Myself and the brother we're coming back from a funeral in Dublin was a fairly normal drive I got a bottle of wine in the enfield services , we decided to stop in Athlone for Grub

We picked up a German couple of hitchhikers we had a rake of stuff in the boot so they had to take there back packs in the back

We had savage crack between Athlone and Galway polished off the wine and stopped for another , they were camping as they had very little money so it was nice to help them along the way

I live in very rural ireland so its common enough over here you'd always see someone with the thumb out

Atari Jaguar

[Deleted User] wrote: »

I never thought of that- surely they're just treated as a passenger if anything happened?

Mhm. But that passenger could mysteriously end up a cripple after you got rear ended. Frail craters as they are.

nice_guy80

Supergurrier wrote: »

Never would unless it was an emergency, too many insurance implications if anything happenned.

did you ever thumb a lift?

TherapyBoy

About 15 years ago, a few friends had rented a house for the summer in Ennistimon & were down there working, drinking & living the life. Myself & 2 other Dubs drove down to them and spent a week or so sleeping on their couch/floor/kitchen table.

One of the days the three of us drove out to see the Cliffs of Moher. Afterwards, as we were coming out of the carpark my front seat passenger spotted 2 backpackers, a young couple, with thumbs out at the side of the road. We had a quick conversation between ourselves, decided we would be safe enough & I pulled the car over to the side near them. They jumped in, one either side of my backseat passenger, and we took off back towards Ennistimon.

We asked them where they were from (Poland), what they thought of Ireland (lovely!) & all the other stupid questions people ask tourists. We eventually got around to asking their names.

"Peter" (or the Polish equivalent) replied the young guy.
"Ah that's funny.." said backseat passenger Billy, "..my Dad's name is Peter."
We turned to the young girl,
"My name is Barbera" she said.
"Eh.." said Billy, "..that's my Mother's name!"

We were so excited at the coincidence added to the fact that these were our first hitchhikers that before we got much further down the road we had invited them to a house party that night, offered them food & drink & to put them up for a few nights of beer & banter, I think we might have even offered them a lift back to Dublin. They seemed slightly apprehensive but were happy enough to play along.

We reached Lahinch not long after & had to stop at a set of traffic lights. As soon as the car rolled to a halt both back doors opened suddenly and our Polish friends had vanished, deciding to take their chances away from the crazies no doubt!

After being dumped unceremoniously by my first 2 hitchhikers, I've never had the courage to try again. The heart can only take so much :P

Voodoomelon

Strangely enough there's often hitchhikers along the Dublin road in Dundalk, but they're always so dodgy looking I keep on driving. Shame to judge a book by its cover and all that, but there's a difference between folks with backpacks and the like and others who look like they're drunk or stoned.

Kopparberg Strawberry and Lime

Maybe ye folk can answer me a question

As a bus eireann driver i drive bus routes which stops more or less anywhere for anyone

But one that always got me was the odd person standing on the kinsale road only a few meters from the bus stop trying to thumb a lift but when he sees the bus he pulls back and waves to say no thanks ?

Is this just people trying to be cheap ?

There were other times id be coming out of somewhere like cahir and see a bloke holding a sign saying cork only to head it when i come along in a bus with Cork on the front of it !

In both instances these people had shopping etc with them so not back packing or the likes.

Kopparberg Strawberry and Lime

Kopparberg Strawberry and Lime wrote: »

........

Is this just people trying to be cheap ?

.............

I'd say there are lots of folk that might struggle if they were spending a few euro on buses. Mightn't be " trying to be cheap" in all cases.

No doubt some prefer to keep the money for pints too.

Atari Jaguar

Ah I wouldn't say they are cheap. The reason they hitch a ride is because the people who stop are heading that way and won't look for payment. They might be a bit out of sorts and not have enough money to be paying bus fares, if that wasn't the case they'd hardly stand for hours trying to hitch a ride.

vintagevrs

I pick up hitchers the odd time. One time about two years ago I was driving home on a national road and it was almost completely dark and there was a fella in the hard shoulder walking with the thumb out. As I barely could see him I figured it would soon be impossible to see him and he would have no chance of a lift so I jammed on the brakes and lifted him. Got chatting and it turned out he had just been released from prison and was thumbing home! Anyway, didn't get into what he was locked up for in case he mentioned what he did the last time he was thumbing.

I ended up dropping him to the door of the house. As he had been released from prison early, he figured his luck was in, so he bought a lotto ticket that day before I lifted him. When he was getting out of the car he said sure if he wins he would split the winnings with me. I landed into work the next day and all the chat was about the winning lotto ticket being bought in the local shop, which was the same town your man said he was in earlier that day. I never heard from him again....:(

Henry Ford III

c. 1985

biko

2 weeks ago when herself and me was going back to the city from Ardrahan. Picked up a girl because it was freezing out.
When I lived in Connemara I often gave lifts to people going into the city.

cletus

You see fewer and fewer people thumbing these days. I used to do it a bit when I was younger, so I'd usually stop for people, but the last one was last summer.

I've often offered lifts to people walking in the rain with shopping or whatever, sometimes they're very grateful, sometimes they're very apprehensive (cant blame thrm I suppose), but I spent enough time walking and cycling in the rain before I had a car, so I'd always offer

_Kaiser_

Never have and doubt I ever will. While the vast majority of them may be genuine, I just wouldn't take the risk.

biko

All the horror stories I have heard are of the hitcher getting into trouble, not the other way around.

There are some ****ing freaks out there: Polish guy stabbed while sitting next to attacker's kids.

colm_mcm

It's a good 13 or 14 years since I picked up a hitch hiker I'd say. You don't see them as much these days.

harr

Used to years ago...but insurance claims have made me wary....local scum bag here tried it a few times where he would hitch a lift and get a mate up the road to stop suddenly...insuring the car he was getting a lift in had to break suddenly....he claimed off two different people....normally strangers who wouldn't know him... funnily he was killed in a car accident a few years back...

Ursus Horribilis

I did once about 20 years ago but it was an old lady I knew to see. Other than that one time, I have never ever given a hitcher a lift. It'd be madness to let a complete stranger into my car. I also don't want to leave myself exposed to legal proceedings should I crash the car while carrying them. I have never hitched a lift in my life either and would never do so even if I had no car.

CJhaughey

I've given plenty of people lifts, had some funny people some weird.
One guy was telling me about speaking in tongues, I told him I didn't know what it was and wasn't really interested in mumbo jumbo.
Found out later he was just out of a mental hospital.
I'd size the person up first before giving them a lift, but wouldn't be too worried about someone trying something most people are sound and you meet some interesting characters that have a good story to tell.

Nomis21

I have hitch-hiked in at least 15 countries and nearly always do it for the fun of doing it. Many of my overseas trips have been hitch-hiking holidays in Europe, Australia and even in India. I have hitch-hiked to arctic Norway 3 times.

Some of my most unusual hitch hiking experiences were in Australia, including a fire engine with blue lights flashing on its way to a bush fire and a freight train that stopped for me near Orange in Victoria state and took me 3,000 kms to Perth.

But the most memorable hitching experience was the first time I came to Ireland. I was living in London in the early 80's and was standing at the beginning of the M1 motorway at Staples Corner trying hitch up to Scotland. A truck stopped that had an address in Northern Ireland plastered on its side, so when the driver asked where I was going, I took advantage and said " Northern Ireland". He said "It's your lucky day, that's where I'm going"

It wasn't my exactly my lucky day as in London, we didn't give 'The Troubles' much attention and I found myself deposited in Derry with a not very useful London accent. I was fortunate to meet up with a young Swiss guy who was just about to have his car blown up by the bomb squad for parking in the wrong place and we decided to drive into Donegal together. Not realising that he was supposed to stop at a military checkpoint we came within seconds of being shot when he slammed the brakes on at the last moment. My London accent probably saved my life at that point.

30 years on and Ireland is my home and I still hitch hike everywhere, but none of the rides these days have been nearly as exciting.

nice_guy80

Nomis21 wrote: »

I have hitch-hiked in at least 15 countries and nearly always do it for the fun of doing it. Many of my overseas trips have been hitch-hiking holidays in Europe, Australia and even in India. I have hitch-hiked to arctic Norway 3 times.

Some of my most unusual hitch hiking experiences were in Australia, including a fire engine with blue lights flashing on its way to a bush fire and a freight train that stopped for me near Orange in Victoria state and took me 3,000 kms to Perth.

But the most memorable hitching experience was the first time I came to Ireland. I was living in London in the early 80's and was standing at the beginning of the M1 motorway at Staples Corner trying hitch up to Scotland. A truck stopped that had an address in Northern Ireland plastered on its side, so when the driver asked where I was going, I took advantage and said " Northern Ireland". He said "It's your lucky day, that's where I'm going"

It wasn't my exactly my lucky day as in London, we didn't give 'The Troubles' much attention and I found myself deposited in Derry with a not very useful London accent. I was fortunate to meet up with a young Swiss guy who was just about to have his car blown up by the bomb squad for parking in the wrong place and we decided to drive into Donegal together. Not realising that he was supposed to stop at a military checkpoint we came within seconds of being shot when he slammed the brakes on at the last moment. My London accent probably saved my life at that point.

30 years on and Ireland is my home and I still hitch hike everywhere, but none of the rides these days have been nearly as exciting.

I've had plenty of rides more exciting... maybe not hitching though

Anyway, picked up another lad today. Going into Longford to do some 'shopping'. He was clearly going doing something else.
I didn't mind. Passed 10 minutes for me.

AMKC

Nomis21 wrote: »

I have hitch-hiked in at least 15 countries and nearly always do it for the fun of doing it. Many of my overseas trips have been hitch-hiking holidays in Europe, Australia and even in India. I have hitch-hiked to arctic Norway 3 times.

Some of my most unusual hitch hiking experiences were in Australia, including a fire engine with blue lights flashing on its way to a bush fire and a freight train that stopped for me near Orange in Victoria state and took me 3,000 kms to Perth.

But the most memorable hitching experience was the first time I came to Ireland. I was living in London in the early 80's and was standing at the beginning of the M1 motorway at Staples Corner trying hitch up to Scotland. A truck stopped that had an address in Northern Ireland plastered on its side, so when the driver asked where I was going, I took advantage and said " Northern Ireland". He said "It's your lucky day, that's where I'm going"

It wasn't my exactly my lucky day as in London, we didn't give 'The Troubles' much attention and I found myself deposited in Derry with a not very useful London accent. I was fortunate to meet up with a young Swiss guy who was just about to have his car blown up by the bomb squad for parking in the wrong place and we decided to drive into Donegal together. Not realising that he was supposed to stop at a military checkpoint we came within seconds of being shot when he slammed the brakes on at the last moment. My London accent probably saved my life at that point.

30 years on and Ireland is my home and I still hitch hike everywhere, but none of the rides these days have been nearly as exciting.

Some of my most unusual hitch hiking experiences were in Australia, including a fire engine with blue lights flashing on its way to a bush fire and a freight train that stopped for me near Orange in Victoria state and took me 3,000 kms to Perth.

All I can say is Wow a freight train and 3000 kms wow. Curious did he just see you walking and stop or did you just decide to thump the train to see would it stop. Id say that driver had some stories to tell.

Lovely city Perth.

vicwatson

fineso.mom wrote: »

Gave a lift to two Dutch backpackers who were walking in the pouring rain from Farranfore airport to Killarney. Had a great chat about the Irish /English road signs. Lovely young fellas. I only picked them up cos there were two of them and I figured murderers would hardly go to the effort of carrying massive backpacks.

Yeh, massive backpacks full of body parts more like

Autosport

No I don't give lifts to strangers, too dangerous nowadays with insurance and the likes

Toots

I don't know if I've ever even seen a hitcher - maybe saw one once or twice as a child. I'd certainly never pick one up, I'm sure the vast majority are genuine, but to me it's not worth the risk.

Nomis21

AMKC wrote: »

Some of my most unusual hitch hiking experiences were in Australia, including a fire engine with blue lights flashing on its way to a bush fire and a freight train that stopped for me near Orange in Victoria state and took me 3,000 kms to Perth.

All I can say is Wow a freight train and 3000 kms wow. Curious did he just see you walking and stop or did you just decide to thump the train to see would it stop. Id say that driver had some stories to tell.

Lovely city Perth.

Well it didn't exactly stop for ME. I was hitching in a car that dropped me at a rail crossing where the train was stopped. I got out of the car and asked the guard who was at the back of the train if I could travel with him and he just casually said, "Sure, you can have that bed there" and he pointed to one of the two beds in the carriage. I spent ten days on that train as it give way to the "Indian Pacific" trains that run daily in each direction along the single track line. We stopped in small sheep stations in the middle of the Nullarbor where the guard would often spend an hour or two walking along the mile long train and back again to visit the driver for a while. A truly epic and unplanned journey through the bush of Australia.

Nekarsulm

About six weeks ago. Elderly woman with shopping bags. Glad to let her out two miles up the road. Every second word out of her mouth was a curse. F'ing this, that and the other. I only lift people who are actually walking at the time, at least you know they want to get to where they're going....

Nomis21

The hitch hiker is actually the one who faces the biggest risk. Many people used to stop for me just to show off their cars and how fast they could drive them.

One of the fastest rides I ever had was South of London when I got a ride in a Ferrari Enzo. Within seconds the G forces pushed my head to the back of the seat and glancing at the speedo I saw we were doing around 160 miles per hour on the M23 motorway just outside of Gatwick airport.

The driver dropped me off just a few minutes later. He obviously had got his amusement from frightening me to death but didn't want my company all the way to Brighton, probably because I recognised that he was Eric Clapton.

greenflash

I was driving back to Dublin from Cork at night about four years ago. I saw a bloke at the J8 services slip with his thumb out. He hopped in and told me he was from Aberdeen and been on a stag do in Tipperary - chosen because "It's a Long Way to Tipperary". His mates had abandoned him in a field with nothing but the clothes he was wearing and headed back to Dublin to catch the ferry. I dropped him in Dun Laoghaire at 3am and gave him a tenner for food. I've always felt his story was a load of bollix as he didn't seem to be too worried about getting back for the wedding the next day... which was supposed to be his and there were a few other things that just didn't add up but I wasn't murdered so no harm done.

Duke O Smiley

I accidentally hitched a lift in Wrocław in July...if that counts :P

nice_guy80

Duke O Smiley wrote: »

I accidentally hitched a lift in Wrocław in July...if that counts :P

happened me a few times when I was younger.

not in a foreign country though

Gumbo

I've never done it. Don't think I could either.

Nomis21

Why not?

M7roadrunner

Nomis21 wrote: »

Why not?

He's got no thumbs.