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Hitch hikers - do you ever pick them up?

Jim Gazebo

There was a great thread here not more than a couple of hours ago about whether you pick up hitch hikers or not? Not sure why it's gone.

Wanted to reply to a particularly funny one about a lad living off land in moll's gap! I don't pick them up personally as only lads I see are on small back roads out the back of Limerick and that. Not interested in them.

Your stories below please!

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Apiarist

I have not seen many hitchhikers in Ireland actually. I would usually stop to pick up a hitchhiker though. Last time it was few years ago in Wicklow a couple of joggers asked for a lift. One of them had a trouble with a knee and could not run, so I dropped them to where their car was parked in Enniskerry. Not much of a story!

SmartinMartin

That was me dropped the lad off up the gap. When I asked him about food, all he said was he couldn't light a fire because the rangers would find him.
Wonder what happened the other thread?

Feisar

I do but it's for selfish reasons, due to work I can be on the road a fair bit. I like chatting to random folk and seeing what makes them tick.

andekwarhola

What's with so many threads being deleted?

heldel00

Husband used to until one left a wet patch on passenger seat.

SmartinMartin

heldel00 wrote: »

Husband used to until one left a wet patch on passenger seat.

Is that what he told you?

One eyed Jack

Not the heavier ones, you’ll put your back out trying to pick them up.

branie2

Rodin

Never ever.

mr_fegelien

I was picked up when in 5th year back in 2015 by a lady in her 20s who drove me to school. The 7b bus failed to stop, so she asked me to get in her car and drove me to the entrace of my school and then drove to work as it was on the N11 in Stillorgan.

Plumbthedepths

I once gave a hitchhiker a lift, after a while he turned to me and said " you know I could be a serial killer" I turned to him and laughed saying " the odds of two serial killers in the same car at the same time was astronomical".
True story

bodhrandude

I've hitched all over the country for years going to Fleadhs and music festivals, just myself, tent, bodhran and rucksack. Some of the smaller festivals can be difficult to get to in the midlands, if travelling from Galway, but I bussed part and hitched the other half at times and its still not too bad, sometimes a wait but as long as I can get to Kinnegad or Loughrea, I can catch the Citylink to Galway.

Gynoid

I feel inclined to, as I hitched all over Europe for years. Once hitched from the Irish midlands to southern Turkey. Ireland was always harder to get a lift in. But as a lone female driver I am too nervous to pick up hitchers. Himself picks them up to pay back all the lifts we ever got. Last nights pickup was stunningly drunk and frighteningly loud, smelly too apparently, and had to be taken miles out of his way down boreens in the distant hills. Im so ungracious these days that my only thought was, Great, now I have to sit in the vague residues from that drunk when we go out today.

In Germany they have a brilliant formalised hitching system called -wait now while I make an arse of this spelling - Mitfarheng - apologies. One can book long lifts in advance, and give an agreed amount to fuel. My kids use it. Good idea.

AlphabetCards

I have twice in Ireland and both times they were utter oddballs, so I don't bother anymore.

Shutuplaura

Used to be a lot more common. Even did it myself. Not seen anyone doing it in ages though. Would assume it was someone caught out in some way so I probably would stop, unless I didn't like the look of them.

biko

I picked up an old fella about two weeks ago.
He was only going a couple miles down the road.

somesoldiers

Never see many hitchhikers except one smelly local lad that I’d never pick up but I would regularly pick people up on my way to work that I know are walking to the bus stop and drop them there

Eggs For Dinner

I never give hitchhikers a lift, but I broke my own rule one day many years ago. I was travelling along the N11, 5 miles outside Gorey at around 10am. It was absolutely bucketing down and I passed a little old dear thumbing at the side of the road. I passed her by and headed on up the road. Of course, conscience got the better of me and I turned around to pick her up.

Me: I'm heading to Gorey missus, do you want a lift?
Her: God bless you son, I urgently need to get to the chemist, I'm quite bad today

Obviously, I'm feeling pretty good about myself as we pull up at the traffic lights in the middle of Gorey, so I go for more brownie points

Me: It's still lashing down missus, which chemist and I'll drop you at the door.
Her: You've been heaven sent to me mister but here is fine. I'll get out here.
Me: I won't hear of it, which chemist?
Her: No you're alright
Me: I insist
Her: Would you ever f**k off you interfering old bol**ks

With that she hobbled out of the car, slammed the door and straight in the door of the main early house in the town

amadangomor

Stopped for two French lads last year they were going to Galway and were doing it as a challenge/were on a very tight budget.

They were planning to go on the lash in Galway though so I'm not sure saving 20 quid on the bus fare wold get them too far in terms of a weekends drinking in Ireland. I suppose a few extra pints!

Sonics2k

Yeah I do now and then. The odds of there being two serial killers in the car are pretty low I figure.

heldel00

SmartinMartin wrote: »

Is that what he told you?

I handed that one to you!
Smelly people is also another reason that he stopped picking up hitchhikers. Some were just too smelly.

Danzy

Pick them up but never drop them off.ðŸ€

s7ryf3925pivug

To get between where I live and the major towns and Limetick city, you need to go down winding narrow roads with no pavement that are treacherous to cycle or walk on. The public transport is abysmal, one bus a week. So sometimes you see people hitchhiking at one end or the other. I always feel a bit bad when I drive past them.

[Deleted User]

If you go across the pond to visit, I would not recommend picking up hitchhikers, or hitchhike yourself. According to the FBI crime reporting database:
From 1979 to 2009, there were 675 reported victims of sexual assault and murder along Interstate Highways. Although in fairness this could represent a small number of incidents, why play the odds?

Oasis1974

One time in my youth I got a spin from a sound guy but he actually had twine for seatbelts. I can't remember the car make but it was close to a banger. He decided half way to light up a spliff and then ask me did I mind waiting because he wanted a few pints in a pub before Cork. I said no and told him I'd get out to hitch another lift like i said really nice guy but you were at the mercy of who would pick you up.

amadangomor

Black Swan wrote: »

If you go across the pond to visit, I would not recommend picking up hitchhikers, or hitchhike yourself. According to the FBI crime reporting database:
From 1979 to 2009, there were 675 reported victims of sexual assault and murder along Interstate Highways. Although in fairness this could represent a small number of incidents, why play the odds?

A friend told me a story of when he was driving with a couple who were friends of his in California. The couple had a bad domestic and she said let me out and so the man did and drove a couple of miles down the road and when calmed a bit turned to go pick her up . When they arrived back to where she was dropped off a man was trying to drag her into his car. He saw them and sped off.

Scary story, more scary for me was that my friend and the couple didn't bother their holes reporting it!!

Mrcaramelchoc

andekwarhola wrote: »

What's with so many threads being deleted?

Mod pms

_Brian

I used to but never any more.

Maybe I’m just getting old and suspicious but any hitchhikers I see really look like they are straight out of a Stephen King novel.

MLC_biker

Living in West Cork, I would pick up as public transport isn't great and people have given me lifts. Will pick and choose, and drop people on my route, not bring them to their destination

FluffyTowel

Haven’t picked up any, but have been the hitchhiker twice. First one was after a wedding in Galway where we missed the bus to the train from a B&B in some remote place in the backend of nowhere. Ah - memories of the driver trying to feel me up while my friend was getting sick out the window in the back.

The second one wasn’t as pleasant.