Hitchhikers - are they all ax-murderingly crazy - or just misunderstood

I Heart Internet · 22-03-2012 12:51PM #1

The petrol scam thread on here at the moment got me thinking about hitchhikers. That, and I passed one (a very well dressed woman in her 50s) yesterday. I've never picked up a hitchhiker. But I always feel that I should and feel bad about it afterwards.

I would genuinely like to give people a lift if I could but there's always a part of me that says they'll be ax-murderers or worse, have terrible BO.

But then I guess the people hitchhiking are in the same boat (so to speak), they don't know who's car they're getting into.

What are people's experiences of picking up hitchhikers or hitchhiking themselves.

MagicSean · 22-03-2012 12:52PM

There's an e in axe.

neil_hosey · 22-03-2012 12:54PM

i picked 2 up in lucan because i was lost when i had 2 friends in the car when i was 17. First car and was driving to maynooth to fish the canal.

They were the 2 weirdest ****ers i had ever met in my life. One was asleep within 5 minutes. The other sitting right behind me talking about weird shít, wit me shíting myself that he was going to wrap a rope around my neck.

never again.

Fluorescence · 22-03-2012 12:55PM

People seem much happier to give lifts to hitchhikers in the countryside. Not so much around the big towns or cities...

seamus · 22-03-2012 12:55PM

Well you know that if someone is hitchhiking that they're going to be a little bit odd. Because you have to be an odd person to stand at the side of the road begging for a lift.

From what I understand, it was a fairly common thing to do in the wesht in the 70's, 80's and 90's to hitch yourself to/from the nearest town as most drivers would be someone who knows you, but nowadays only people who don't want to pay or who can't afford a bus are going to hitch.

admiralofthefleet · 22-03-2012 12:56PM

they're not all murderers, some are merely rapists

MrStuffins · 22-03-2012 12:57PM

MagicSean wrote: »

There's an e in axe.

Who ax'd you?

Immaculate Pasta · 22-03-2012 01:01PM

They're just misunderstood. People are too paranoid and scared of strangers these days thanks to the information age and sensationalist media. :cool:

hondasam · 22-03-2012 01:02PM

It's rare you see people hitching now, odd few. I have done it myself long time ago and I have picked people up, I would judge them by what they are wearing and think ya there are ok.

SEPT 23 1989 · 22-03-2012 01:05PM

Years ago there used to be lines of people at Newlands Cross holding up cardboard with their required destinations written on them

syklops · 22-03-2012 01:08PM

Surely for a hitch-hiker to be an axe murderer, he would have to be wielding an axe?

So don't pick up the ones with axes.

Well you know that if someone is hitchhiking that they're going to be a little bit odd. Because you have to be an odd person to stand at the side of the road begging for a lift.

I used to live 30 mins from Galway city and there was only a bus once every hour. So if I missed it, I would stick the thumb out. Got a lift most days before the next bus came. To be avoided during winter though.

elvis99 · 22-03-2012 01:12PM

I hitchhike to college when I'm really broke great way to get around when I'm desperate, and ya meet some really cool people, in return I'd be the first person to pick up a hitchhiker except of course if there scummers or crazy looking.

22-03-2012 01:17PM

I picked up one along the way last week. He was hitching a ride home after being brought to the hospital in my locale the previous day. An old-timer he was, unkempt, by his own admission a demon for the drink and was just a step above homeless living in a halfway house. It was a grounding, poignant experience that could easily turn into a tl:dr here. Apart from him I've seen a few around lately, people will always need to get from A to B whether they haves the means or not. Thankfully i'm not quite there yet myself:o

I Heart Internet · 22-03-2012 01:18PM

hondasam wrote: »

It's rare you see people hitching now, odd few.

I've seen much more in the last few years.

Some I immediately regret not giving a lift to. Like the girl one morning - ridiculously hot and in the tightest green pants I've ever seen.

Of course we all remember what happened Stephen Brennan in Glenroe when he stopped to pick up a good-looking girl.

MrStuffins · 22-03-2012 01:21PM

I Heart Internet wrote: »

I've seen much more in the last few years.

Some I immediately regret not giving a lift to. Like the girl one morning - ridiculously hot and in the tightest green pants I've ever seen.

Of course we all remember what happened Stephen Brennan in Glenroe when he stopped to pick up a good-looking girl.

He pulled a muscle in his back?

hondasam · 22-03-2012 01:22PM

I Heart Internet wrote: »

I've seen much more in the last few years.

Some I immediately regret not giving a lift to. Like the girl one morning - ridiculously hot and in the tightest green pants I've ever seen.

Of course we all remember what happened Stephen Brennan in Glenroe when he stopped to pick up a good-looking girl.

There are a few more now all right.

Stephen Brennan Glenroe ? no idea sorry.

My name is URL · 22-03-2012 01:23PM

You're far far more likely to be murdered while just normally going about your day than you are by a hitch-hiker. There's also evidence which suggests that you're less likely to be involved in an accident while carrying a hitch-hiker.

Penn · 22-03-2012 01:26PM

Only rule I really have is that if the hitchhiker is just standing with their arm and thumb out, they're not getting a lift. If they're making an effort to at least walk to their destination while looking for a lift, I might pick them up.

vicwatson · 22-03-2012 01:27PM

Bunch of crusties - get a job and pay your own way - Bah!

Peetrik · 22-03-2012 01:33PM

It was a very common practise where I grew up. I lived 4 miles from the bus stop and it being Ireland, chances were it would be raining. I would regularly hitch to the bus stop and when I got old enough to drive I would regularly give lifts to other hitchhikers I saw.

As was said though, it was usually from other locals who recognised me, worst thing that every happened to me was a twenty minuite lecture on letting Jesus into my life... ugh.

I Heart Internet · 22-03-2012 01:33PM

hondasam wrote: »

Stephen Brennan Glenroe ? no idea sorry.

Stephen Brennan gave a lift to a group of girls who turned out to be skangers down from Dublin. They mugged him and beat him up and (I seem to remember) attempted to put make-up on him. For a stiff-upper lip fella like Stephen it was too much to bear. He had to let on to everyone that it was a group of fellas that attacked him.

Come to think of it.....this is probably the main reason I don't give lifts to strangers - enforced transvestism.

CardBordWindow · 22-03-2012 01:39PM

I only ever hitched once. Had my thumb out for about 30 seconds, and both cars that passed me stopped!

A friend of mine,Bill, was hitching in Galway a few years ago, and was picked up by a drunk-driver!! They guy was so hammered, that Bill had to take the wheel. The drunk guy, once in the passenger seat, then fell asleep and couldn't be woken, so Bill ended up bringing him to a hostel, as he couldn't find out where the guy lived!

Moral of the story: It's not just hitch-hikers that can be nutters.

hondasam · 22-03-2012 01:39PM

I Heart Internet wrote: »

Stephen Brennan gave a lift to a group of girls who turned out to be skangers down from Dublin. They mugged him and beat him up and (I seem to remember) attempted to put make-up on him. For a stiff-upper lip fella like Stephen it was too much to bear. He had to let on to everyone that it was a group of fellas that attacked him.

Come to think of it.....this is probably the main reason I don't give lifts to strangers - enforced transvestism.

Oh ok, I never seen glenroe, I now think I have missed out on something great.

I Heart Internet · 22-03-2012 01:43PM

hondasam wrote: »

Oh ok, I never seen glenroe, I now think I have missed out on something great.

The Tallifornia of our youth.

gamgsam · 22-03-2012 01:46PM

I hitchhiked from Falston Maryland to Lynchburg Virginia (nearly 250 miles) after my leaving cert. I met some odd odd people, and I'm sure I was perceived as an odd person just as frequently. Fairly hard to get a lift thumbing in the states, most lifts were organised on craigslist beforehand, however a good few were got by normal hitchhiking. One of the best things I ever did. The blarney stone isn't a patch on the lesson in gabby I got

johnners2981 · 22-03-2012 02:05PM

When I was younger I was getting a lift home with my aunt and we see some hitchhiker on the road. She asked if I knew him and I say yes not thinking she'd stop but she does, she pulls in a bit ahead of him.

I can see the guy running up to the car and that's when I tell her I've never seen him before, you should of seen the look of pure horror on her face and just when the poor bastard reaches the car she speeds off

Nothingbetter2d · 22-03-2012 02:09PM

admiralofthefleet wrote: »

they're not all murderers, some are merely rapists

some are greedy fecker and do both... Larry?

Nothingbetter2d · 22-03-2012 02:10PM

hondasam wrote: »

Oh ok, I never seen glenroe, I now think I have missed out on something great.

nope ya didn't....glenroe was crap... full of bogmen in wellies

Pompous · 22-03-2012 02:16PM

I went hitchhiking along the west coast a couple years ago, trying to get to the Rossport Solidarity Camp. People were fairly quick to give a lift, about 30-50% of people would stop, and me and my friend looked like a couple of weirdo hippies. One guy even gave us a lift across a fiord in his row-boat! People on the west coast are friendly. City people, not so much.

Beruthiel · 22-03-2012 02:23PM

seamus wrote: »

Well you know that if someone is hitchhiking that they're going to be a little bit odd. Because you have to be an odd person to stand at the side of the road begging for a lift.

I'll have you know Mister, that I'm not the remotest bit weird!
Back in the 80's, having feck all money, I hitched everywhere down the West.
To night clubs in other towns, cinema, visit friends.
When I moved to Dublin, I'd hitch home to see the Auld Pair.
In all the lifts I got, not one of them was weird.

castletownman · 22-03-2012 02:26PM

My brother regularly plays a game whereby he stops a couple of yards ahead of a hitch-hiker and then speeds off as soon as they arrive to the car. Never gets old

Hitchhikers - are they all ax-murderingly crazy - or just misunderstood

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