Would you ever pick up a random hitch hiker?

Under Lights · May 19, 2016, 10:14:50 AM

Something I have never done on account of not wanting to be murdered.

You don't see as many people thumbing lifts nowadays anyway.

Regale of times where you have picked someone up and what you have learnt.

I'm bored at work this weather.

Clov · May 19, 2016, 10:30:47 AM

I hitchhiked everywhere when i was in my teens and twenties - all over Ireland, Britain, to France, New Zealand, Japan. Great way to see the world. I had great experiences and met lots of very interesting people along the way. Never felt in danger. The worst that happened was getting stuck once or twice in the middle of nowhere.

I did notice over the years that it got harder. All the bypasses that went up in recent years it made a bit more tricky finding a good spot. And as i got older people (in urban areas especially) seemed to find it stranger - why wouldn't i take a bus?

If i drove i would give a lift certainly.

Esmarelda · May 19, 2016, 10:52:22 AM

As opposed to a hitch hiker you knew?

Asal Mor · May 19, 2016, 10:55:43 AM

Hitch hiked loads when I was younger and would pick up anyone now, as long as they're clean and don't look like they would stink out the car, which rules out some of the locals around West Galway.

laoislad · May 19, 2016, 10:58:48 AM

Depends on how big her boobs were.

seafoid · May 19, 2016, 11:12:45 AM

I would

Under Lights · May 19, 2016, 11:22:45 AM

Quote from: Esmarelda on May 19, 2016, 10:52:22 AM
As opposed to a hitch hiker you knew?

I think that would just be classed as giving someone a lift.

screenexile · May 19, 2016, 11:28:34 AM

Wouldn't pick up anyone unless I knew them

Esmarelda · May 19, 2016, 11:47:23 AM

Quote from: Under Lights on May 19, 2016, 11:22:45 AM
Quote from: Esmarelda on May 19, 2016, 10:52:22 AM
As opposed to a hitch hiker you knew?

I think that would just be classed as giving someone a lift.

Exactly. I was wondering what the difference is between a random hitch hiker and one that isn't random.

AZOffaly · May 19, 2016, 11:49:38 AM

If you know them, they aren't random. If it's a stranger it's random.

I have done it before, but it's not something I'm very comfortable with. Then again I remember hitching up to Tullamore from Limerick years ago for matches and stuff, and I depended on the kindness of strangers then.

Tony Baloney · May 19, 2016, 01:22:49 PM

We used to "thumb it" loads as kids and teenagers but it isn't something you see much of now. I have actually been thinking about this a bit as 2 instances gave me cause to think about it.

About 6 months ago a fella was standing outside Portadown thumbing a lift in the direction of Armagh so I stopped and lifted him. Regretted it as he stank of stale booze and just in general. He told me he was out the night before with some boys he met in a hostel and when he woke up his phone and cash was gone so he had gone to report them to the police. Now I was giving him a lift to Armagh "to sort this fella out"! Couldn't wait for him to get out to be honest but felt sorry for him as he was Fermanagh and apparently fell out with the oul boy and seemed to be drifting about.

Second instance was a girl about 2 months ago and there was a young girl about 15/16 walking along the main road between Armagh and Milford (probably not even a mile) and it was absolutely bucketing out of the heavens. I drove past her and thought about stopping and reversing back but when I noticed her age I drove on. Felt like a rat afterwards as years ago I would have stopped - times have changed! What would youse have done?

AZOffaly · May 19, 2016, 01:26:25 PM

I wouldn't have stopped unless I knew her and her parents very well. It's sad but you just cannot give a child a lift, on your own, these days. The GAA advise against it in their own code of conduct for example.

No wides · May 19, 2016, 01:26:34 PM

Unfortunately I would have drove on as well, I did give two girls a lift once, well when I said a lift I was getting into my car and both jumped in and said will you give us a lift, they were in their twenties or so I started to drive and said were are you going, they said just take us somewhere - I took them about 10 yards and told them to hit the road.

general_lee · May 19, 2016, 01:49:52 PM

Childhood holiday en route to county Cork, my aunt behind the wheel in her in her mkii vw polo and yours truly busting for a piss in the back. She goes to pull in somewhere in Limerick or Tipperary, to let me piss by the side of the road, oblivious the oul doll hitch hiking right in front of us. Yer wan comes over and I wonder why this stranger is getting in the car. She was duly dropped off a few mile down the road after my aunt (biggest snob going) tried to explain the real reason she had pulled in

laoislad · May 19, 2016, 01:55:37 PM

There used to be a quare wan that lorry drivers would pick up on the old Dublin Cork road called Monica...
Plenty of guys knew her pretty well....