Hitch Hikers

There was a Star Market in my hometown when I was a kid. Then Loblaws came in across the street and lasted a year. My mom said their prices were too high.

Shortly after Loblaws closed Star Market became a Super Duper or IGA, I can't remember which. You took me back with that reference.

Research reminds me: It became a Bells.

 

@A Bug
Actually I hardly ever see people hitchhiking. I am more apt to see people stranded on the highway due to their cars breaking down. I usually call 911 to get help for these individuals.

The rare time that I actually see a hitchhiker, I also call 911 to get HELP for that individual. The hitchhiker often does not have to worry about people or animals attacking him or her.

However, the hitchhiker could be extremely hungry, dehydrated, or in serious need of medical attention. This is why I call 911 when I see a hitchhiker, which is rather rare.

God bless every American and their families! God bless the U.S.A.!

 

Or they could be trying to live their parents' stories of traveling by hitch hiking. It's no more dangerous now than it was then.

 

@A Bug
I have never been on youtube.

I do not call 911 unless it's an emergency or a potential emergency that concerns an individual who is in serious need of help, (physical safety or medical).

Craziness going on at McDonalds with their McNuggets is NOT an emergency to call the the 911 dispatchers about.

HOLY MOSES!!

God bless every American and their families! God bless the U.S.A.!

 

Someone hitchhiking is not an emergency. If someone needs help that badly they will find another way to get the attention of drivers rather than stick out their thumb or hold up a sign saying Denver CO.

 

I used to hitchhike quite a bit about 4 or 5 years ago, it actually wasn't as bad as it sounds. I even hitched down to the solar eclipse last week since I didn't want to be more of a traffic burden (not surprisingly, got picked up by a bunch of hippies for that).

Of the 500 or so rides I've gotten, only two truck drivers, each one speaking foreign languages (one I know was Romanian) to somebody on the phone practically the whole way.

Of course I was doing it voluntarily, some people aren't so lucky... so for those of you calling 911, I don't blame you at all. Once the local cops know I'm doing ok, they go on their way, or sometimes take me a few miles towards where I'm going.

Biggest danger (for me being a bigger guy) was the heat, and people picking me up drunk driving. One guy might have had his car keys thrown into the grass when he passed out in a rest area....

 

Hitch hiking is a perfectly acceptable way to get around in Hawaii. Not everyone is out to get you... I've never had an issue.

 

You are right dean ...I hadn't seen one in a long time till early this evening .
There were 3 of them standing on 80 wb at North Platte in front of the Nebraska dept of roads building ..did a double take !
NSP im sure was along shortly to check em out .
I've only picked up 1 and she had ditched her car on an icy road in Illinois in the late 80s ...I took her home to her house in farmer city ill and her hubby was grateful .

 

I have twice in two years but those were under different circumstances. The first one was a mom, dad, and a daughter that decided to ride their bicycles up Loveland Pass and I was sitting at the second pull off area on the south side from the top doing work. This is in late July. It dropped about 30 degrees in less than 20 minutes and started to sleet. They had just made it to the top when it started to sleet on them. They pulled up next to the trailer and went under it for protection from the elements. I went back there cause they were in riding shorts and told them that they could climb into the cab to get warm if they wanted too. My work and time was coming to an end at the top and I told them that I had to get going back down the hill and that they had two choices, they could ride down the hill or I could give them a ride to the bottom. They choose to take the ride as it was still sleeting. We strapped their bicycles to the trailer and down the hill we went. I stopped at the Keystone Ski area and dropped them off where their car was.

The other was a no brainer. I watched a pickup pulling a trailer roll over on the Alcan highway 20 miles from the Canadian border in AK in Feb of last year. All three guys in the truck were not seriously hurt. I sent the other truck I was traveling with ahead to call the police and after 45 minutes of no one showing up I told them that I could drop them off at the gas station that was by the border and for them to grab what was most important to them and hop in. I dropped them off and before I left the Border Guards were already on their way to the gas station to help.

Other than that I don't make it a habit of stopping to pick people up.

 

There is an exception to the unauthorized passenger rule...and your examples illustrate that exception nicely.

"No written authorization, however, shall be necessary for the transportation of:

(2) Any person transported when aid is being rendered in case of an accident or other emergency;"