Hitchhikers (driver, phone, high school, 70s)

[dukester2]

Some of you may have seen or heard about this, but if you are ever thinking about hitchiking, this may scare you off. It gave me chills!!

This happened about a month ago just outside of Cocodrie, a little town in the bayou country of Louisiana, and while it sounds like an Alfred Hitchcock tale, it's real.

This out of state traveler was on the side of the road, hitchhiking on a
real dark night in the middle of a thunderstorm. Time passed slowly, and no
cars went by.
It was raining so hard he could hardly see his hand in front of his face.
Suddenly he saw a car moving slowly, approaching and appearing ghostlike in
the rain. It moved slowly, and silently crept toward him and stopped.

Wanting a ride real bad, he jumped in the car and closed the door; only then
did he realize that there was nobody behind the wheel, and no sound of an
engine to be heard over the rain. Again the car crept slowly forward, and
the guy was terrified, too scared to think of jumping out and running. The
guy saw that the car was approaching a sharp curve, and still too scared to
jump out, he started to pray and begging for his life; he was sure the ghost
car would go off the road into the bayou, and he would surely drown! But
just before the curve a shadowy figure appeared at the window and a hand
reached in and turned the steering wheel, guiding the car safely around the
bend. Then, just as silently the hand disappeared through the window and the
hitchhiker was alone again!
Paralyzed with fear, the guy watched the hand reappear every time they
reached a curve. Finally the guy, scared near to death, had all that he
could take and jumped out of the car, and ran to town.

Wet and in shock, he went into a bar, and with voice quavering, ordered 2
shots of whiskey, and told everyone about his supernatural experience.

A silence enveloped and everybody got goose bumps as they realized the guy
was telling the truth (and not just some drunk).

About half an hour later, two guys walked into the bar, and one says to the
other,"Look Boudreaux, ders dat idiot dat rode in our car when we wuz pushin
it in da rain."

[mainebrokerman]

Originally Posted by dukester2

MBM, I always enjoy your lines from the old songs Do you read much of Stephen King? His style involves slipping an occasional line from a song in here and there.

i have to admit,,i dont read much stephen king,,tho i like most of his movies.

as far as songs go,,,i grew up in the 70's listening to a.m. music (now called "oldies") i love classic rock,,and many now called "Oldies" ..
hearing or thinking of an old song,,often conjures up ,,nostalgic memories,,, as in the song,,hitchin a ride, by vanity fair,,i remember that as if it were yesterday,,playing on the cars radio,,i was 8-9 years old,,,heading for the beach at the lake,, same with hundreds of others,

someone asked me a week ago,,if i remembered being 7....i thought about it,,the grade i was in,,friends,, i had a few memories,yet when i remembered the music,,such as american pie (don mcclean) i had many more memories,,
being in our backyard,,with an old transistor radio,,,playing kick the can,,and staying overnight in a tent,etc.,(the song was constantly on the radio)
my 14th summer,,,i remember distinctly,,,driving with my sister,,listening to "boston" her fav band,, now when i hear it,,,i do harken back to the "days"
they say "smell" is the strongest sense associated with memory,,,,but hearing is right up there too (for me)

[SunnyKayak]

I never hitch hiked but I did wish people would have stopped on a few car break downs in the past.

I have pick up a few hitch hikers just my southern way of hospitality to help your fellow human being.
I remember one I took them a hour out of my way to help them get to the city they was needing.

Today I am little more cautious so if it a car break down I might assist, but with cell phones today I just loan my phone.

I also will judge the hitchhiker by there looks if they look really good well um get in.

[Dolfan]

You don't see much hitchhiking in New Jersey. Every once in a while there will be a guy on the side of the road thumbing for a ride, but this is rare. Only one time have I seen a woman doing it.

I have never hitchhiked or picked up anyone. One time in a store a teenage girl asked my wife and I for a ride home. We both felt we should help her so we did. Normally I drive right past them, but if I saw someone who was really in need of help, I would try to get it for them.

[_redbird_]

All the time. Here in Indian Country, if I see another NDN, I give them a ride. Usually, they are just going to the next town. In fact, in the western part of Oklahoma, most Indians will stop for other Indians, unless of course, they look like they are really messed up.

I also stop on the interstate, but only if its a family. I once drove a man and his wife 30 miles or so, just to get their tire fixed. It was raining.

I do NOT recommend this practice to anyone else though.

There was a good story on PBS about a man who hitchhiked across America on the interstates and wrote about it. He basically said the only ones who pick up hitch hikers are men who are 6'5" and 290 lbs and traveling alone.

Several months ago, I saw an elderly black lady walking along a state hwy. I stopped and asked if she needed a ride. She consented. Turns out she walks every day, but on this day she walked a lot further than normal, and was a lot more tired. I am glad I picked her up. She was about 85 years young.

[bronxboy]

Anyone ever hitchike to get around?

[Blue Grass Fever]

On the subject of hitchhikers, my ma was one of those 'hippies'/hoboes that hitchhiked back and forth across the coutry along with ridin' the rails many times back and forth. She would (still does..) tell me all the stories of her hitchhikin' and railridin' days to no end! Hitchhiking and railriding goes hand in hand.

From what i gather during her era it was the end of the 'golden era' between hitchhiking and railriding. Let me explain: The invention of welfare-railriders were normally 'good' people back in the day looking for work in the next town over in somebody's farm or whatnot. The invention of welfare created a sinister subculture riding the rails.(hitchkiking too..)

The war veterans coming back from 'Nam. Couldn't fit into society so most veterans dropped out of society into the rail/road culture. These mostly were the disturbed veterans. Scary stuff picking up someone fresh out of 'Nam' and mentally warped from it.

Those are a few things i got from talking to my ma about stuff like that. Just like any thing nowadys, it gets exploited by a-holes who ruin it for everybody.

[BlueWillowPlate]

dukester
That story has been floating around the internet for some time now.
I hitched a time or two but would not do it now.
However, I recognize the fact that in certain communities it might be okay.
My kid hitches in Europe (I did too, but that was in the 70's) and so far has had no problem but I do worry a bit.

[Twinkle Toes]

Originally Posted by SunnyKayak

I never hitch hiked but I did wish people would have stopped on a few car break downs in the past.

I have pick up a few hitch hikers just my southern way of hospitality to help your fellow human being.
I remember one I took them a hour out of my way to help them get to the city they was needing.

Today I am little more cautious so if it a car break down I might assist, but with cell phones today I just loan my phone.

I also will judge the hitchhiker by there looks if they look really good well um get in.

Ted Bundy looked really good too.

[Roaddog]

A friend and I hitched back in 1975, first we jumped a freight train and road it 500 miles or so then hitched home, we were picked up by nice families who bought us meals. I wouldn't do it now and i wouldn't pick up a hitcher.