Picking up hitchhikers

Geewhiz

WKR
Joined
Aug 6, 2020
Messages
2,624
Location
SW MT
I picked up a guy in front of our farm on the right of way with a jug in one hand and his thumb out in the other.

He gets in and settled. He looked like Kurt Cobain in dress and hair.

He says, "thanks buddy, you're a lifesaver...I've been on the side of the road for hours...no one will stop"

I asked him how far back he ran out of gas and he looked at me funny with an inquisitive look.

I clarified that I asked because of the jug.

He said "oh this...yeah, can you believe it...someone threw this perfectly good container in the ditch."

I saw it was an empty antifreeze bottle when he held it up.

I started to talk again and he interrupted me and said "here's where I get off. I'm staying at my buddy's house right there".

This was 200 yards from where I picked him up.
Well was he a good singer? Cus if not, it probly was Curt Cobain. :p
 

Justin Crossley

Administrator
Staff member
Joined
Feb 25, 2012
Messages
7,665
Location
Buckley, WA
I will pick them up in certain situations as long as I'm armed and the situation doesn't look shady.

The reason I do it is because if my wife or daughter ever needed a ride, I want someone like me stopping to help them.
 
Joined
Jul 30, 2015
Messages
6,397
Location
Lenexa, KS
Definitely been offered a few rides when I've been walking a road with a bow in my hand, I take them every time. Never gotten in a cab, just drop the tailgate and sit it. Always grateful for those.
 

svivian

WKR
Joined
Mar 16, 2016
Messages
3,296
Location
Colorado
I grew up below a ski resort so I hitch hiked regularly in middle school until I could drive.

I've also hitched hiked a few times in high school when I was care free and didn't pay attention how far I had hiked bow hunting.

There may have a been a few other high school related activities that required someone to give me a lift. Least the town marshal cool at the time.
 

CMF

WKR
Joined
May 8, 2019
Messages
908
Location
Mississippi
I see lots of people talking about the old days and they would then but not now. Pretty sure just as much crazy happened back then, just wasn’t as easy to find out about it as it is now.
agree...


I've picked up people occasionally. Depends on the situation and how they look. A couple on the off ramp with cardboard signs, a couple of dogs, and look like they haven't bathed in a month are getting in my truck...
Someone broke down, I'm likely to help. Especially if in remote areas. Seems like closer to urban areas, most people are already on the phone getting help these days.
Wife won't let me pick anyone up if she's in the truck
I always stop and ask hunters if I see them walking down the road.
 

Ralphie

WKR
Joined
Feb 18, 2019
Messages
395
My brother and I got picked up on a USFS road while bowhunting, by an old couple on a 4 wheeler. So it was four adults and a little dog for the ride back to my truck. Kinda had to hang on and keep the dog from licking my face, but we were very grateful for the ride.
 
Joined
Sep 13, 2016
Messages
2,465
Location
Idaho
My brother and I got picked up on a USFS road while bowhunting, by an old couple on a 4 wheeler. So it was four adults and a little dog for the ride back to my truck. Kinda had to hang on and keep the dog from licking my face, but we were very grateful for the ride.
My brother and I were headed into a lake on our 4 wheelers one year and happened to be the first quads into this area. We had to shovel a snow drift out of the road to get our quads by. There was a pickup parked at the snow drift that looked like it had been there for a while. We didn't think too much of it because there are a couple of trailheads in the vicinity. On the way in, we kept finding weird things on scattered along the 13 mile long trail. A jug of cooking oil, cast iron pan, camp chairs etc. We picked everything up as we found it. On the way back out, which is an uphill climb all the way back out, we found 2 local kids walking the trail. My brother knew them fairly well. They had packed into the lake and got sidetracked on purpose and were just goofing around. They had been in there for a week . They packed entirely too heavy and were offloading things as they went along. I've never seen 2 guys so happy to be offered a lift back to their truck as they were still about 10 miles from it. The funny thing was , they had a gallon of Cuervo (in the glass container) and refused to leave it behind.
 

Phaseolus

WKR
Joined
Feb 25, 2018
Messages
1,406
I’ll pick up a hitchhiker on occasion, they have to look ok though. I have significant “hitchhiker debt” to work off. A long time ago I spent 6 months hitchiking New Zealand and Australia via autos and sailboats. It was one of the greatest times of my life.
 

Ridge Runner

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Dec 23, 2012
Messages
184
Location
Boise, ID
Kid that works with me just relayed this story to me a few weeks ago. He was working down by Winnemucca NV when he ran out of gas on a remote highway after dark. He starts thumbing it and sketchy guy in an old buick stops to pick him up. Hadn't got very far down the road when the guy pulls out a gun and says he wants his wallet. My buddy says its in his back pocket and he has to grab it. Guy is watching the road and my buddy pulls his 45 out from his belt and shoves it in the guys chest. Dude's attitude changed real quick. He said he wasn't thinking real clearly and freaking out so he made the guy pull over and let him out. Needless to say he doesn't go anywhere remote without extra gas anymore.
 
Joined
Nov 16, 2017
Messages
9,022
Location
Central Oregon
I can also add to my stories.
I check my cell for service.

If I have this service. You probably not getting a tap of the brake.

Other then BO girl. Everyone was well out of service.
 

jahaze

FNG
Joined
Oct 22, 2023
Messages
75
I see them all the time, although only picked up one guy. He was carrying a tool bag and a hard hat. His truck broke down and he was trying hard to get to his next job. I got him an hour closer to where he needed to be.

Never saw anyone else I was interested in riding with.


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