Hitchhikers

[LibraryLady]

Got any hitchhiker stories?

I have picked up only one person that I didn't know.
I imagine you men might be a little more of a risk taker on that.
Back in the early 1980s I was in a pizza shop waiting for my take out order. Another customer and I saw a young woman get off the bus, dressed all in party clothes, and begin to walk down the street (Valley View). We remarked that she missed Hines, and then we were watching what she did. As she walked, a car with men approached her, she shrugged them off. Another car with a male tried to pick her up and she declined. When my order was ready, I had to drive by her and I looked and she just didn't seem like a "lady of the evening" but more like a young lady who might have a problem. I stopped and asked her where she was going and she told me a end of the school year party in ?? (RIchardson?). She seemed sincere and I knew she could not get there via the bus. I insisted she come home with me and we'd get her where she needed to be. As we went home and ate some pizza I learned her story. She was an exchange student from Switzerland and was trying to go to a party. A man on the bus was really almost assaulting her, so she got off the bus, hoping to catch another to get to where she needed to be. Long story short--we knew a young man in her class, we called and he was going to the same party--so I got her to the destination and he agreed to get her home safely. I am pleased that I took a chance on helping her....but something just told me to get involved.

[Trixie]

In a case like that, your radar kicks in plus watching details unfold, you feel something pulling you to help out. I've never encountered anything like that, but just driving along the highway, I've never been compelled to stop.

Dancer and Grandpa, in your trucking careers, have you all ever picked up hitch hikers?

[BillB]

I've picked up a lot of hitchhickers and I've done a lot of hitchhicking.
People used to do it all the time and think nothing of it.
The Summer after I graduated from HS, a friend and I took about a 2,000 mile hitchhicking trip, just for the heck of it.
We didn't have any problems at all and got plenty of rides.

[GRANDPA]

DOT regulations & company policy prohibit unauthorized passengers in commercial vehicles these days. So, no, I've never picked up any hitchhikers. I did hitchhike to Long Island, NY & back one summer. I had no problens at all then. Wouldn't do it today.

[Bob Of Burleson]

Then, sure... Now, never.

It's a different world today.

[crocmommy]

My husband and a friend hitched a ride sometime during the late 60's -early 70's. I think they were trying to get back from South of Corsicana. Anyway, it's a long story, but the guys turned out to be shady characters and they ended up having to jump out of a moving car on the interstate....

[John in Plano]

I never hitchhiked. I picked up the same guy for a while after noticing him at the on ramp for a week or so while heading home. Nice guy who worked a similar schedule and was saving for a car.

I knew a person who was attacked by a serial killer after hitching a ride late at night. He was knifed in the stomach and jumped out of a moving car. Made it to a hospital with the help of some hippies who saw him lying by the road. When Robert Liberty, Candlelight Killer, was arrested he recognized his face.

[bodine]

During the Christmas break of my freshman year of college; a senior student picked up a hitchhiker on his way home. The hitchhiker killed him. It shook up the student body (only about 1100 students, in total) when we found out. It made an impression on me, and I've never hitchhiked or picked up a hitchhiker...

[BigTex]

Hitchhickers have given hitchhiking a bad name.

[crocmommy]

The closest I ever came to hitchhiking was being stranded in my 1977 Plymouth Duster on Denton Tap road in my college days in the early 80's. This was before Lewisvile and Coppell so so built up so it would have been a long walk. Was wearing shorts so got numerous offers which made me very uncomfortable. Finally took a ride with a man and his young son. Thank goodness for cell phones now.

[Jami]

A friend from HS used to pick up hitchhikers. She picked one up one time when I was in the car....I was scared to death the whole time.

[OnTexasTime]

Back before cell phones if I saw a car broke down and then somebody walking I would pick them up. These days you don't see many cars on the side of the road (until around Christmas) and most people have cell phones and call for help and stay with the car. Most of those went OK that I picked up.

A couple of years ago I was coming back into Corsicana abuot 8AM on a Sunday morning and saw a Tahoe on the side of the road and up ahead a young man walking. Stopped and picked him up. He had ran out of gas and was walking to get gas. He turned out to be the 22 year old son of someone I went to High School with, he lived in Dallas but was coming to see his Dad. He had a cell phone, but didn't want to call and ask them for help. I gave him a ride to where he bought a gas can and gas. Took him back to his car and got him going.

His Dad did stop by office the following week and thank me for helping him out.