Hitch-hiking

Press, 23 January 1988, Page 22

Hitch-hiking

Sir, —It is axiomatic that drivers are not obliged to pick up hitch-hikers. As a “hitcher” I know that it is preposterous to say we assume so. I have never seen, as S. J. Warner reports (January 19), hitch-hikers standing “nearly in the middle of the road.” I believe also that “that .demanding look” is in the eye of the contrite beholder. Nevertheless, B. Blackler should be ashamed for providing excuses for the bad name we already have. Hitch-hikers are not “bludgers” or “scroungers.” We ask the driver to execute his/her free choice, not for resentful name calling. So let us hear no more slander. It is enough that people have attempted to run me over, and thrown rubbish as they pass. — Yours, etc., MARTIN J. SMITH. January 19, 1988.

Sir,—l am appalled at the cheek of hitch-hikers, if they all think, the way that the two original correspondents do. I was always taught that if you have not got the money for a bus, or train fare, you either work for it, save for it, or save up to buy your own transport (as many road-users have to do) or stay at home. Motorists are under no obligation to pick up hitchhikers. I would be the first to offer help in the way of transport to anyone involved in an accident or emergency, but I do not encourage bludgers. I have been told that it is an offence in some ( states in Australia to hitch-hike, and an amendment to some of our laws might be a good move under the circumstances. The “Two-bob Tourists” I do admire are the cyclists with large packs and camping gear strapped to their cycles, negotiating our hilly countryside. Hats off to them. — Yours, etc., D. SHEARER. January 19, 1988.

Sir,—Motorists should not be such a mean lot. I always pick up hitch-hikers' if I have space in the car (after I have looked into their faces and, hopefully, judged their characters). I am 69 years old, and I still hitch-hike on occasions. There is no extra expense involved for the driver, so why are hitch-hikers called “bludgers”? One can usually learn something from a hitchhiker if the conversation is steered in the right direction. Perhaps those motorists who are berating the hitch-hiker are wishing subconsciously that they had been more adventurous in their youths. For those motorists who are unfamiliar with the problems of hitch-hiking, and who are wondering why hitchhikers rarely continue to walk on their way, may I point out that there is usually no chance at all of getting a motorist to stop on 1 the open road. Who wants to pull up at 80km/h?—Yours, etc., JOHN MEAD. January 19, 1988. Sir,—As a hitch-hiker of many years experience, I have found that it is much easier to get rides in the North Island. This is probably because of the greater population density. Mind you, the whole spectrum of private car owners, from rich to poor, old to young, male and female, will offer you rides there, while in the South Island rides seem to be more restricted to the cheaper or oldish models of private cars. It is rare to be offered a ride while walking. I guess that it is because so much of one’s time is spent along stretches Of road where it is inconvenient for motorists to stop, for whatever reason. I now walk only to a point where it is easy for a driver to stop and where there are plenty of cues to show I am hitching. I hitch because I cannot afford to maintain a car, my bicycle is too slow, and buses too expensive to use except for one-off trips. —

Yours, etc., B. STRAIGHT. January 21, 1988.