re: Anyone ever hitchhiked?

Post WWII most of the hitchhikers were returning servicemen

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Apparently it was so common after WW2 almost every male I meet did it.

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My dad graduated from Auburn {API back then} in 1943. ROTC was mandatory and he said he his friends would put on their uniforms and never had a problem catching a ride.

I gave a guy with a backpack, in 1982, a ride from btw southern AR interstate entrance ramp to Memphis. The only time I ever interacted with a hitchhiker really. The routes I took most of the time were not popular with those types I guess, not a lot of interstate involved, rather state highways.

Did it once when I first started driving. This was before everybody had cell phones. I was by myself, and my car broke down on i-12. It became a choice between hitchhiking, and walking a few miles to the nearest gas station in the dead of summer. I decided to try my luck hitchhiking, and soon after, an old junky car full of hispanics stopped, and allowed me to squeeze in. None of them were able to speak a word of English, but they brought me to the nearest gas station, where I was able to use the payphone to call my parents.

I hitchhiked all over the west coast in the early 90’s.
I met a ton of people. Never had a bad run in with anyone. Weirdo’s here and there but that’s expected on the west coast.

I did in Alaska around’89/‘90, but it was very common there in that era. We were typically picked up fairly quickly.

New Year's Eve 1992, I hitched from New Orleans to P'cola. Walked out of the quarter about 2:00AM and made it to P'cola by 10:30 AM.

Got picked up by Linda, driving an old Datsun. She was straight from the trailer park. She was drinking hot Milwaukee's Best (red cans). She really wanted to "party" with me. It was not good. I made her drop me down the street from a buddy's house, because I didn't want her to know where I lived. She did make me kiss her before I could get out of the car. I was nearly trafficked.

Linda's car (but red)



Closest thing I could find to Linda (just make her hair more bleached and bigger)-

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Like many things, died a sudden death with the election of Ronnie in 1980.
—Whaaaaat?

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Oil shocks of the 70's was the greatest wealth transfer in history from US industry to non US oil barons.

1980 was just the handy date to note

Main Street => Wall Street

US industry => Non US industry

US Debt flat => US debt escalating mountain

Local / regional media => National / Global media

Moderates => Far Left & Far Right

Community => Corporate social media


If the US survives intact another century, odds are good that will be the marker of US becoming more Corporate Monarchy than Independent, hard working, middle class.

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smart move, that's a notorious speed trap

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never been a problem for me but I am related to half the town.

Once lived in New Hampshire, decided to hitchhike to Raleigh. I made it to the Jersey Coast in 17 hours and eventually to Philly where I caught a trucker who was high as a kite. He kept mentioning he had to go West to this city in Tennessee even though it was East of where we were at the time. I got off around the Cumberland Gap and thanked him for his time. I eventually made it to Raleigh and freedom.