BUMMING A RIDE
I just got a senior travel pass.
It’s a benefit of being 66-years-old over here in England, and it allows me to ride local trains and buses for free.
I think it’s great for retired people… and the environment, but I haven’t used it yet. That’s not because I love driving my own car or dislike public transport. The opposite is true, and I’m all for anything that encourages people to cut back on burning fossil fuels and other pollution.
But travelling together on trains and buses isn’t the only way to do that, so for the time being, I’m doing my bit by walking or riding my bicycle whenever I can. Another possibility might be hitchhiking since all those empty seats in private vehicles represent a wasted resource but, from what I can see, hitching isn’t as easy as it used to be.
I realise people still hitch free rides in Botswana, but not as often as they used to, and the practice is disappearing in Europe and the United States where it’s commonly seen as far too dangerous for drivers and hikers alike.
But I’m writing about this topic now because I think that’s a shame. Hitching can be an adventure in itself, and police statistics indicate it isn’t more risky than driving alone or with friends in your own car. It’s the speeding vehicles, not the other people in our cars, that really threaten our safety.
Of course, travelling without a set plan or time of arrival isn’t for everyone, and I’m certainly not encouraging women to hitchhike alone. You, and preferably your hitching partner, have to be sensible and position yourselves wisely on the road, but that’s one of the things I miss about it, hitchhiking makes you think, so I’m glad I did it while I could.
Now that we have mobile phone apps for everything from airplanes to taxis, we can travel without ever speaking to anoth
er person face to face. That’s often called progress, but I’m not sure it is because it allows us to plug in our earphones and travel in a world of our own.
But some of my favourite memories from travelling around Africa and the United States more than 30 years ago are associated .with hitchhiking, and specifically with the people who gave me lifts. They were kind and friendly, which didn’t come as a surprise since all the nasty ones had the chance to drive past.
I picked up lots of local tips and most of the drivers were great fun to talk with, and several provided beds for the night and arranged rides on to
the next destination. And after those experiences, I made a point of picking up hitchhikers and being kind to strangers whenever I could.
So, it’s not the long hot waits on the side of the road, or the need to carry emergency supplies that I miss from my hitchhiking days. It’s the positive view of human nature, the willingness to be kind, and the willingness to expect the same from others.
But then again, that’s a state of mind, and it’s free. So, there’s no reason I can’t get to that place while using my travel pass.