The World Hitch-Hiker's Association: culture and hospitality among hitch-hikers world-wide© Bernd Wechner
Jan 1, 1998
Last January I proposed the creation of an on-line Hitch-hiker's Guide to Everywhere. That
was a guide book written by hitchers, for hitchers, sharing tips and details on good hitching spots they've found.
It left me thinking of other ways that hitchers might help hitchers. A part of me rejects the idea of too much
organisation among hitchers, there have been attempts in the
past, none of which I think have met with lasting success. The problem of course is that hitch-hiking by
nature is courting chaos; is a rather individual, or personal affair. And yet, over the course of 1997 I became
aware of various hitch-hiking clubs in the eastern European countries, and recently came
across a plea on Linus Rydberg's part to unite the hitchers of Europe. The idea of an organised hospitality club was also raised among hitchers on the Autostop mailing list. I already touched on the fraternity among hitch-hikers in an earlier article. I suggested that
hitchers had something in common, culturally speaking. Needless to say they're also very diverse, but still, there is
a certain attitude to adventure, control, risk and finances that is shared by many hitch-hikers. Now I'm active in a number of diverse small interest groups. I hang out with greenies, folkies, esperantists, all of
whom have some kind of infrastructure. They generate gatherings, festivals, meetings, parties, discussions,
newsletters, magazines. They have a cultural life so to speak, as a group. Hitchers (as a rule) don't. Is Linus so wrong in suggesting that hitchers might make one? I think maybe not. Granted hitchers as a rule are
fairly independent people, it's not a group activity in any way like the green scene, or the folk scene, or the
Esperanto scene. To make matters worse, most everyone gives it up at some stage. They stop hitching, it doesn't
mix well with the family life, or the professional life really. But still, having accepted that, there is still a healthy
population of hitchers out there, and some of them are coming together, to share stories, ideas and good times.
They see each other from time to time, and precisely because that's not so common anymore, they get to
chatting, and ideas just like this begin to surface once in a while. Added to that one of the most common rides I get is from ex-hitchers, people who often express a great deal of
Go To Page:
1
2
3
The copyright of the article The World Hitch-Hiker's Association: culture and hospitality among hitch-hikers world-wide in Hitchhiking is owned by . Permission to republish The World Hitch-Hiker's Association: culture and hospitality among hitch-hikers world-wide in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
Ah, but then you've a well established reputation for courtesy here at the Suite Michel :-). Apropos waiting and asking, I have an interesting anecdote which brought the point home recently:
|
I always prefer to stand in front of other hitchers, when I get the the chance ;-).As for services.... to all you novice hitchers, do not wait at the exit! Rather, clean yourselves up and appr ...
|
Vladas, I think you should be a little careful before casting judgement upon other hitch-hikers. To be fair, Michel is right too, many surely desrve to be judged rather negatively, they are not all an ...
|
Hello friends
Bernd, your reviw becomes a newsgroup for hitchers! It's fine. You should addvertise it.
:-)))
You wrote about the culture of hitchers in Germany. It is great!< ...
|
Peter, I think most of us agree somehow on the principles involved here. Matter of fact that's generally the case in life, we spend most of our time arguing the nuances of expression and presentation ...
|
For a complete listing of article comments, questions, and other discussions related to
Bernd Wechner's
Hitchhiking topic, please visit the Discussions page.
|
