A Dearth of Research: Does anyone really know anything about hit

Top 5. Mar 14, 2002 12:52 PM

» MorganSalman - Re: Anthropologist?

I'd be happy to share ideas, tips and hitching routes with you. You can also check out digihitch for some useful information.
If you're interested in partnering up for some of your hitching this summer, let me know. I'll be in Washington D.C. sometime in mid or late summer for extensive research and would be happy to share some of the info.

Contact me at digihitch@yahoo.com

-- posted by MorganSalman

Top 6. Mar 14, 2002 3:16 PM

» The_Thumb - Re: Anthropologist?

In response to message posted by rvhayes:

I have a library of hundreds of pieces on hitching but alas little time on my hands to share it in detail. The first thing to come to mind is Donna Carlson's "Thumbs Out: Ethnography of hitch-hiking" in a book called The Cultural Experience (editors: Spradley and McCurdy) published 1972.

Donna focusses on women and hitch-hiking and it's a bland uninspired ethnography in my mind. But should be easily acquired in any good library.

I am keen to build any research alliances I can in my proposals before the Geography department here, but have to confess that anthropological and sociological approaches, while they fascinate me, are in my mind all too oft the preferred direction of study.

All the same, to determine objectively the popularity across cultures and perhaps generations of hitch-hiking would be a noble task!

-- posted by The_Thumb

Top 7. Mar 15, 2002 7:48 PM

» rvhayes - Topics

What are the questions and topics that you feel could draw out meaningful things to say about hitchin? Also, do you have any suggestions about how to go about finding out what people (hitchers, media and the law) have said about hitchin? I am going to check out the rest of this site and digihitch now and see about finding a copy of Carlson.

-- posted by rvhayes

Top 8. Mar 17, 2002 3:25 PM

» The_Thumb - Re: Topics

In response to message posted by rvhayes:

The most salient theme in my mind is also the most talked about: safety. Much more has been published to malign the perceived safety of hitching than there has been on how safe it really is.

The second theme to spring to mind is efficacy. There has similarly been more talk and writing about how hitching no longer works than there has been (objective) research into how well it works (data exist from the 70s, comparative studies would be fascinating, are people waiting longer now for rides, than they did then?)

Both of these themes underly many debates and there aren't any answers. On the other other hand, more subjective themes like the romantic side of road-freedom, the motivations of thumbers, the literature of hitching, the culture of the road and so on, have been far better covered, albeit often badly. I don't have any reason to suspect that future coverage will be much better, even if it is as popular.

The subjective themes were more popular and remain so. One reason for that I have argued elsewhere, is that most researchers have been young, inexperienced and enamoured of hitching culture. This is NOT to criticise their efforts. My term papers, and college reports too aren't seen today as quality research. Like it or not. And when undergrad wax lyrical on the romance of the road it doesn't add nearly as much to the body of research as did one significant report like Dallmeyer's. That is worth acquiring. Dallmeye managed to coordinate a pile fo students, who working together under his guidance produced a rather good report. But even that adds less to the body of robust knowledge than did Fiedler and Pudinski, the former in particulary, very mature robust studies into safety.

The easiest thing to research that I would find fun, and I think many have and will continue to find fun though is efficacy. An effort to duplicate Crassweller's efficacy study (the most objective and professional available - though Bryan, Clifford, Tobin & Sexton, Pomazal & Clore, Baugher, Snyder et al. and Morgan et al. also produced some relevant data some of which may be usefully repeated).

The idea of a true repeat fascinates as it allows a comparative study. How have wait times changed since Crassweller measured them finely in 1972? Most people believe that they have gone up. That belief can also be polled survey wise and contrasted with an objective study.

Still, a true ethnography of hitching has also never been executed and is direly needed! I don't mean to dissuade any such thing. But what is needed is in fact a "true" ethnography of sorts, one which addresses the role of hitching in cultures globally. How do Asians view hitching? Africans? South Americans? for example ...

This to, is hard work, which is why it's not been done. BUT in the electronic world it is easier to find survey populations that cover this territory. The Suite 101 survey hasn't been well marketed as I've had little time for it, but still I have some hundreds of submissions analyze some day across more than your average number of cultures. It too is a reproduction of an early '80s study in America (which drew 1000 responses) with a view to comparative studies. Mainly because the "change" in hitching culture over the decades is one of the saliently miusunderstood themes.

For that matter a robust history of hitching based on newspaper surveys (the NY times is well indexed) to build on Schlebeckers '58 benchmark would be fascinating. Students have tried, after Schlebecker, but none has equalled his dilligence and quality ...

It's easy I think to get confused among all of the themes that can be explored and daunted by the more worthwhile ones because they would demand more work than an undergraduate paper allows for! That's life ;-). But some are achievable in that context as well.

-- posted by The_Thumb

Top 9. Mar 17, 2002 4:46 PM

» Mary Trotter Kion - Hitch-hiking

Hi Bernd,
This was really interesting. Not something I'd normally think about, read, or do. Great!
Thanks, Mary

-- posted by Mary Trotter Kion

Top 10. Mar 20, 2002 1:20 PM

» miragelointoin - there is plenty to scientifically research

Hi everyone. I am a little experienced hitchhiker and student of cultural sciences (Kulturwissenschaften) about to write an essay giving a mainly sociological outlook on the topic and I think there is a lot one could interpret in the whole hitching business. First of all I am not surprised that hitchhiking is underresearched for how many hitchhikers are actually represented in the academic establishment which is leading whatever discourse there is (obviously little) on the topic.?
First inspiration I got from a very philosophical angle is Kundera's "Hitchhiking game" in his book "Laughable Loves" which made me think more about what hitchhiking can be all about
(allthough as a woman I think that the myth of the
woman that becomes a femme fatale when hitching is very antifeminist).
But I am drifting a bit away from my sociological perspective on the topic. Little research data, so it's hard to sound believable. I find the notion of the "death of hitchhiking" quite interesting as wrong as it may be but someone said it so there must be a point in it. Where did hitchhiking originate from anyway? I don't really know, but I imagine
maybe the hippie culture? Anyway, I'd definitely regard is as a subculture with all the typical characteristics and set of rules (hitchiquette).
Again, coming back to the earlier mentioned "death of hitchhiking" I like (well I like postmodernism anyway) to have a rather postmodernist outlook on the topic. I mean, what has become of cars? They used to be symbols of transportation; now they are all about colour, equipment, so on and the real purpose of them- transporting as many passengers as seats are available- is neglected more and more. Not much room for hitchhikers.
Marx would have also definitely have hitchhiked in his days, I suppose.
All this hysteria about hitchhiking and its not getting mentioned in the media can be definitely seen as a reflection of the ruling social groups and their attempts to preserve the status quo (capitalism-liberalism-individualism).
O.K., I have thrown in a lot of ideas here, but I am really excited about my essay and I am glad to have found this source which is the best I have seen so far.
Would be interesting to get some feedback from some of you guys.
Last but not least I'd like to say, that of course
as a scientist (especially as a sociologist, cultural historician or philosopher) you can interpret pretty much anything in hitchhiking if only you want to- start by evaluating films (like "Easy Rider","Butterfly Kiss", "Vagabond") and the cultural image about hitchhiking they give and so on....
Should be fun, however. Good ride to everyone!

-- posted by miragelointoin

Top 11. Mar 20, 2002 2:40 PM

» The_Thumb - Re: there is plenty to scientifically research

In response to message posted by miragelointoin:

I'm always happy to see people with an interest in the topic. Some feedback for you mirage:

Hi everyone. I am a little experienced hitchhiker and student of cultural sciences (Kulturwissenschaften) about to write an essay

I would dearly love to read your essay when you'r done (I read German well enough).

First of all I am not surprised that hitchhiking is underresearched for how many hitchhikers are actually represented in the academic establishment

I think you'll find that the academic establishment is literally full of ex-hitchhikers. I am proposing a study here and find many who have hitched extensively in the departments of geoegraphy, sociologoy and just light night two city councillers even. I once thought few people did. Hamish argued me down suggesting most people have. I'm not sure of the exact truth or mix, but I can guarantee you, it is not a clear case at all, there are no robust measures and any effort I make at circumstantial measures (biased as they are by my sample) suggests hitching has been a significant part of a great many people's lives and academics are not nuder-represented. I can share with you another secotion perhaps later, of my proposal which argues a different case for the lack of research and discourse ...

First inspiration I got from a very philosophical angle is Kundera's "Hitchhiking game" in his book "Laughable Loves" which made me think more about what hitchhiking can be all about

I've not read Kundera. Could you describe the hitchhiking game for me?

Little research data, so it's hard to sound believable.

Indeed ;-).

Where did hitchhiking originate from anyway?

Generically it came it into being as soon as the wheel came into being. We can find references in the bible to a ride hitched on a chariot for example. Culturally, in the modern sense, it came into being in the 1920s in California predominantly where the motor car boom started. Those without cars hitched - freight hopping was already in decline and a youth culture of beach thumbers emerged. From California it spread, and the reast is history covered well by Schlebecker and Ronvolucri (the latter on-line).

I don't really know, but I imagine maybe the hippie culture?

No, the hippies were late in the game. The Beats before them gave it a cultural prescence (for which Kerouac is most famous) but it was wildly popular in the war years already, fostered by resource poor governments, but it was popular in civilian culture already before the war in many places, notably the U.S. Where there were cars, there were hitch-hikers.

Anyway, I'd definitely regard is as a subculture with all the typical characteristics and set of rules (hitchiquette).

It has become one, but it was not always a subculture. Indeed in Eastern Europe until the end of the cold war it was formally fostered popular culture and in modern Eastern Europe and even more so probably in areas of Africa and Asia it is today popular culture. In Romania I know it is popular culture (personal experience). Only in countries with significant affluence has it become subculture.

Again, coming back to the earlier mentioned "death of hitchhiking" I like (well I like postmodernism anyway) to have a rather postmodernist outlook on the topic.

You'd have to elaborate on that ;-).

I mean, what has become of cars? They used to be symbols of transportation; now they are all about colour, equipment, so on and the real purpose of them- transporting as many passengers as seats are available- is neglected more and more.

I'm not sure I agree with that. Far too general and doesn't ring overtly true in my experience. There is a habit of over romanticising the past and values of the past and deprecating modern values and consumerism (I indulge in it too ;-).

Not much room for hitchhikers.

Quite the contrary, there is much room for hitchhikers. Even in teh developed countries. Wait times I ahve recorded over two years average about 20 minutes globally and optimally in countries like the Benelux area I recorded waits of under 10 minutes on average and in countries like Germany and Britain in the order of 15 minutes. I would need to consult my data but I can assue you, there is pleny of room for hitch-hikers. I have on occassion hitched with success as a threesome as well with no complaint and o one instance as a foursome ... People will habitually confuse the decline in numbers of hitch-hikers with a decline in the number of willing hitch-hikees.

Marx would have also definitely have hitchhiked in his days, I suppose.

I don't think there cars in Marx's days but I'm sure he hitched with the gentry ;-).

All this hysteria about hitchhiking and its not getting mentioned in the media can be definitely seen as a reflection of the ruling social groups and their attempts to preserve the status quo (capitalism-liberalism-individualism).

I could, but it is a cheap explanation and not the only one.

start by evaluating films (like "Easy Rider","Butterfly Kiss", "Vagabond") and the cultural image about hitchhiking they give and so on....

I have never quite understood why Easyrider is so ofeten associated with hitchhiking negativity (which is what I've found people regularly indulge in). It is a film that ends gruesomely on account of road hatred not involving a hitch-hiker in any way. The film involves one hitcher, and indeed he plays a rather central role, but bears no relationship to the gruesome finale which is often cited as a reason to be afraid of hitching in my experience. This miscomprehension is itself an interesting issue.

-- posted by The_Thumb

Top 12. Mar 22, 2002 9:20 AM

» UncleSimes - digihitch

In response to message posted by MorganSalman:

Nice looking site that digihitch. I wouldn't use the rides service tho', for me that would kind of kill the spontaneity.....:-)

-- posted by UncleSimes

Top 13. Mar 24, 2002 12:06 PM

» jerrib - Sounds like you're on the right track

I really don't think it would be something I'd read, but I know lots of other folks would, looking at your site.

My cousin hitch-hiked a lot in the 60's when he was a teen. In a way he still does - he hops flights all over the world as retired military!

-- posted by jerrib