The art of hitchhiking

Changing Perceptions

Ludovic Hubler is known in certain circles as a mildly insane Frenchman, who at the age of 25, decided to hitchhike around the entire world, including the oceans. It took him five years.

There was a time in Bangalore when young collegiates looking to catch a movie in between classes would not think twice about ‘thumbing’ a lift to the nearest cluster of movie houses. A group of ‘PYTs’ (pretty young things) would peer into the thin stream of oncoming cars and if the driver looked harmless and congenial enough at first glance, would coax him into dropping them off at their destination.

“In the 80s, hitchhiking was not a big deal. The City was smaller and non-threatening kids would get around on cycles and buses so ‘thumbing’ a lift in an Ambassador car which could squeeze in any number of teenagers was a viable option,” says Rosalind Fernandes.

Today, teenagers would never dream of getting into a stranger’s car and rightly so. It’s another example of how perceptions change with time. “Hitchhiking was not so uncommon when we were young although we never ever thumbed a lift from a stranger,” says theatre person and old time Bangalorean Sharon White. “We did see my dad give two young girls a lift down Brigade Road in his ancient Austin one day. He looked so sheepish when we waved and called to him. It was hilarious,” she adds. An unthinkable exercise today in the light of a fast changing urban environment where it is safer to presume that danger lurks around every corner. Priya Mendens, a graphic artist, feels that boys rather than girls would be bold enough to hitchhike if they had to get somewhere with no money.

“We were brought up with the notion that hitchhiking was definite ‘no-no’ and no well brought up girl would dream of taking a lift from a total stranger. Boys, on the other hand, have no such compunction although today it is hard to picture someone ever getting into a strange car unless they were really desperate.”

Sunil Shetty, a young executive, used to occasionally hitchhike when he studied in an engineering college that was located on the outskirts of the City. “We needed to get into town and there was no public transport to speak of. Buses were infrequent and unreliable. Since we didn’t have transport, we would hope that some kindly soul would give us a lift into town. Although we would sometimes need to walk for at least half an hour before we got lucky,” he laughs. “In all probability, the majority of parents would tell their teens not to hitchhike. And that is excellent advice. Hitchhiking is inherently dangerous. One knows nothing about the person who is offering a ride. Is the driver a decent human being who is just trying to help or a sexual predator who could hurt or even kill the adolescent? There is no way to really know. Is he a safe driver? Has he been drinking or taking drugs? It is safer to use public or personal transport or call a friend if you are in a bind rather than try and find a way in a stranger’s vehicle,” says student counsellor Suma Nagesh.