<p>In a City where owning a vehicle is a luxury and travelling by autorickshaw sometimes is even more extravagant, it’s not surprising that a lot of commuters resort to the easier route — hitchhiking.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Despite the fact that hitching rides from strangers isn’t particularly safe, the convenience of doing so encourages a lot of college students and young professionals to do so. <br /><br />And in a trade-off between saving a little extra cash and taking a bit of a risk, many feel that the former is enough of an incentive to ignore the latter.<br /><br />Imtiaz, a student of Acharya Institute of Technology, points out that for many people, hitchhiking isn’t an option — it’s pretty much a necessity. <br /><br />“I hitch rides to college nearly everyday. It isn’t too far — about two kilometres, in fact — so it’s convenient. I don’t often trouble myself too much about whether it’s safe or not, because my pressing concern is to reach college and get to class on time,” he elaborates. <br /><br />Neither does he balk at the thought of taking rides at night. “Taking rides at night isn’t really a problem for me. One just needs to think twice about who we are taking a ride from in the dark — that’s all,” says Imtiaz.<br /><br />Others, though, tend to be a bit more selective about both taking and giving lifts to strangers. <br /><br />Sajo, an engineer, says that while hitchhiking is rather common in his hometown in Kerala, he is a little wary about entertaining strangers in Bangalore.<br /><br /> “Back home, I often ask people for lifts and give rides to others as well. I know the people there much better, so I’m more comfortable. But in Bangalore, I do hesitate — I’m not as well-acquainted with the City, so I’d prefer not to,” he reasons, adding that this is the logic followed by most of his friends as well.<br /><br />There are times, though, when he waives this principle even in Bangalore — especially in the case of senior citizens. <br /><br />“Once, I offered to give a lift to an elderly man. In such cases, I think it’s alright but in general, I don’t entertain hitchhiking,” explains Sajo.<br /><br />Most girls, on the other hand, prefer to steer clear of hitching rides from strangers — for obvious reasons. <br /><br />Jiya, a student of Vogue Institute of Fashion Technology, points out, “I don’t think hitchhiking is very common among girls in the City. I’ve never asked anyone for a free ride — it’s not safe. It’s mostly the men, and generally working men, who take lifts from strangers,” she sums up.<br /></p>
<p>In a City where owning a vehicle is a luxury and travelling by autorickshaw sometimes is even more extravagant, it’s not surprising that a lot of commuters resort to the easier route — hitchhiking.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Despite the fact that hitching rides from strangers isn’t particularly safe, the convenience of doing so encourages a lot of college students and young professionals to do so. <br /><br />And in a trade-off between saving a little extra cash and taking a bit of a risk, many feel that the former is enough of an incentive to ignore the latter.<br /><br />Imtiaz, a student of Acharya Institute of Technology, points out that for many people, hitchhiking isn’t an option — it’s pretty much a necessity. <br /><br />“I hitch rides to college nearly everyday. It isn’t too far — about two kilometres, in fact — so it’s convenient. I don’t often trouble myself too much about whether it’s safe or not, because my pressing concern is to reach college and get to class on time,” he elaborates. <br /><br />Neither does he balk at the thought of taking rides at night. “Taking rides at night isn’t really a problem for me. One just needs to think twice about who we are taking a ride from in the dark — that’s all,” says Imtiaz.<br /><br />Others, though, tend to be a bit more selective about both taking and giving lifts to strangers. <br /><br />Sajo, an engineer, says that while hitchhiking is rather common in his hometown in Kerala, he is a little wary about entertaining strangers in Bangalore.<br /><br /> “Back home, I often ask people for lifts and give rides to others as well. I know the people there much better, so I’m more comfortable. But in Bangalore, I do hesitate — I’m not as well-acquainted with the City, so I’d prefer not to,” he reasons, adding that this is the logic followed by most of his friends as well.<br /><br />There are times, though, when he waives this principle even in Bangalore — especially in the case of senior citizens. <br /><br />“Once, I offered to give a lift to an elderly man. In such cases, I think it’s alright but in general, I don’t entertain hitchhiking,” explains Sajo.<br /><br />Most girls, on the other hand, prefer to steer clear of hitching rides from strangers — for obvious reasons. <br /><br />Jiya, a student of Vogue Institute of Fashion Technology, points out, “I don’t think hitchhiking is very common among girls in the City. I’ve never asked anyone for a free ride — it’s not safe. It’s mostly the men, and generally working men, who take lifts from strangers,” she sums up.<br /></p>
