Going for a Ride

I believe that hitchhiking has dramatically changed over time. An example of this would be during the great depression, it was common for people to "hitch" rides with other family's that had cars, to go out west. Today it is much less common place because it seams that world has become a more violent place. Maybe it has become a more violent place or maybe the media just alters our perception of it that way, who knows? I do know that last year my roommate got stranded in Seattle when his friends left him over there and he had no way home and very little money. He did the only thing he could, he made a small sign that said Pullman and put his thumb up. He told me the story of the ride back, he rode with three different family's, with one even inviting him in to a big 20+ person family dinner, one of the kids introduced him as a long lost cousin. He said they were some of the nicest people he had ever meet in his life. Is it for everyone, probably not, however when left with little to no option it definitely beats walking hundreds of miles through all sorts of weather.