In the 1970s, I did a 2,000 mile hitchhike in U.S. & Canada, then a year or two later, 2 months hitching around continental Europe (including a few train and bo

In the 1970s, I did a 2,000 mile hitchhike in U.S. & Canada, then a year or two later, 2 months hitching around continental Europe (including a few train and boat segments). I even successfully re-entered the U.S. from Canada without any identification at all (it was stolen along with my wallet in Windsor) as a passenger/hitcher. On the other hand, I've driven 15K or more miles in U.S. road trips in the last 15 years, can't remember the last time I saw a hitcher. Then, there was that one time in the 1990s that I was just getting on the eastbound Bay Bridge (S.F. -> Oakland) on my homeward commute and an attractive young woman was hitching, an extremely uncommon event. Having only a few seconds to decide I did not stop, but I bet she didn't have to wait long. I'm glad I did it when I did, but the whole concept of getting in a metal cage traveling at potentially lethal speeds with a complete stranger would scare me off today if I were in a position to even consider it. Then, I suppose the internet enables people to share long-distance car trips more easily than ever in the past, with less risk.