Page 16...
"So I could rest my tired soul a little, for one of the biggest troubles hitchhiking is having to talk to innumerable people, make them feel that they didn't make a mistake picking you up, even entertain them almost, all of which is a great strain when you're going all the way and don't plan to sleep in hotels."
This quote caught my eye, not necessarily because it was strikingly significant, but because I had never thought about this aspect of hitchhiking before. The act of hitchhiking is often perceived as a lazy, carefree and aimless way of traveling, with the driver being the one doing the hitchhiker a favor. For this reason, I found it intriguing to hear from the hitchhiker's point of view about the exhaustion and effort that comes along with having to make constant small talk with strangers. Though getting to meet people from all walks of life is a perk of being a panhandler, I can definitely imagine how one would feel pressured to impress or "entertain" the drivers with stories and conversations, no matter how tedious they may get.
My question is what factors made hitchhiking so popular in this era and when and why did panhandling laws eventually emerge?
No comments:
Post a Comment