Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-05-12
THUMB TOURISTS"
MEET OPPOSITION
Writer Says Hitch HikerS
Should Be Discouraged by
Motorists of Nation.

In that period of American history
when good cigar might have been pur-
chased for nickel, the Nations penny
wise tourists, migratory workers." or
call them what you will, were content
with the rods" or "side-door Pullman"
for transportation.
So writes Edmund Ruffin in the May
Wheel, an automotive publication. Mr.
Ruffin continues.
Nowadays, many of them have left
the railroads and have hied themselves
to the hard roads. Paraphrasing Shake
Speare, we find they have learned that
wishes are automobiles, and that beg
gars may ride.
Today they call themselves Glitch
mixers" with accent on the hitch"
They are known also as thumb tour
lists" because they stand on the road
side and indicate with their thumbs the
direction of their tour"
Robbery Is Often Motive.
Too often is the car owner moved by
the pathetic expression and footSore
po1se of youth or man by the road
side. Too often has the ostensible col
lege boy homeward bound for the holi-
days" thanked his benefactor by pro-
duclng a gun, relieving him of his
money and automobile and uncere-
moniously ejecting him to the pave
ment many miles from his home.
But this is only one of the evils of the
"pickingup" practice. Suppose a car
owner takes in just an ordinary Vagrant
who has no criminal intentions. How
many motorists know that under those
conditions the law in every State in
the Union regards the relationship be-
tween the pair as that of host and
guest? Should the guest" become in
1ured while riding with his "host" the
latter, if negligent in even the slightest
degree, may be liable to the guest for
any damages.
Motor clubs throughout the country
have for many years sought to instill in
their members minds the folly of giving
need to the beggar by the roadside.
They have given warnings by word of
mouth across the counters of their tour
ing bureaus and on the pages of their
official publications.
Minnesota Law Bans Practice.
The Minnesota Legislature has lent
It's aid to this fight to protect motorists
from their own magnanimity. The
Gopher State solons recently passed
what is known as the "hitch-hiker"
law, which provides that mo person
shall stand in the Travelled portion Of
roadway for the purpose of, or while
soliciting a ride from the driver of any
vehicle, other than q common carrier. /"
Violation of this act Is miSdemeanor,
which in Minnesota carries a penalty
OF imprisonment not exceeding three
months or a fine not exceeding 500.
New Jersey has similar law.
The wyoming Legislature is also con-
sidering law aimed at this practice.
The measure, now pending. states in
part that lit shall be unlawful for any
person while upon any public highway,
or the right-of-way of any public high
way, to endeavor by words, gestures or
in any other way to beg. invite or secure
transportation in any motor vehicle not
engaged in passenger carrying for hire. "
prisonment in the county jail for not
more than so days, or a fine of not
more than 500, or both.
Cause Many Accidents.
The peculiar part of this generosity
on the part of car owners is that many
of them when on foot will ignore the
harmless and possibly deserving pan
handler, but when purring over the con-
crete highway at, say, 40 miles an hour
they will fall for the other form of
"mooching'' which is all too frequently
fraught with peril.
Numerous highway accidents may be
traced directly to the tactics of many OF
the ride beggars. Often, to make this
solicitation" most effective, he stands
in the path of the approaching car
intending to leap aside if the car does
not stop. If the motorist becomes dis
traught by such maneuvers, serious
accident may result. If he applies his
brakes suddenly for fear of striking the
"moocher'' he is certain to cause con-
fusion in following traffic. If he turns
aside suddenly he is quite apt to become
involved with oncoming traffic, from
which his attention has been distracted
Lastly, the mendicant, himself, is In
considerable danger OF being struck.
Discourage him and play safe.