I have never hitched a lift and don't think I would be brave enough not nowadays anyway.
Have never picked up a hitch hiker either my Dad did years ago and because he was a Soldier in Uniform other than that he was not prepared to take the risk when he had Mum and me in the car.I suppose you never know who you might be offering a lift too,sad for the genuine people out there.
Gorden use to drive and deliver new cars a few years back and would sometimes hitch but they carry trade plates and he often got a lift.

When I was younger I hitch hiked a few times, though never alone.

These days I'm afraid I wouldn't risk either hitching myself or picking someone up, which I think is such a shame.

No I haven't hitched myself or picked up a hitchhiker. I know there are genuine people out there but there are also a lot of nutters as well. Not worth the risk imo.

My uncle once picked up a guy as he looked like he was in a bit of a pickle and he flet sorry for him - the guy was obviously on his stag do and was stripped naked and proceeded to try and walk 4 miles home! It was a funny story as my uncle had his wife and 2 kids in the car as well and he's a very stright laced person.
Myself I wouldn't pick anyone up and have never hitched for a lift - I always make sure I have enough money to get back from where I was!

we have done in the past, but normally fellas with trade plates.
i have hitched when i was younger, some of the things i did when i was a kid horrify me now.

I've never hitched or picked up a hitch hiker, I'm too afraid of the looney tunes out there, but my dad used to say if they're carrying trade plates then they're genuine and ok, but who knows

I used to stop for hitch hikers years ago i dont think i would now..I would often pick up and elderly woman who had loads of shopping and would stand thumbing with her shopping trolly she was well into her 70's and i had a transit so had to get out and help her in and lift her trolly in too,

Ok what are trade plates? I notice a few replies with this

New cars being driven to showrooms are not registeredso to comply with the Road Traffic Act, they carry a special numberplate which identifies that they are pre-registered cars on delivery and these numberplates have a very distinctive format. Once the driver has delivered the car, they need to get back to where they started...... and public transport is often non-existant!

I hitched once. I was taken to work and back by a friend's husband, one Friday he stopped at a pub on the way back, then another, by which time he was pretty drunk. I decided that hitching the rest of the way was safer than being in the car with a drunk (and arrogant, over confident) driver so I took a chance.

thanks for that Deccy