40 Amazing Photographs of Hitchhikers From the 1970s

In the 1970s, thumbing a ride was a popular mode of transportation for individuals without access to a vehicle or who were not old enough to drive. By extending a hand with the expectation of receiving a lift from a benevolent stranger, individuals embraced the carefree and exploratory spirit of the decade. While hitchhiking is currently viewed as dangerous, during that time period, it represented the autonomy and reliance that characterized journeys along the open road in the 1970s.

For many, hitchhiking was about more than just a free ride. It represented a rejection of conventional norms and a desire for an authentic, spontaneous experience on the open road. It was a way to travel without a fixed plan, meet new people, and embrace a sense of liberation.

The 1970s was a time when a general sense of trust in other people was higher than it is today. While horror stories and dangers existed, they were not as widely publicized or feared as they became later. The act of picking up a hitchhiker was often seen as an act of kindness and solidarity.

Hitchhiking fostered brief but meaningful human interactions. Drivers, especially truckers or families on a road trip, often picked up hitchhikers for the company and conversation. It was a way for two strangers to share a moment and a story, creating a fleeting connection in an increasingly impersonal world.

For those who were too young to drive or couldn’t afford a car, hitchhiking was a practical and cheap way to get around. It was a common solution for students, service members, and adventurers looking to travel long distances.

While the culture of hitchhiking in the 1970s was largely positive and idealistic, it wasn’t without its risks. Media reports of violence, sexual assault, and murder related to hitchhiking, though statistically rare, began to circulate and ultimately contributed to the decline of the practice.

The rise of the interstate highway system, with its high-speed, limited-access roads, made it more difficult and dangerous for both drivers and hitchhikers to stop and pick up rides. This, along with increased car ownership and the deregulation of air travel which lowered flight costs, made hitchhiking a less necessary form of travel.

By the late 1970s and into the 1980s, the “free-spirited” image of hitchhiking was largely replaced by a sense of fear. Public perception shifted, with hitchhikers being viewed more as a threat than as a traveler in need. This change in public attitude, coupled with anti-hitchhiking laws, effectively brought an end to the golden age of hitchhiking in many parts of the world.