Are Hitchhikers suspicious?
I m writing this because on my last hitchhiking trip to Paris I ve got controlled by the police - again!
They do just check with my ID/Passport if I m wanted or got knows what they expect from screaming my ID number into the radio. I know tat they ve got the right to do that but why I asked the police guy do I just get controlled when I am hitchhiking?
I m now 23 years old. I ve got asked 5 times for my ID in Europe. I don t count Latin America because there it is a different situation and habit of controlling.
Okay out of these five controls four occurred while I was hitchhiking. The only time I got controlled and was not hitchhiking was when a whole bunch of police wanted to kick students out of a crossroad they blocked during a protest.
Once I ve got controlled by the Spanish police standing on the ramp of the highway (they gave me a ride after they figured out that I m not a criminal), then I ve got controlled twice walking with my backpack on a gas station which were both connected to the highway and once standing on the ramp of the Highway here in Germany.
The police officer did not really answered my question. He just told me that he has the right to do so. Yes, I know and I don t like it. But what do police officers think when they see a hitchhiker? Are there any statistics that proof that hitchhikers are more likely involved in criminal activities? Or is it just the influence of bad Hollywood movies? What is the reason why the police controlled my Identification?
If you are a hitchhiker and you have similar experiences or an answer to one of the questions I rose please feel welcome to comment here. The comments are moderated because of spam but I will keep a close eye on it during the next days.
November 11th, 2008 at 9:21 pm
I had this last month, police controlled my passport while waiting at an on-ramp in Salzbergen. It’s hard to say why they control you because you’re just standing at an on-ramp, but maybe it’s just prejudice against hitchhikers. i could, for some reason, be a killer, or drug-dealer, going to holland. and, well, the young officer maybe has never seen people hitchhiking in this area. it’s just….I don’t know. You’re just not fitting into “normal” behaviour of the society….everyone else here would take his own fucking car, a bus or train, or whatever. so, you’re not “normal” in their view, so you might could have been dangerous. or, it’s just stupid instinct of an officer. in the end, they’re just doing their job, maybe. who knows?
November 23rd, 2008 at 2:02 am
I’ve never had problems like this.. But I can imagine that many young people who run away from somewhere (home, youth jail,..) travel by hitchhiking cause they have no money.
Once I heard in the radio (in a car, while i was hitchhiking..) that police asks drivers not to take hitchhikers because a few hours ago two psychopaths had run away from a closed psychiatry hospital. So, if police sees a hitchhiker they might think that you just run away from somewhere…
Probably it is like Platschi said: You’re just not fitting into “normal” behaviour of the society. And police loves to control what doesn’t fit in the category “normal”.
December 9th, 2008 at 6:52 pm
Hmmm I just got controlled for the first time in France, near bordeaux the other day. Often police have stopped and talked to me or given me a ride… but even while im in the car they dont ask for my passport etc.. Ive found them all to be ridiculously polite/nice/helpful… but then again being an australian female helps i know.
anyway, the other day the cop did ask for me passport and bleeped me into his radio etc. I guess its just they assume that even youve got the balls to do something like hitchhiking (which is OH so dangerous these days!!!) then maybe youve done other stuff. Like platschi said
you escape normality, and theyll question it.