Hi TLS, Thank you for allowing us to share our concerns with our fellow people of this town.
I wanted to bring up a point which in my opinion is very wrong.
Yesterday, I was driving down Clifton Avenue South and there was someone hitching. I saw him from afar, and decided to will pull over for him, if there is room to pull over – but there wasn’t much room to pull over.
Suddenly, a car stops for him in middle of the road, forcing about 5 cars behind him to stop as well. We all started beeping and the driver drove off. While this hitcher seemed very upset that he lost his ride, I then found a space to pull over and gave this fellow a ride to where he had to go (I actually went out of my way).
I explained to him that most of us have no problem with hitchers and people giving rides, but please only hitch where there is enough room for a driver to pull over normally, and not block traffic.
And to all those being so kind to give a ride, please be so kind and pull over to the side of the road so as not to block traffic.
Thank you!
(TLS welcomes your letters by submitting them to letters@thelakewoodscoop.com)
Well said!!
Just a heads up hitching is ilegal and lpd have been known for ticketing for such offenses pls be careful
Lemaisa if a person walks and he needs a ride he is where he is, most of the time it’s not a bus stop . Lechumra and lectchulah he should stand where it’s safe to be picked up. Drivers should be more patient and remember that bitul Torah is created when the hitchhiker doesn’t get to his shiur in due time, I have more to say but my chavrusa is waiting for me
Moshe Ber : most people who have somewhere to be at a certain time don’t rely on hitching a ride.If you had a doctors appointment would you hitch a ride so to if you have a shuir you would plan ahead of time to get there on time.
Consider the chillul Hashem that is created by drivers that do not understand or appreciate your bitul zeman.
In addition, consider the bitul Torah for all those in cars that are being held up because of your personal delay.
Very cute 🙂
You have somewhere to be get there on your own!! It’s not everyone else on the roads responsibility to get you there! You’re a bachur who missed his bus? Where are your parents? A yungeleit trying to get to seder? Arrange a ride in a safe and timely manner……take the Lakewood shuttle bus service a car service or whatever…….blaming everyone else for your bitul zman/Torah is ridiculous!!!! There’s only one word for it L-A-Z-Y!!!
Hitching is unsafe for everyone and therefore illegal!!!
There’s no excuse to hitch in an unsafe manner!
I sense some kina (hate) here
Although, I agree that it’s unsafe, you’re tone is disgusting!
Well said!!!! thank you fir the awareness!!
moshe ber if your worried about the hitchers bitul torah what about all the people being held up bitul torah??
Some people sound like they are from sedom and amora. Work it out yourself…. Pay every time you go to yeshiva… I like giving rides. It’s an easy chesed that I can do with my car.
To Anonymous
Just wondering if you have a son in mesivta.
I used to feel exactly as you do until I realized :
1 – with a whole family it is very complicated to drive 20 minutes each way to yeshiva and back but we do it willingly now and then to give him a break.
2- there are so many issues with teenagers, battles over missing a bus sometimes are just not worth it
3 – the Bochurim have a need to get out bein hasedarim sometimes and can’t drive, car services all the time are expensive, and many yeshivas are not in walking distance anywhere.
That being said, I still don’t allow my son to hitch but I think we will have to very soon.
Avrohom read the letter he didnt say not to give rides his point is just do it normally or dont stop!! Its not chesed if your going to block traffic perhaps that is like sedoim …
To anonymous no i don’t have a son in mesifta and i understand all your problems and have no problem with the boys hitching ( though i don’t understand y the rosh mesivtas don’t figure out a plan for their boys) but they got to wait in proper places and the people giving rides got to only stop if they can. Thank you fir your understanding
so well said if only people will listen
I feel very strongly that one should not pick up hitchhikers (especially teenagers) at all! Hitchhiking is illegal. Not only that it is extremely dangerous! For the hitcher and the driver.
I’m not talking about the dangers discussed above, like blocking traffic, etc.
I’m not even discussing the boys who stand in the street where they could easily get hit.
I’m talking about the very real threat of assault and/or kidnap. Do you think that the local (and non local) predators don’t know how easy it is to pick-up these boys? For all of you who say it’s a chessed, where will you be when the inevitable ch”v actually happens? Will you take responsibility for encouraging this behavior and rewarding it? Or will you be the ones that say ‘where we’re the parents? How could they have been so irresponsible as to let their teenage boys hitch?’
Think about that before the next time you pick up a hit Her!
That was supposed to say hitcher (auto-correct)
um thats exactly why you should pick up hitchers to get them before the predators do!
I got rides, now I give rides. I love to give rides as long as the people are standing in a place where I can pull over. Otherwise it’s dangerous and so selfish…
i love to give rides as well but they must wait at a place where it’s safe to pull over
To all the yay sayers- understand hitchhiking is out right dangerous.
Yes, Lakewood of old when it was small – perhaps it went unnoticed. But now I’m finding teenagers standing is dangerous intersections and on roads that are not feasible to stop
Like other have voiced, it’s dangerous for all involved. Yeshivas should interfere and instruct their students not to hitch.
To different point of view:RELAX. Keep in mind that it’s a lot more unsafe to have a babysitter. And to anonymous: I know that this might ruin your day,but I hitch-to work!!
The hitching has become a major issue it happens all over the town and mostly in an unsafe manner. Besides it being illegal it’s not safe for the ones trying to get a ride. Yesterday alone I saw about a dozen children as young as about 7 trying to hitch. Where are the parents in this situation no child should be left to fend for a ride from strangers on the road. In this day in age we should never be so trusting in strangers.