Credit crunched travelers hoping to dodge transport fares by sticking up their thumbs may be in for a long wait, as a new study shows that only three-quarters of Brits would consider picking up a hitchhiker.  

The poll of 15,000 motorists, conducted by the national Automobile Association (AA), showed that only 23 percent of men and 7 percent of women would consider offering a stranger a lift, but that the likelihood of a driver offering a seat in his car increased with age. Only nine percent of 18 to 24 year-olds said that they would stop for a hitchhiker, compared to 11 percent of 25 to 35 year-olds and 21 percent of 45 to 65 year-olds.

"It is no great surprise that with concerns about personal safety drummed into us, most people are reluctant to stop for hitchhikers," AA president Edmund King said.

The poll shows that hitchers have the highest chance of getting a lift, in Scotland and southwest England, where 21 percent of respondents said they would offer up a free seat, while only 14 percent of those questioned in the northwest and northeast said that they would consider stopping.

The egalitarian pleasure of helping a fellow traveler is increasingly being replaced by internet-organized lift-share schemes (car pools), to save waiting in the rain by the side of the road, King said.

He added that he was pleased that there is still a "core of trusty drivers who say they would pick up a hitchhiker." The study, released on this year's official lift-share day, also revealed that drivers are cutting back on journeys and expenditure as the price of fuel continues to climb.

The AA encourages "responsible" car-sharing as a means to save cash, ease congestions and protect the environment.


身陷经济危机的旅行者希望竖起大拇指搭便车来节省旅费，但如今他们要等更久了。一项最新研究表明，仅有3/4的英国人会考虑让路人搭便车。

英国汽车协会（AA）对一万五千名乘车者进行了调查，结果显示，仅有23%的男性和7%的女性会考虑让陌生人搭便车，但年龄越大的司机越可能让人搭便车。在18岁至24岁的受访者中，仅有9%会考虑让人搭便车，而在25岁至35岁的受访者和45岁至65岁的受访者中，这一比例分别为11%和21%。

英国汽车协会主席埃德蒙德•金说：“这并不奇怪，个人安全问题时刻为我们敲响警钟，因此大多数人都不愿意让人搭便车了。”

调查显示，在苏格兰和英格兰西南部地区，人们能搭上便车的几率最大，21%的受访者称会让路人免费搭便车，而在英国西北部和东北部的受访者中，仅有14%的人称会考虑让路人搭便车。

埃德蒙德•金表示，帮助同路人所带来的平等主义乐趣渐被网上组织的拼车所代替，这样人们就不用在路边冒雨等车了。

他还说，他很高兴见到仍然有一些“会让人搭便车的可靠的‘铁杆’司机。”该研究报告于今年的官方“拼行日”发布，研究还显示，由于油价持续攀升，司机减少了出行路程和花费。

英国汽车协会鼓励人们进行“负责任的”拼车，以此来节省费用，减轻交通堵塞，保护环境。