Hitch hike Kings Hwy to Mujib/Kerak/Musa

Mesha, your entire line of argument is insulting to the locals. I talk quite often with my drivers about the economics, because I'm very interested in how the entire Middle East is slowly transitioning from a pay model where one frequently collects to a free model where there are ever less people needing a lift. My drivers almost always make the same points I make above, "Of course you can't pay when you're going thousands of kilometers. If a person wants money, they tell you upfront and you can wave them on if you want."

Interesting. So you think refusing to cover your own transport costs and instead relying on the goodwill of people in a worse economic situation than yourself to drive you wherever you want to go isn't insulting?

Isn't it amazing how some people will argue that black is white?

Incidentally, "freeloading" doesn't mean depriving someone of a limited resource - where did you get that idea? (More wishful thinking, I suspect.) Freeloading means getting something for free that you might otherwise have to pay for. Like transportation from place to place, for example.

As for not depriving anyone of anything, did you consider the cost of extra fuel to propel yourself and your gear around? Two people in a car uses more fuel than one person. But of course, fuel costs don't matter to you - just so long as you provide free English conversation classes.

I'm already bored talking to you. Reminds me why I never pick up tourist hitchhikers, only local people. End of the line, buddy - hop out here.

"Freeloading means getting something for free that you might otherwise have to pay for. Like transportation from place to place, for example."

Under that definition, even staying with local hosts from hospitality clubs would be freeloading, since otherwise one might stay in a hotel, nevermind that people are actively inviting you into their homes for free. But hey, enjoy feeling like a hero since you can protect the poor defenceless locals from the outside world that you seem to think they are too stupid to understand.

"As for not depriving anyone of anything, did you consider the cost of extra fuel to propel yourself and your gear around?"

This has been studied for decades now and it turns out that the extra fuel use is negligible.

One of the points I should like to make was summed up in a letter I received saying "We are students and very poor so we should like to take full advantage of Arab hospitality traditions"

I replied saying that the Arabs whose hospitality they proposed to take advantage of were people who considered being "very poor" as not having enough to eat, and that to them anybody with the money for any foreign travel at all was rich beyond their imagining. One hears remarks like "Can you believe that he earns a thousand dinars - every month?". It is no use saying that a thousand dinars a month doesn't go all that far in Europe.

As for paying for hitch hiking, when I am offered a lift I usually enquire if money is acceptable and if the answer is "no", I offer "something for your children". This could be biscuits or sweets - and it can be money. Very often, presented like this, the offer is accepted gracefully, and frequently photos of the children are produced for inspection.

Personally I see no particular reason why local people should subsidize anybody's travel, but if they are willing......

I confirm what Mesha said: ruffgyder knows Jordan very well, he lived there for a numbr of years and visits frequently - the last time was a month ago.

I believe he was speaking generally about the people who live in the hills of Jordan when he said this. But remember that for many of them a car is something of a necessity, not a luxury. I expect you have seen some of the local vehicles on the Kings' Highway, you may even have laughed at their condition.

And I couln't help laughing myself at the remark "Of course you can't pay when you're going thousands of kilometers". I suspect this was said with a tongue in the cheek. The idea that the locals should subsidise foreign travel, undertaken voluntarily, is quite frankly ridiculous.

Ruth, they are not "subsidizing" anything if they are not losing anything by giving people a lift.

Believe it or not, there are a lot of people who enjoy giving hitchhikers a lift. These include people who hitchhiked themselves when they were young, people who want language practice, people who want to hear some stories of the outside world, or truck drivers who need someone to keep them awake on long night rides.

If a person doesn't enjoy taking hitchhikers, he is under no obligation to stop. And that's fine by us. We'll just continue waiting.

Chris I think what Ruff and Ruth are saying (and myself) is, we know
what you mean - when this scenario is say in California or Berkshire
where people have sufficient resources and the odd $5 or $10 dollars
is neither here nor there. In the area you mentioned people have beaten
up old cars and pick-ups, maybe a van and they are considered lucky
even if the van is worth $100. He doesn't have it for leisure, he has it
for work - ie shunting people from village to village or taking kids to
school where there is no school or public bus. Maybe he sells wares
in the villages - maybe he is a shepherd or farmer. Whatever, the
point is you can't equate these people with people in the developed
and considerably wealthy world who (like myself) I might add, don't
mind picking up the odd traveller remembering my old hitch-hiking days
through Western Europe - and maybe wanting to continue the trend by
helping others. Thats my choice and I can afford it. These people
really can't and its just insensitive to have a vacation at their expense
by taking advantage of his traditional generosity and honourable values.

I believe we should all give a little to the countries and communities we
visit and not take something out or expect freebies especially in poor areas.

"...at their expense"

It's not at their expense if the space in the vehicle would have otherwise remained empty.

There are areas where drivers ensure that space doesn't remain empty, often by circling around until they find enough paying people. Hitchhiking takes a while there. But in places where people go long distance in empty cars, which is most of the world including the area this branch is dedicated to, nobody is losing anything.

OK Chris - we'll have to agree to differ on this one !

I do see most of your point honestly, just not in some areas.