[pct-l] Help for Harry

[Bob Bankhead]

Matt gives an excellent point about hitching; lucky for those involved the
driver did what he said he would do. Life lesson learned.

Let me add that you should write down or memorize the license plate number
BEFORE you get in. This is doubly important before just arbitrarily tossing
your gear into the trunk or truck bed, especially if the driver remains
behind the wheel while you're doing so.

In a group, one or more of you should board the vehicle before the gear
does, even if it's just into the truck bed "to arrange things so they don't
slide about". At the store or restaurant that won't allow packs, one stays
with the gear while the other(s) eat/shop/whatever. First one finished
relieves the sentry. Or as Matt says, " If the business doesn't allow
backpacks inside go to the next business" (if that's possible).

And the last rule of hitching: if something doesn't feel right, pass on the
ride. 






-----Original Message-----
From: pct-l-bounces at backcountry.net [mailto:pct-l-bounces at backcountry.net]
On Behalf Of Matt Signore
Sent: Monday, April 21, 2014 9:08 AM
To: pct-l
Subject: Re: [pct-l] Help for Harry

I grew up near and educated in the city of brotherly go F yourself.  For
that reason I am less trusting of people.  In Philadelphia if someone asks
you what time it is they are just judging whether your watch is worth
stealing.

Once on the AT I was hiking with 4 other people we come to a road crossing
and a guy pulls up and offers to slack pack us 1 mile to the next road
crossing.  Well 4 out of the 5 of us threw their packs into the back of the
truck.  I was sitting there with my pack on and the truck pulls away.  I
asked the people that threw their packs into the back of the truck if they
knew the guy.  They looked at me like they saw a ghost.  Because no one knew
him.  When they got to the next road crossing luckily their gear was there.

So, sometimes people make bad decisions with their gear, and get away with
it.  Other times people make bad decisions with their gear, and someone else
gets away with stealing said persons stuff.

If the business doesn't allow backpacks inside go to the next business.