(It made me wonder: Why had things changed so? Hitchhiking was still legal in most of the United States—why had it become so rare? Partly, I knew, because of law enforcement’s campaign to discourage it by broadcasting how dangerous it was, especially for women, though in fact it never was particularly dangerous, not even for women. At some point any American needing a ride began to look suspect: Why didn’t that person have a car? But what a great thing it would be to bring hitchhiking back. Fewer cars on the road: Who wouldn’t want that?
