A little ax murderer will of course still hitchhike without any aids, preferably on a chilly autumn night near the forest. But for people who want to hitchhike to get from A to B (statistically about half of hitchhikers), it has now become a lot easier in Brabant due to the arrival of special lift columns.
So-called lift columns have been in place for about two months now in the municipalities of Eersel, Bladel, Reusel-De Mierden and Bergeijk. These are a kind of bus shelter, but specifically for hitchhiking. You can even indicate in the ticker above the box which direction you should go. You indicate this by pressing a button on the card. Motorists can then stop to pick you up.
‘Just put the public transport in your…’ | Photo: © Brainport Bereikbaar
The initiative F’kes Ride Along. And if you read this differently than ‘efkes’, that’s not your fault. You’re just ruined by the internet. The municipalities want people to get out of their cars because the roads are silting up, but public transport is not enough to get everyone around properly. That is why the elevator columns were invented.
Not a valid excuse for being late for work
In return for Fidelity says the project leader F’kes Ride Along that the lift columns in Brabant are not intended for commuting. Hitchhiking would be ‘too unpredictable’ for that. It can be a solution, especially if you want to spontaneously visit someone a village away. It is also mainly intended for adults; It wouldn’t be a good idea to let children board with strangers.
The creators believe that small villages are very suitable for these types of initiatives: ‘The lift columns respond to the strong social cohesion in a village, the “know-us-us culture” makes it less exciting and even fun to to take or give a lift.’ In the villages of Hulsel, Hoogeloon, Wintelre, Knegsel, Weebosch and Luyksgestel you can use the columns daily between 6:30 AM and 10:30 PM.
