Cartmel College - Lancaster University - Official Website

You’ve seen it in the Lancaster brochures, passed it most days being here, marvelled at its solid stone body and glass wall adorned with the Lancaster symbol, but what is it? Sat on the side of the roundabout in between the main entrance road and the underpass. Is it an archaic bus stop now redundant because of the ‘new’ underpass… erm, maybe, but since when did busses like to stop on
roundabouts? Perhaps it’s just an expensive looking photo opportunity? Well in fact it is neither of these; it is the little known, rarely used hitchhiking point.

Need to go into town, but only coppers look back at you when you open your purse and let’s face it nobody wants the embarrassment of paying a £1.30 fare with a ten pound note. Then take the short walk along the perimeter to this unusual structure, stick your hand out into the road (but not too much), thumbs up and flag yourself down a free ride into town and probably a new friend too. If you are a socially responsi-ble individual who is concerned about our environment then even when pound coins a plenty oc-cupy your purse hitching offers a perfect means of transport; in-stead of adding to the O zone damaging emissions yourself you are in essence cutting another persons in half.

It may seem a bit daunting getting into a strangers car, I mean it goes directly against what our parents told us as kids, but at twenty years old, getting a lift off another student poses the most minimal risk. Forget the urban legends and experience the generosity and community spirit from your fellow Lancastrians. For those of you who are lucky enough to drive then I implore you to keep an open mind about picking someone up. Given if they are wearing a hooded gown with something sharp protruding from their sleeve it may be best to drive on (unless you too are a member of LURPS). But if you are happy to go out and meet your fellow students on a night out, or speak to them in lectures then there is no reason not to give them a lift into town.

One issue with this means of transport raises its head;you have successfully gotten a lift into town off a kind fellow, bought your consumables but now what? Do you pay the majority of a re-turn fare on your single back to campus? little bit defeatist really. So the question is where about in town do you stand to optimise your chances of getting picked up for the journey back? Suggestions from drivers have been just past the roundabout up the road from Revs or alongside the memorial, opposite Walkabouts where drivers are stopped so can take some time in making their decision. If you think you know a good spot, or you have a hitching story for us then get on the forums on the Cartmel website and let us know in the ‘Hitchhiking’ topic. I look forward to seeing you adventurous ‘thumbers’ there soon, good luck Cartmel.

By Matt Connor