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bottomofthehill

(9,386 posts)
90. There are good pictures in the link but this is a much better explanation
Sat Jan 27, 2024, 11:53 AM
Jan 2024

Back in the day most residential streets were not plowed and the snow packed streets would get icy. A favorite activity was hitching or skitching a ride by grabbing the bumper of a car and sliding behind the car on the icy street.

You snuck up on the car and grabbed the bumper without the driver knowing. Sometimes the driver would become aware of you and swing out to get you off the car, or to give you more fun, or both.

You could just do this with your shoes, or wear skates. We also did it with bikes which was harder. And now the kids do it with skates or skateboards.

Sometimes our fathers or older brothers would let us hitch a ride. Lots of fun - not very safe - but fun.

https://empehi.blogspot.com/2016/12/hitching-or-skitching-ride.html?m=1

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1 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

Riding down a hill on a sled gab13by13 Jan 2024 #1
Yep they would have a fit. debm55 Jan 2024 #3
Ha! We had one of those, too happybird Jan 2024 #110
We'd have bb pistol gunfights... MiHale Jan 2024 #2
Did anyone get hurt? debm55 Jan 2024 #4
Not by the bb's...😂 MiHale Jan 2024 #5
HAHAHAHAHHAH You are funny, MiHale. debm55 Jan 2024 #6
I had to have eye surgery over bb gun wars... Chainfire Jan 2024 #27
Sorry about your eye surgery. Hope everything was alright. We had them too up in the woods. and played Tarzan. It was debm55 Jan 2024 #31
The one time we swung on vines was down by the river... MiHale Jan 2024 #44
Me either. So swung away. debm55 Jan 2024 #49
Funny story... MiHale Jan 2024 #52
Thank you for that funny post. Believe me I tried to get it as you got to stay home from school No such luck. debm55 Jan 2024 #53
My brother and I, along with the kids down the street, would do this too, but without the cardboard body armor. LudwigPastorius Jan 2024 #73
Sounds like fun but dangerous too debm55 Jan 2024 #79
we used metal trash can lids as shields Captain Zero Jan 2024 #109
Did the bb s penetrate the lids? debm55 Jan 2024 #112
Screwing around in the freight yards CanonRay Jan 2024 #7
The slag pile was next to the steel mill in my town. They would dump the slag and it would semi harden. We didn't go on debm55 Jan 2024 #10
Train noises still put me to sleep CanonRay Jan 2024 #17
Me too, You hear them better at night. debm55 Jan 2024 #21
They don't loook huge from the road, walking in a train yard like you did and next to a moving train like I did was debm55 Jan 2024 #35
Or the construction sights that were later found to have blasting caps all over. LakeArenal Jan 2024 #103
True, debm55 Jan 2024 #107
Went way deep into the forest all alone and climbed to the tops of the tallest trees. Mister Ed Jan 2024 #8
Sounds beautiful.Mr. Ed. debm55 Jan 2024 #11
In those days kids were free-range. In the summer we'd take off for the day; Ocelot II Jan 2024 #9
My childhood was the same. Summers you were on your own. The most dangerous think we did was to walk into the next town. debm55 Jan 2024 #13
Free Range is a great description CanonRay Jan 2024 #19
True. and we never told. debm55 Jan 2024 #22
I like Free Range Kids. Do you think it was because our parents came from large families? And their mothers didn't want debm55 Jan 2024 #30
I don't think that's it, at least not in my family or neighborhood. Ocelot II Jan 2024 #34
Perfect post, Ocelot II . The school guard told on me. I never learned until later why I was not allowed to take candy debm55 Jan 2024 #36
Most families in my neighborhood had 3-4 kids max Jilly_in_VA Jan 2024 #56
Thank you Jilly_in_VA. Yes we rode our bikes all over too. Love the feeling of the find in my hair, debm55 Jan 2024 #58
Similar To You, Ocelot ProfessorGAC Jan 2024 #69
By the time I was a teenager we learned of a nearby family with nine kids, Ocelot II Jan 2024 #70
Thanks ProfessorGAC, besides the walking on the train tracks, the bulls, the slag hills. I led a "peaceful life" debm55 Jan 2024 #80
I also think neighborhoods were close. LakeArenal Jan 2024 #101
Very true, LakeArenal. Thank you. debm55 Jan 2024 #104
Also, back then, parents NEVER backed their own kids against a complaint from a neighbor or teacher. LakeArenal Jan 2024 #106
Yes, at home and at home. debm55 Jan 2024 #129
definitely, or a teacher either. We had to really prove we were in the right, too. nt yellowdogintexas Jan 2024 #136
for us it was just a very small town in the middle of nowhere. yellowdogintexas Jan 2024 #130
yellowdogintexas, that sounds nice and relaxing. TY debm55 Jan 2024 #133
Free range kids...love it! MiHale Jan 2024 #48
Going down a sliding hill, at night, wearing ice skates. zanana1 Jan 2024 #12
How many bones did you break? debm55 Jan 2024 #14
I was incredibly lucky. zanana1 Jan 2024 #15
You were young. It's not that you weren't bright. debm55 Jan 2024 #23
My kid did that Mz Pip Jan 2024 #55
Riding a bike without a helmet. Aristus Jan 2024 #16
I never wore a helmet. I don;t think we had them . At 5, I walked to Kindergarten across town by myself.My mom didn't debm55 Jan 2024 #18
I also had some restrictions when I was that young. Our dragons lived Ocelot II Jan 2024 #25
Yep, the bike brought freedom. debm55 Jan 2024 #37
Making a fort with hay bales in a barn loft; closing off the exit with a bale, and lighting candles inside. NBachers Jan 2024 #20
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA. I have heard that phrase before. debm55 Jan 2024 #24
omg me too gopiscrap Jan 2024 #158
"Don't you kids have anything to do outside??" LOL! Ocelot II Jan 2024 #28
I love your list. I am going to save those---Wait until your father get; s home. debm55 Jan 2024 #38
My childhood wrapped up in 5 sentences...🤣 MiHale Jan 2024 #50
MiHale hahahahahahahahha debm55 Jan 2024 #187
In my family, it was: "Yer gonnna end up digging ditches for the restofyerlife!" NBachers Jan 2024 #62
That's funny. You need a hug. debm55 Jan 2024 #63
On a Friends farm, the chickens would nest in the hay loft. Chainfire Jan 2024 #66
I bet life on a farm was diferent and sometimes dangerous. debm55 Jan 2024 #81
I never lived on a farm. Going to the farm to play would be like a kid today, going to the mall. Chainfire Jan 2024 #86
thanks and sorry. debm55 Jan 2024 #89
real farm work is among the most dangerous occupations. yellowdogintexas Jan 2024 #135
Thank you for stating that. It sounds fun but can be quit dangerous too. Sorry for the kids. debm55 Jan 2024 #137
As Bob Cesca says "Don't Whiz on the Electric Fence" yellowdogintexas Jan 2024 #131
I did that! Mz Pip Jan 2024 #26
If you were lucky someone, somewhere had a washer/dryer or refrigerator box and pile your group in and go down the hill. debm55 Jan 2024 #40
MZ Pip, yes it was fun debm55 Jan 2024 #186
Going to the lake with my best friend. We'd cut through a farmer's corn fields, Liberty Belle Jan 2024 #29
Sounds great, and beautiful, Liberty Belle. debm55 Jan 2024 #41
Same thing and I still have slag in my knee to prove it! They livetohike Jan 2024 #32
You were lucky, because they started they would rattle back and forth. It must have been great time. Did you live near debm55 Jan 2024 #42
Yes! We lived with my Grandma in E.Pgh until I was 6 livetohike Jan 2024 #51
I lived until 9th grade in Duquesne.) My late dad was born in Turtle Creek. the whole area was great for sledding and debm55 Jan 2024 #54
I climbed the town water tower. Among many other things Walleye Jan 2024 #33
Walleye, did you get into trouble? debm55 Jan 2024 #43
No I got almost to the top and I took a picture, I must've been around 11 or 12. I disguised as a science experiment Walleye Jan 2024 #57
Glad you suvived your childhood. debm55 Jan 2024 #59
I often think it was a miracle. Walleye Jan 2024 #60
Riding bikes after school moose65 Jan 2024 #39
Greet post, moose65. Yes, that is how things were. No i-phones. hell I didn;t have a watch until I got my Timex watch in debm55 Jan 2024 #46
I grew up in Waikiki during the first part of the age of construction Bobstandard Jan 2024 #45
That would scare the heck out of me. Glad you lived through that to tell us about it. Me, I am afraid of heights. debm55 Jan 2024 #47
Having spin out races on our bikes. First you would find an area with small gravel. Bikers lined up one at a time. You debm55 Jan 2024 #61
Growing up in an Erie Canal town in Western New York, we had it all- The canal, the railroad tracks, the crick, gravel NBachers Jan 2024 #64
Wow, your group sounds adventurous and fun. TY debm55 Jan 2024 #134
We would speed ride our bikes down a steep road and fly right through the stop cornball 24 Jan 2024 #65
I know you must've built bike jumps. NBachers Jan 2024 #67
Wow, your group lived on on the edge.TY debm55 Jan 2024 #140
Everything my parents told me not to do womanofthehills Jan 2024 #68
So true, Thank you woman of the hills, debm55 Jan 2024 #82
It took me awhile to try to answer this question. Niagara Jan 2024 #71
Niagara, I had a post on here about going skinny dipping. I was ashamed of my body until I got married. We jounied a debm55 Jan 2024 #83
Debbie, I was most likely too young to join naturalist club Niagara Jan 2024 #115
HAHAHHHAHAHAHAHAHHAH That's why we haven't gone since son was born. 33 years ago. debm55 Jan 2024 #117
As a kid,... LudwigPastorius Jan 2024 #72
Oh my LudwigPastorius , you were a rebel. debm55 Jan 2024 #84
Rebel? No, just a dumbass! LudwigPastorius Jan 2024 #95
HAHAHAHHAAHHAH debm55 Jan 2024 #97
Shooter out a street light with my pump BB gun. Emile Jan 2024 #74
Did you get into trouble? debm55 Jan 2024 #85
No one saw it. Emile Jan 2024 #99
You were lucky.. debm55 Jan 2024 #100
'Can' I name things I did? Sure. OldBaldy1701E Jan 2024 #75
Thank you, OldBaldy1701E, as we grow we learn. You learned which is part of life. Congratulations on stopping the debm55 Jan 2024 #88
What is amazing is that, even as a simple country boy OldBaldy1701E Jan 2024 #122
Yes, that's true in all families I think. debm55 Jan 2024 #127
We took a case of beer from the church. Back in the day the Catholic churches all doc03 Jan 2024 #76
Oh my, did you get sick? debm55 Jan 2024 #94
Yep pretty much so. doc03 Jan 2024 #123
Thought so. And drunk too. What did your parents say when you got home? debm55 Jan 2024 #128
They never had a clue. As far as they knew it just another night doc03 Jan 2024 #144
Hahaha You are lucky. debm55 Jan 2024 #146
Sketching bottomofthehill Jan 2024 #77
I never heard of that before. Maybe because they threw ash from the mill down on the roads so the car had traction. I debm55 Jan 2024 #78
If you google bumper skiing bottomofthehill Jan 2024 #87
There are good pictures in the link but this is a much better explanation bottomofthehill Jan 2024 #90
I never heard of that before. I think I would be scared debm55 Jan 2024 #93
this was popular in my town Conjuay Jan 2024 #125
Oh my, but funny in a way, debm55 Jan 2024 #190
yeah, Conjuay Jan 2024 #126
That is funny. debm55 Jan 2024 #191
I posted about the same thing below before I noticed this. Demobrat Jan 2024 #139
That's okay---most of my posts are Free Range. debm55 Jan 2024 #147
Oh, in my areaa, sliding down Sand Mountain was a tradition! csziggy Jan 2024 #91
What a great post. Thank you., It;s very informative. debm55 Jan 2024 #96
One thing that I did as a kid, that I wouldn't let my own kids to was playing with fireworks. Chainfire Jan 2024 #92
Thanks , that is very telling of your heart and goodness. debm55 Jan 2024 #98
The number of things we blew up with firecrackers. 🧨 LakeArenal Jan 2024 #102
Wow. that is risking your health debm55 Jan 2024 #119
More my brother than I. LakeArenal Jan 2024 #120
That's a bummer. debm55 Jan 2024 #141
Oh, so many things! happybird Jan 2024 #105
Wow, you really had a Free Range life. TY debm55 Jan 2024 #142
Playing chicken with the neighbor's bull. And later, drag racing on unopened I-71. sinkingfeeling Jan 2024 #108
My group had a run in with a bull also. I thought it was tame. It was just standing there. I went over to pet it, the debm55 Jan 2024 #143
I used to slide on a cardboard box down my childhood homes stairs kimbutgar Jan 2024 #111
I did that too. Almost went out the door at the bottom of the steps debm55 Jan 2024 #114
Well after reading responses here EverHopeful Jan 2024 #113
We would swim to a privately owned island in the middle of the Allegheny River, walk to a beach on the other side, appleannie1 Jan 2024 #116
Your from Pittsburgh area aren't you?There are undercurrents in both the Allegheny and Monongalia Rivers, Glad you were debm55 Jan 2024 #118
I grew up in Wilkinsburg when it was a decent place to live. appleannie1 Jan 2024 #121
I was from Duquesne, We moved out after 8th grade,I drove through there at Christmas, It is a very bad shape. I wanted debm55 Jan 2024 #145
We did some crazy things on our bicycles Mr.Bill Jan 2024 #124
Did you ride on your back wheel? Could never figure out how kids did that. TY Mr. Bill debm55 Jan 2024 #148
No, never could do that. Mr.Bill Jan 2024 #149
I played in traffic MyMission Jan 2024 #132
Wow, I hate to sound like a parent but you were lucky. We walked to the neighboring town on the Jersey Barrier they debm55 Jan 2024 #150
Skitching Demobrat Jan 2024 #138
I would be afraid. Good thing you are still around, we would miss you. debm55 Jan 2024 #151
My brother and cousin climbed the mountain behind applegrove Jan 2024 #152
Wonderful and I bet the scene was beautiful TY applegrove. debm55 Jan 2024 #155
I used to ride my bicycle (no helmet in those days) Golden Raisin Jan 2024 #153
Agree with you, TY Golden Raisin debm55 Jan 2024 #154
Where do I start? liberal N proud Jan 2024 #156
liberal N proud I think you left us with alot of hair raising experiences. Geewiz, you were a brave soul. debm55 Jan 2024 #157
two things come to mind: gopiscrap Jan 2024 #159
gopiscrap did you parents find out, ? thank you debm55 Jan 2024 #160
oh yeah gopiscrap Jan 2024 #183
Wow. You took some chanches there. You must have a beautiful voice. debm55 Jan 2024 #184
thank you I do use my voice all the time gopiscrap Feb 2024 #194
😄 oh, man, some of youse were crazeee! I don't think I did anything beyond... electric_blue68 Jan 2024 #161
Maybe take into account that some of us may have had a quite different background in our youth, some had parents that debm55 Jan 2024 #164
Oh, dear... I think I was misunderstood, or not clear, nuanced enough. y Apologies! Wasn't laughing "at" you & other.... electric_blue68 Jan 2024 #173
I am sorry too. I took your post the wrong way. I understand how one could. But it"s life and some of us lead a debm55 Jan 2024 #175
No problems, All good 🙂 electric_blue68 Jan 2024 #182
My Mom, and Her Siblings on the other hand 😄 ....one time.... electric_blue68 Jan 2024 #162
Having a gunfight in an abandoned house while super drunk Kaleva Jan 2024 #163
I hope it was BB and not real bullets. debm55 Jan 2024 #165
Real guns Kaleva Jan 2024 #166
Thank you for your honesty. debm55 Jan 2024 #167
We lifted a stripped Volkswagen bug on to the roof of our High School Auditorium. NNadir Jan 2024 #168
But you still took part. Same thing,NNadir. ----------- debm55 Jan 2024 #169
I am guilty. NNadir Jan 2024 #170
Yes you are. Did you ever get caught. Or are you spilling the beans here on DU? debm55 Jan 2024 #171
All the people who may have "caught" me are long dead for sure. NNadir Jan 2024 #172
Sorry, NNadir, debm55 Jan 2024 #176
Well, they could be alive, but they'd be centenarians... NNadir Jan 2024 #180
JHC! missed this thread. Where to start? Prairie_Seagull Jan 2024 #174
Yes, I never swam in the rivers here --Youghagany and Monogahalia too many undercurrents. Lots of kids and adults have debm55 Jan 2024 #178
Oh, just about everything! yardwork Jan 2024 #177
You remind me of another my friends did that I didn't do was walking across the railroad trestle. Living in a steel debm55 Jan 2024 #179
Climbing onto the roof of Miller Theater in Houston TexasBushwhacker Jan 2024 #181
Yes, it doesn't seem too steep, Looks beautiful. I guess it was the thing to go though. Guards? I am glad you didn't get debm55 Jan 2024 #185
It's a great venue TexasBushwhacker Jan 2024 #188
Sounds great, TexasBushwhacker. and very eye appealing. debm55 Jan 2024 #189
Hitchhiking JoseBalow Feb 2024 #192
I needed to do at college. Would I do it now, NO. I was a 21 year old student working the third shift. I had very long debm55 Feb 2024 #193
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