Paranormal Path
Need A Lift?
Imagine this; you are driving down the road on a foggy or rainy night when you come to the entrance of a bridge that crosses a river. Near the entrance you see a woman on the side of the road who is obviously in distress. You pull over and offer your assistance which she gratefully accepts. The woman gets into your car and tells you she is attempting to get to her mother’s house and gives you an address. While you drive over the bridge you engage in a nice conversation with her until you notice she has become very silent. Soon you realize you are over the bridge and your passenger has disappeared. This is just one story of Phantom Hitchhikers. This particular case takes place in Columbia South Carolina at US-76, but there are accounts all over the world.
These stories are very popular, probably because they involve actual interaction with a spirit. You are not just seeing a ghost but it is talking with or responding to you. There are different types of these tales. Most common are the stories like the one we just spoke of, a person is driving and sees a person on the side of the road either in distress or just hitching a ride. They get into the car and give a destination. Sometimes the destination is where they met their end or in other tales it could be the cemetery in which they’re buried. The most common understanding of the phenomenon is the person does not realize they have passed and are still attempting to reach their destination.
Another example is a much more dangerous one. In Hong Kong there is Tuen Mun Road. This is one of the main roads and is heavily used. There have been several reports of ghosts walking or simply appearing in the middle of the road. Drivers then quickly swerve out of the way to avoid hitting what they think is a living person and cause serious if not fatal accidents. There is a theory that the number of apparitions are growing due to the number of fatal accidents that keep occurring.
The third example takes place in San Antonio Texas. Near the San Juan Mission there is an intersection that is crossed by train tracks. This case has been labeled an urban legend. Some have even argued that there is a scientific explanation, but let’s concentrate on the paranormal aspect for now shall we? The story states that sometime in the 1930’s or 40’s a school bus filled with children stalled on these tracks. Despite the drivers efforts the quickly approaching train collided with the bus, killing 10 children. Today it is believed these children are still near the tracks, protecting other drivers from stalling and meeting the same fate. They say if you park on the tracks, then put your car in neutral and wait, the car will be pushed forward out of the way of the tracks. In addition, if you put powder on the bumper beforehand, you will see small childlike handprints once the car is out of harm’s way. As stated before this is more of an urban legend since there is no official record of this accident but it doesn’t stop people from attempting to stop on the tracks. There have been many examples of ghosts appearing to warn drivers of dangerous road conditions. Usually the entity had passed from a similar hazard that they are protecting you from. These entities have even been labeled as guardian angels.
The road can be a dangerous place. It is always important to be alert and focused while driving, for your own safety and the safety of others. Always keep your eyes on the road and if you come across any hitchhikers, you may want to remember a few of these tales. There are several books and articles that lists some reportedly haunted roads, you may want to do a little research before taking a road trip or offering a ride to a stranger in need. However there are some, like myself, who would enjoy the company of a phantom hitchhiker.