Skitching

Skitching (abbreviated from "ski-hitching" or "skate-hitching", pron: \ˈskē-chiŋ\ , "Ders, I'm skitching.") is the act of hitching a ride by holding onto a motor vehicle while riding on a skateboard, roller skates or bicycle. It is also sometimes referred to as bumper hitching, bumpershining, poggying, or bizzing, bumper jumping, and hooky bobbing, the latter three referring primarily to the equivalent done on icy or snowy streets without a skateboard or roller skates, but skitching does not include a snowboard; the proper wording for that is snitching. In addition, skitching can be performed on a bicycle or Inner tube.

The term "skitching" can refer to a number of related activities. The unifying concept is that the skitcher holds onto a motorized vehicle while it is in motion, using the vehicle to propel themselves along.

By far the most referenced type of skitching in news sources and popular culture, if not necessarily the most practiced in reality, skateboard skitching is the act of holding onto a motor vehicle while riding a skateboard. Skateboard skitching has appeared in films and video games, and is confirmed to be the cause of death for a number of youths and young adults. Some young drivers are willing participants in skateboard skitching, which can open them up to legal action in the event of an accident.

Skitching is also performed on inline skates. It has appeared in video games, for example Skitchin'.

Likely more common in practice than other varieties of skitching, bicycle skitching is the act of holding onto a motor vehicle while riding a bicycle. Bicycle skitching is frequently practiced by bicycle messengers in urban areas, with drivers who are most often unknowing of their activity. Bicycle skitching is not directly responsible for as many deaths or injuries as other varieties, which may be due to the fact that bicycles are safer to operate at high speed than skateboards and other modes of skitching.

What may be the original type of skitching, snow skitching involves holding onto the bumper of a moving vehicle in a crouched position on snow-covered roads. The practice may have started after school when students were dropped off from their school bus, and used the bus to skitch closer to home so they wouldn't have to walk. The chromed metal bumpers of the late fifties provided a good grip to gloved fingers. Car speeds were quite slow due to very icy conditions [see also lake effect snow]. It was not something to be encouraged but was widely practiced.

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Wikipedia