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Phantom Hitchhikers & Road Ghosts

MorningAngel said:
I don't know what road it was on but I think it was a part of the motorway between the M25 and Bath. I know it's the M4 along that way but I'm not sure if it was on that bit.

So getting to the point. My dad saw a group of Victorians by the motorway. There was no film crew and they were walking as if on flat ground even thought it was rocky. It has stayed with him ever since and it's even inspired a painting of his.
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So look
MorningAngel said:
Here we go. View attachment 4359


Actually he did write to the magazine about this but he's had no reply.
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Fantastic attention to detail considering he had to concentrate on the road.
 
Thanks for clearing that up, Morning Angel. I don't what to think. I know some festivals like Medieval Fairs have people wandering around in period costumes, but even that doesn't seem to add up.
 
genex17 said:
Thanks for clearing that up, Morning Angel. I don't what to think. I know some festivals like Medieval Fairs have people wandering around in period costumes, but even that doesn't seem to add up.
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'Art project'? Although the police would have moved them on as a distraction. Did anyone else in the car see them?
 
Do ghosts usually cast shadows, as suggested by the painting?

Must admit, when I spot a figure in historical costume, my first thoughts don't turn to the supernatural.
Roman soldiers or gladiators are usually a photo shoot touristy thing; Civil war soldiers are usually Sealed Knot recreations and Victorian costumes by a motorway could well be a broken-down minibus full of steampunk fans.
 
It's interesting that the light is behind the subjects, which would have 'in real life' rendered the subjects quite hard to see in such detail and with such vivid colours.

I'm wondering if there was something/some people on the motorway hard shoulder which combined with a low strong sun and a 'semi-autopilot driving fugue', induced the sighting of the figures as painted.

Was he driving west?
 
Fair enough. Still think Occam's Razor hints strongly at guests on their way to a Steampunk wedding or similar gathering. just Google Steampunk couples pics and you'll find several close matches for the painting above.
 
blessmycottonsocks said:
Fair enough. Still think Occam's Razor hints strongly at guests on their way to a Steampunk wedding or similar gathering. just Google Steampunk couples pics and you'll find several close matches for the painting above.
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Most likely, yes but what I find interesting is that he felt the need to paint it afterwards. As if he thought there was some significance in what he saw. And he went so far as to write in to FT about what happened.

MorningAngel said:
Actually he did write to the magazine about this but he's had no reply.
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Maybe if he has no luck in getting a reply then here might be a good place to post the full account?
 
Coal said:
It's interesting that the light is behind the subjects, which would have 'in real life' rendered the subjects quite hard to see in such detail and with such vivid colours.

I'm wondering if there was something/some people on the motorway hard shoulder which combined with a low strong sun and a 'semi-autopilot driving fugue', induced the sighting of the figures as painted.

Was he driving west?
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He definitely saw the colours. No there wasn't anything near by and as I said earlier he was a passenger not the driver.

I didn't see anything I was in the back I presume I was asleep as he didn't mention it to me until later. Yup just checked I was, and he had trouble believing what he was seeing at the time.

He says there were lumps of chalk there for building works but they were walking like it was flat.
 
Cochise said:
'Art project'? Although the police would have moved them on as a distraction. Did anyone else in the car see them?
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Reenactment. Where I've been, there are those enthusiasts who dress in Civil War (US) uniforms down to every historical detail that they know. I saw one at Fort Tejon, California next to Interstate 5. Major north-south freeway.

However, MorningAngel's father's experience looks to be otherworldly.
 
The chap in the picture looks a bit like I K Brunel. He would have an association with the Bath/Bristol area as he was in charge of building the Great Western Railway. Maybe he doesn't like competition from the motorway?

Unless OP's father is interested in Victoriana he's got a high amount of period detail in the costumes which tends to confirm he did see something.
 
Many years back when I worked for a transport company drivers would
often report seeing the M6 ghosts often around the Stoke area a Mississippi
stern wheeler fully lit was probably most reported, I never saw one and
put it down to tired drivers,
 
Cochise said:
The chap in the picture looks a bit like I K Brunel. He would have an association with the Bath/Bristol area as he was in charge of building the Great Western Railway. Maybe he doesn't like competition from the motorway?

Unless OP's father is interested in Victoriana he's got a high amount of period detail in the costumes which tends to confirm he did see something.
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Well he said the woman looked like she was bossing the man about. I'm not sure how Brunel would have taken to that. Maybe it was just a fashionable guy of the time.

Even as a passenger the car would have been going too fast to get minute detail. I am the Victorian fan and lent him a couple of books for historical detail.
 
One case I read about came from a compilation of biker stories. One such motorcyclist recalls after a party in Las Vegas, he headed back to San Diego. Still out in the desert he ran into some traffic delays and did not pay attention to the fuel gauge, until his bike started to sputter. He pulled off at an exit seemingly in the middle of nowhere, wondering what to do now. No gasoline station in sight. He notices this old man in cutoffs, no shirt and holding a bottle of Jack Daniels and not even offering him a sip. "There's a house a half mile down that road, the people who live there should be able to help you". The biker thanked him, started walking down the road and glanced back. He didn't see the old man, but didn't think anything of it.

He got there and a large balding man in overalls offered to help him out. They both went by pickup truck and the fella put some fuel in his tank, more than enough for the next town. The biker offered him $20, but the gent refused, he did have a question however: "I'm surprised you found me, how did you know I lived out that way?"

The biker described the old guy to the man.

"That was how my uncle dressed, but the old buzzard has been dead five years".

The biker decided he'd better hurry up and get home...
 
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I'm enjoying immensely reading through the Road Ghosts website.
My story belongs in urban legends I think, or at least I am trying to find out if it is an urban legend.
It concerns a colleague at work, years back who claimed she had an interesting evening when her car broke down on the way to Telford, so long ago it was pre mobile phones, and unfortunately I never clarified how she rang for assistance.
Firstly she said a male driver parked in front of her and offered to help. He was wearing and 'fiddling' with a pair of black gloves.
Understandably alarmed she told him she was waiting for the A.A. and thankfully the A.A. vehicle pulled up behind her. Whereupon the man went back to his car and drove off.
Unable to repair her car the male driver arranged for a tow and drove her home.
On the way they passed a hitchhiker, something in the driver's reaction bothered my colleague who asked him what was the matter.
He said prior to working for the A.A. he had a good job (unknown) a house and a family.
He said he gave a lift to a young woman who upon arriving at where she supposedly wanted to get to tried to extort money from him by threatening she would tell the police he tried to rape her.
He told her to get out and drove off.
The next day he was contacted by the police and questioned about the attempted rape.
He denied it and told the police about the girl's threats.
He was eventually cleared but as a result of the allegation lost his job, family and house.
He told my colleague he would never offer anyone a lift again.
There are about a million things wrong with this story, but it's pretty much as my colleague told it.
Is it a well known UL?
 
Likely mentioned before, Samlesbury Hall is reputed to be haunted one
is suposedly a white lady that appears in windows and as been blamed
for road accidents outside by crossing the A677 south of Preston.
 
smokehead said:
I'm enjoying immensely reading through the Road Ghosts website.
My story belongs in urban legends I think, or at least I am trying to find out if it is an urban legend.
It concerns a colleague at work, years back who claimed she had an interesting evening when her car broke down on the way to Telford, so long ago it was pre mobile phones, and unfortunately I never clarified how she rang for assistance.
Firstly she said a male driver parked in front of her and offered to help. He was wearing and 'fiddling' with a pair of black gloves.
Understandably alarmed she told him she was waiting for the A.A. and thankfully the A.A. vehicle pulled up behind her. Whereupon the man went back to his car and drove off.
Unable to repair her car the male driver arranged for a tow and drove her home.
On the way they passed a hitchhiker, something in the driver's reaction bothered my colleague who asked him what was the matter.
He said prior to working for the A.A. he had a good job (unknown) a house and a family.
He said he gave a lift to a young woman who upon arriving at where she supposedly wanted to get to tried to extort money from him by threatening she would tell the police he tried to rape her.
He told her to get out and drove off.
The next day he was contacted by the police and questioned about the attempted rape.
He denied it and told the police about the girl's threats.
He was eventually cleared but as a result of the allegation lost his job, family and house.
He told my colleague he would never offer anyone a lift again.
There are about a million things wrong with this story, but it's pretty much as my colleague told it.
Is it a well known UL?
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Motorways used to (and possibly still do) have emergency phones in case of breakdown.

Is the site you've been reading this one? http://www.paranormaldatabase.com/reports/roaddata.php?pageNum_paradata=0&totalRows_paradata=796

Interesting I'm only a couple of pages in. I went looking to see if anyone saw the same thing as my dad. I checked out M4 and it doesn't look like it, shame. :(
 
MorningAngel said:
Motorways used to (and possibly still do) have emergency phones in case of breakdown.

Is the site you've been reading this one? http://www.paranormaldatabase.com/reports/roaddata.php?pageNum_paradata=0&totalRows_paradata=796

Interesting I'm only a couple of pages in. I went looking to see if anyone saw the same thing as my dad. I checked out M4 and it doesn't look like it, shame. :(
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No, although I also like the paranormal database.
It's the one mentioned in post #3 of this thread, Roadghost.com.
All the best.
 
They look a bit different but still there on the bit's of M6 I use now n then.
 
I am tempted to join the Newspaper Archive site as one of the things I would like to look for are reports in local papers of accidents around Salmesbury Hall.
 
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The motorway phones still exist, and if you need to call for assistance you're better off using one of those than your mobile - it's easier for you to be located.
 
My brother told me a bloke told him he was cycling along the towpath of the Tame Valley canal when a dog suddenly ran out from the scrub at the side
The bloke said he didn't hit it, he went straight through it!
I feel only confident enough to say I do have a brother. He did tell me that story. The Tame Valley canal does exist.
I suppose being curious there are certain aspects of the phenomenon I would like more information on.
Like the silent hitchhiker who only points when asked where they are going.
And that's it is it? It's just accepted and felt no more needs to be said?
It seems contrary to normal human behaviour to me.
Encountering anyone, or anything on a lonely road sort of raises the hackles doesn't it? It would be interesting to hear the experiences of people who have seen clearly ridiculous things through tiredness, or road hypnotism.
I'm not trying to debunk the subject, it's a fascination of mine, along with the lesser known phenomenon of travelling along a well known route and realising you don't recognize your surroundings.
 
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