Skitching, which may be a combination of the words “skating” and “hitching,” is the act of holding on to a moving vehicle while wearing roller skates or riding on a skate board. The person who is in the act of skitching is not inside the motor vehicle and is, instead of using his own muscles to propel himself forward, “hitch” a ride using the power of the motor vehicle’s engine to move him. Understandable, this is a very dangerous practice that can lead to serious physical injury for the person who is skitching. Also, if the driver of the motor vehicle is unaware and suddenly realizes that there is a person hanging from the side or back of his car, he may become distracted in a manner that could lead to an accident, potentially injuring many people including the skating hitcher.
It is most common for skitching to take place in urban areas where there is heavy but relatively slow traffic. This is because skitchers can sometimes hang on to busses, vans, and sometimes even cars without the driver becoming aware. Furthermore, in these sorts of areas, there is a great deal of starting and stopping. This means that a motor vehicle may not accelerate above 35 or 40 miles per hour (about 55 to 65 kilometers per hour). Although the practice is still very dangerous, a person who is skitching is likely not to be pulled at much higher speeds that are likely to be reached on highways, freeways, and open roads outside of cities.
Also, one of the reasons that skitching is used in urban areas is that it can accelerate a skater’s commute from one place to another. A skitcher trying to get across town quickly might alternate between skating and skitching when possible. In addition to being very dangerous, skitching is also illegal in many places.
There are a number of other terms that are used to describe the act of skitching. “Poggying” is one term. “Bumper shining” and “bumper hitching” are also terms that are used to describe skitching. This is because skitchers may hold on to the rear bumper of a motor vehicle or just the back end of the vehicle near the rear bumper. There are similar practices that involve the use of a bicycle and, in some cases, an inner tube (which is used on snow-covered streets) that are similar to the practice of hitching a ride while skating.