The hobo life attracts people for its freedom, the release from responsibility, the thrill of living by your wits, and a promise of adventure. George Orwell, Jack Kerouac and Eugene O’Neill all found themselves in this brotherhood of itinerant workers. In America, it’s a tradition rich with its own language and codes of ethics – there is even a hobos’ union.
But it is not without its dangers. The risk of death or injury from leaping aboard a hundred thousand tons of rolling steel are very real. Vicious dogs, unwelcome townsfolk, brutal police and the odd serial killer can make the daily business of survival hazardous.
Hobo signs developed spontaneously as a way to flag dangers and opportunities and, although largely outmoded, their meanings still provide a real insight into the lives of “the last outlaws” – and the communities they depend on.
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“It’s truly a drug, a greasy steely drug that once it gets in your blood it’s there for good, and no matter how you’ve retired, no matter how much you deny it, you’ll never be free of it. Whenever you hear a train whistle, whenever you see a moving train, or just train cars, or even train tracks, that longing in your heart will tug at you so tight you’ll realize that you’re addicted for life!” – What’s The Appeal Of Hobo Life?, www.hobo.com
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