Hitchhiker Roald Dahl !!top!! Jun 2026

is a minor masterpiece of short fiction. It doesn't rely on gore or ghosts. Instead, it relies on the joy of seeing a petty authority figure outwitted by a scrappy underdog. It is a celebration of skill—whether it is the skill of writing a story or the skill of lifting a wallet from a moving motorcycle cop. In Dahl’s world, the greatest crime isn't stealing; it's being a bore, or worse, a bully with a badge.

The central engine of the plot is the narrator’s fear of the police and the law. When a police car signals him to pull over for speeding, the narrator’s middle-class panic is palpable. He envisions court appearances, fines, and a stain on his character. The policeman is described as a looming, godlike figure: “tall and lean and grim,” with a “very cold” voice. He represents the intimidating, impersonal power of the state. The reader, along with the narrator, is led to believe the story will end in a humiliating fine. However, Dahl masterfully pivots. The hitchhiker, far from being a liability, becomes an unexpected savior. He reveals that the policeman himself was speeding, and that he has “nicked” the officer’s notebook. The source of tension—the law’s gaze—is instantly neutralized by the hitchhiker’s audacious, illegal act. hitchhiker roald dahl

In a delightful reveal, the hitchhiker shows the narrator a notebook. It contains the policeman’s details, badge number, and—crucially—two notebooks the officer had been carrying. is a minor masterpiece of short fiction

The story begins with the narrator driving a new, powerful BMW from London to Oxford. He is a man who appreciates machinery, specifically the speed and capability of his car. He spots a hitchhiker—a man with "small ratty face" and "dark teeth"—and decides to pick him up. It is a celebration of skill—whether it is

The story begins with an unnamed narrator—a wealthy writer—driving his brand-new BMW toward London. Remembering his own difficult days of hitchhiking, he stops to pick up a small, "rat-faced" man.

The story follows an unnamed narrator—a successful writer—who is driving his brand-new BMW toward London. Along the way, he picks up a "rat-faced" hitchhiker who claims to be heading to the horse races.