A variant on the giant foam finger/hand usually found at sporting events, designed to aid hitch hikers.

Coming in a range of bright and noticeable colours, it would also have a rewriteable white-board type surface in the centre for the hitch hiker to write their intended destination. Of course, it would come with a pen and eraser for writing and rewriting. Discrete hinges also allow it to fold down to save space when the well prepared hiker manages to thumb down a ride.
-- hidden truths, Sep 21 2006

http://www.wolfwareonline.com/pd_foam.cfm [2 fries shy of a happy meal, Sep 21 2006]

http://saints.merse...mages/Thumb_000.JPG [2 fries shy of a happy meal, Sep 21 2006]

my idea to use them for something useful, too Police_20Issued_20Foam_20Fingers
[xandram, Sep 21 2006]

I imagine this is almost exactly what you had in mind... http://www.youtube....watch?v=gKgjLTs8Or0
[fridge duck, Apr 12 2007]

Jumbo Thumb (similar to the one used in a Pee Wee Herman Movie http://madhattermag...hp?products_id=2413
[veryvermilion, Apr 15 2007]

I love this. Used to do quite a bit of hitching when I was younger.

Here are a couple for templates. [links]
-- 2 fries shy of a happy meal, Sep 21 2006


fill with custard and lay across road.
-- po, Sep 21 2006


+ Nice idea, esp. the rewritable surface.

(spell check doesn't recoginize the word *rewritable*)
-- xandram, Sep 21 2006


[+] Good idea, but maybe an inflatable thumb would be better. Combined with a battery powered air pump for quit inflating / deflating. You would get the same effect, with easier storage. The last thing a hitchhiker needs is a huge wad of foam to lug around.
-- Veho, Sep 21 2006


[Veho], yours is an interesting idea, but I was going for the low-tech end of the market personally. Also, I thought about making it inflatable, but decided that it would make writing on it awkward.
-- hidden truths, Sep 25 2006


//The last thing a hitchhiker needs is a huge wad of foam to lug around.//

Make it as a removable piece of your camping mat.
-- webfishrune, Sep 25 2006


"Honestly Officer, I wasn't hitchhiking. This is a gift for my Mom. She adores Tampa Bay, that's why I wrote that."
-- Shz, Sep 25 2006


//Honestly Officer, I wasn't hitchhiking.//

Is hitchhiking illegal where you are then?
-- webfishrune, Sep 25 2006


I think its illegal for a lot of the US
-- energy guy, Sep 25 2006


\\Is hitchhiking illegal where you are then? \\

Either that or [Shz] knows someone named Honestly Officer.
-- hidden truths, Sep 25 2006


It is illegal here, a state law. I'm not sure how widespread it is across the country. It doesn't stop people from doing it, though, nor does it prevent bunning hitchhiking ideas. I don't recall anyone getting arrested for it, ever.
-- Shz, Sep 25 2006


I've seen rubber thumbs, about eight inches long, they looked as though they were made in the sixties.

And hitchhiking may be illegal in some states, but most places it's regulated by how you do it. No standing in the roadway, no hitching on the freeway.
-- normzone, Sep 25 2006


\\designed to aid hitch hikers\\
\\a rewriteable white-board type surface \\
\\Discrete hinges also allow it to fold down\\

Even if foam thumbs are widely known (I'd certainly never heard of them), I'd still think this to be a significant departure from the sporting event variety.

Nice idea there [webfishrune]. Perfect for the camping hitch hiker.
-- hidden truths, Sep 26 2006


very cool
-- benfrost, Sep 28 2006


//I've seen rubber thumbs, about eight inches long// Are you *sure* they were thumbs?
-- nuclear hobo, Apr 12 2007


Point taken, but yes, I'm sure. I miss my hitchhiking days, I had so much fun and met so many good people. Probably don't have the patience to do it now, but it's a good emergency skill to have.
-- normzone, Apr 15 2007



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