Many people think hobo is a general word for tramps, hobos, and bums. But it is not. Our society was built on railway workers, agricultural workers, farm hands, cowboys, etc moving from place to place to take short-term jobs in peak seasons. They followed the peak seasons from area to area, working incredibly hard and then not working for a while until the next season.
Our society has changed dramatically, but there are still people who live outside of the norm. Some of them are forced into it, others choose it. For some it is a temporary solution or a thing to do when you are young. For others it is a permanent lifestyle.
- A hobo is someone who moves around looking for work, a tramp is someone who moves around and doesn’t work, and a bum [nowadays called a Home Bum] is someone who doesn’t move and doesn’t work. I’ve been all three. [Seasick Steve, blues musician]
- Hobo – working traveler, Tramp – non working traveler, Bum – non working, non traveler (aka Home Bum]
- Hobos, tramps, and bums are distinct categories of travelers. Hobos are workers who travel and work, tramps travel but don’t work, and bums neither travel nor work. Home Bums tend to cause the most trouble because they stay in one place (eg a park bench in a small town) and don’t work.
I think this ethical code below is great for anyone.
Hobo Ethical Code [from Wikipedia]
- The term hobo jungle specifically refers to a communal camp, typically located near railroad yards, where hobos would congregate.
- jungling – Living in a makeshift encampment, for example adjacent to a railroad freight carrier’s property where train hoppers/hobos, tramps, or bums congregate while waiting for their outbound train.