John had just seen the Hitchhiker and not the Driver when he saw the red Nova at the gas station. Later, John had to come in, and when he caught the duo, the Hitchhiker was about to stab the Driver with his knife. So both of them could take on the moniker of the Highway Hunters because the Driver was killing the perverts, the abusers, and their families, while the Hitchhiker was killing people who called him a freak.