Hitch Hiking Tips

[ellipsis]

I hitch hike whenever possible/practical and even though it is pretty self evident what to do, I thought that I would share some tips. I have only Hitch hiked in the US, with the exception of one time in Mexico. Also if people want to post good and bad places to hitch.

•Never hitch hike on the interstate or any other limited access(a road with exits). It is really unsafe and you will get picked up by the cops, who may leave you at the next exit, which could be in the middle of nowhere and you could be waiting for a ride for a while. Just find a good on ramp and stand there.
•Look presentable- nobody/fewer people are going to pick you the more smelly/dirty/crazy/etc you look.
•Make sure that drivers can see you as they approach so they can size you up and that they have a place to pull over.
•Look drivers in the eyes as they approach and smile.
• If not traveling on the interstate, always be walking towards your destination; the closer you are the more likely local cars will be going to your destination. When cars come, turn around and continue to walk backwards with your thumb out. Drivers have to be able to look you over before deciding to stop.

Good/Bad areas to hitch
•In Brattleborro, VT, I91 exit 3 is the best exit to hitch from.
•I91 exit 19? Northamton, MA usually will get you a ride north to greenfield ma, or brattleborro, vt
In Hawai'i, island of Oahu is not hitch friendly, but on the island of Kauii you can hitch around the entire island pretty easily, plus it is the best place I have ever walked on the side of the road for hours.

[JohannGE]

Some good tips there theredson. I used to do a lot of hitching and picking up of hitch hikers in UK and Europe. In fact I often used to find it a better way to travel than public transport. I could regurlaly get from 250 miles from N. Yorkshire to London in less time than the coach.

Another advantage was that I tended to meet some interesting and decent people. It seemed that anyone willing to stop and pick you up was likely to have a sympathetic atitude.

Regarding the interstate (UK motorway) warnings you gave, I found that a good tactic was to look round motorway service station car parks for lorries with the destination you wanted sign writen on them. I found the drivers rarely refused as it didn't inconveinience them by having to stop.

My longest trip was from Yorkshire to North Africa.

Unfortunatly hitching is not as easy as it used to be in the UK. I think that stiffer insurance regulations on hauliers and paranoia among private motorists has greatly reduced the possibilities.

As a motorist who has done a lot of long distance driving in the Uk, I regret that I now very rarely see anyone to pick up.
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[ellipsis]

Sounds like you have had some good times with your thumb out. Here in the US lorries/delivery trucks don't have their destinations posted and all trucking companies have policies against picking up hitchers. This method was recommended to me in Mexico, but I am too shy/awkward to approach strangers and ask them for a ride. I also drive around and wish that there were more people to pick up, and when I do see them I am going the other way on the interstate.

Another tip is to make a judgement on the driver, before you get in the car. If something is not right then don't get in. Waiting for another ride is a small price to pay for your life.

BTW I am surprised nobody has gotten on our cases for taking the freegan approach to traveling.

[An archist]

Another tip:
Ask drivers to drop you off at gas stations, you can talk to drivers face to face and they'll be more likely to give you a ride.

[ellipsis]

What do you say then your approach drivers? how do you frame your pitch?

[An archist]

What do you say then your approach drivers? how do you frame your pitch?
Just tell them you're hitch hiking and you need to get to wherever you need to go. Then they'll say if they take you or not and probably where they're going. And then you try to get them to take you to the gas station that's the furthest on your way, or to the end destination of course;).

[ellipsis]

I've noticed that %80 of the time people who pick me up are middle-aged guys who tell me "when I was your age/in college I used to hitch hike all the time."

[ellipsis]

A middle aged guy recently picked me up and gave me a ride like an hour and a half the entire distance of my trip. That was after waiting for an hour and a half for that ride.

[Sean]

There used to be a cracker guide called Guerilla Camping 101 by Blackpacker. It was on GNN but they're closed to the public now.

[ellipsis]

fuck their was a good ammount of cool info on there. was blackpacker the dude who lived out of his backpack, hiking all the time and eventually built his own cabin in the mountains? i should have signed up a long time about.

[Luisrah]

I live in an island, you can get your conclusions out of that.

But I'm a boy scout, and we walk a lot and we ask for rides a lot ;)
The people here have lots of (vans with an open box behind?) for the agriculture, and maybe it's because we're scouts, but we get a lot of rides.

Once, there was a baker who saved us 2 hours of walking, and another time there were some gypsies that saved us 5 hours of walking.
But the usual cow herder always gives us a ride when we want.
Plus, this is a relativelry small island and we always travel in groups, so no one will hurt us. The downside of going in a group is that cars won't give a ride.

[Sean]

fuck their was a good ammount of cool info on there. was blackpacker the dude who lived out of his backpack, hiking all the time and eventually built his own cabin in the mountains? i should have signed up a long time about.
Yeah that was the guy.

[RED DAVE]

Weird tip: I was hitching with a couple of guys from LA to Palm Desert. We stood on the ramp of the Freeway, and as people came down the ramp, we would pull up the ties we were wearing (along with white shirts), like they were nooses and we were trying to hang ourselves. People thought this was very funny, and we got ride after to ride, all the way to PD.

RED DAVE

[ellipsis]

Weird tip: I was hitching with a couple of guys from LA to Palm Desert. We stood on the ramp of the Freeway, and as people came down the ramp, we would pull up the ties we were wearing (along with white shirts), like they were nooses and we were trying to hang ourselves. People thought this was very funny, and we got ride after to ride, all the way to PD.

RED DAVE

That is a good tip and also a funny metaphor(ties being the noose of the proletariat). A friend of a friend had great luck hitchhiking using a full sized cutout of the wrestler goldberg. He would stand behind it with his thumb out and he would get rides pretty quickly.
http://www.wrestlingtube.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/bill-goldberg.jpg

[Big Red]

hahaha that sounds awesome, everybody wants to pick up goldberg!

[HamishFTW]

RE: asking people for rides, just smile, be confident and friendly, and be prepared to take as many NO's as are thrown at you til you get a YES. Look for the positive people.

(I used to go door to door for a bit, getting people to change their gas and electricity supplier. PRACTISE YOUR PITCH)

[Bad Grrrl Agro]

Some reason everytime I walk along the highway someone offers me a ride in the north woods of Wisconsin. Though I haven't gone up there since I went full-time as a woman in transition. I imagine it's less safe for me now.

[Delirium]

AS someone already said, gas stations work well as do truckstops. If you are trying to get a ride from a trucker, there is etiquette. Dont ask them directly, go sit somewhere visible with your sign. The trucker will approach you.

Rest areas on interstates are wonderful, since you are more likely to get long distance interstate traffic.

IF you dont want to get stuck in a city get off well before it. Cities are full of people going a short distances, they are unlikely to pick you up.

Fill up water any chance you get, you dont know where you are going to be dropped off.

Lastly and most importantly follow your gut (instincts) when deciding on whether to take a ride or not. Alot rides on a quick character judgement.

Good luck and see you on the road!