I’m sure that everyone once wanted to hitchhike, as this is the cheapest way to travel from one point to the other and it is the most adrenalin way of travel. It is definitely something worth trying and brings you new experience. How do you feel about going on a hitchhiking trip in places that you always wanted to visit?
All you need is an excellent plan. Be brave and shorten your way with hitchhiking that will give you that extra something and unforgettable memories. Bring a friend to your adventure, but no more than two, as it will be more difficult to find a car that will pick you up if there will be a lot of you.
Hitchhiking also has its history. Sometimes people who were going on foot were happy to be picked up with a carriage and drive them at least a part of the path. Usually they waved for them to stop. Hitchhiking is the cheapest way to travel but you have to know that it can be very dangerous and unpredictable.
Hitchhiking signals
Methods that hitchhikers use to give signal to the driver and show that they need a ride are different throughout the world. The most known signal is a thumb up in the air and is mostly used in North America, Great Britain and most parts of Europe. It is also recommended that you make a simple board with a name of the place you’re travelling to, so people will know where you want to go.
In some African countries they hitchhike with their palms turned upwards. And in more remote places they are familiar with a move, where you show the road you want to take with your finger.
The most simple? You lift your thumb and get a ride. But you also have to be ready for hitchhiking, it can end badly just because of bad weather. There is less hitchhiking than 10 years ago, when it was completely normal to go to the sea with help of hitchhiking. An important thing nowadays is virtual hitchhiking and social networks. Police officers actually don’t recommend hitchhiking because of unpredictable situations, but if it is necessary, they recommend hitchhiking with a friend, never hitchhike at night or at weird and remote places.
Did you know that there a many types of hitchhiking?
- Travelling with road vehicles: cars, trucks, buses,
- travelling with trains (it is a more risky transportation, because you have to hide on the train or ask the ticket inspector on the train to allow you a transport without the ticket),
- boat hitching: travelling by a boat,
- air hitching: travelling by a plane.
Legal status
Hitchhiking was very popular in the past so there are only few places where they limit hitchhiking. But some countries have a law, which prohibits hitchhiking on certain locations. Some local authorities in USA have laws that prohibit hitchhiking for the safety of the driver and the hitchhiker.
I’m sure you didn’t know that they arrested a hitchhiker who used this method of transportation to do illegal business of American civil rights of the Union.
There are also a lot of highways in Canada, where you’re not allowed to hitchhike. These are located in British Columbia and Ontario. Every European country allows hitchhiking or even recommends it. The laws prohibit hitchhiking on the roads where walking is not allowed. These are highways in continental Europe and USA. The prohibition is also valid for every interstate highway in USA.
Did you know?
In Israel you can hitchhike on certain “hitchhiking” spots, named trempiyadas. The word derives from the German word trampen. In Nepal hitchhiking is more frequent in rural areas. In Netherlands there are official road signs for hitchhiking where you can wait for a lift. These hitchhiking locations are named liftershalte or liftplaats in Dutch and are more common in university towns.
Hitchhiking has a long history in Poland and is still very popular. It was legalized and formalized in 1957. The main purpose was for hitchhikers to buy a booklet with coupons from the travel agency and use them while driving. They gave those coupons to the drive who gave them a lift. At the end of each season they invited people with the highest number of coupons to exchange them for prizes. They could also enter a prize competition if they collected enough coupons. They called it “Akcja Autostop” and was popular until the end of 1970s, but selling the coupons ended in 1995.
Be a careful hitchhiker
- Before you enter the car, look and judge the driver. If he doesn’t look ok to you, refuse the transportation, it’s not necessary to take the first drive.
- Buy a map of the area where you’re going to travel. It will be easier for you to get around in an unknown city.
- Hitchhiking is a great way to improve your foreign language and communication skills.
- Make sure that you’re wearing bright clothes so the drivers can see you. It is also recommended to wear layers as the weather can be unpredictable.
- Some hitchhikers recommend that you have a foldable bike that you can easily put on the back seat of the car.
- If you’re hitchhiking on bigger parking lots or gas stations, be brave and address the driver yourself. Ask if he’s going in a certain way and if he has any room in his car. With this direct approach you can surprise most of them and they will immediately say that they have room and it will be harder for them to turn you down. Be polite and kind.
- Hitchhikers have good and bad days so you have to be optimistic.
- Be prepared to walk and have comfy shoes. It can happen that you won’t get a car or you’ll be left on a remote place.
- Leave your watch at home. Time will go by slower if you’re going to look at the watch all the time.
- Have enough water, some food and a smaller umbrella. Weather can be unpredictable.
- It is not allowed to hitchhike on highways and you can get a ticket. It is important to choose the right spot to hitchhike. The driver has to see you in time and he has to have enough room to stop the car.
- Places, where you’ll get a lift faster are gas stations, connecting roads, toll gates, lay-bys or borders.
- Even though hitchhiking is free in theory, it is polite to leave the driver a few coins.
- Have a board with your goal town on it.
- When the trucks drive by, have a big smile and a kind look, they stop the most frequent.
- If you’re going to look at the driver kindly, you will have a bigger chance for him to stop.
- Police recommends for women not to wear provocative clothing.
- Girls get a lift faster so it’s good to hitchhike in a pair – a boy and a girl.
- It is recommended that the hitchhiker remembers the brand, the type of the vehicle, its licence number and texts these information to a friend or a family member. Safety is crucial on this kind of adventure.
- While hitchhiking you will get a contact with strangers. They usually stop to not be bored or sleepy. You can make new friends.
- Do you know that there’s also a hitchhiking ID? It gives you an accident insurance in case of traffic accidents. It is also an insurance policy that is valid while hitchhiking. Students can get this ID.
- A website, where you’ll find some other advice and experience of other hitchhikers: http://hitchwiki.org.
Maja Lamovšek
