Tips for hitchhiking
Hitchhiking is one of the cheapest ways of travelling. You can meet a lot of people and make lots of friends. It can be very frustrating, especially if you're inexperienced. But it's also a great feeling to get a ride after you've been waiting for a long time. People taking you tend to be very friendly, so all the doubt and frustration can be gone in a second.
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Before
- Buy yourself a map, if you don't know the area, so you can estimate whether a ride actually brings you closer to your destination.
- Learn the language, at least a little. Hitchhiking can be a good way to improve your conversation skills. Often drivers pick up hikers to have some conversation on an otherwise long and lonely trip.
- Make sure to carry enough drinks and food if you're going for a long trip. Gas stations are usually a bit expensive.
- Consider taking a foldable bike with you but be careful it isn't stolen. Put it on the back seat if possible.
- Arrange sleeping places. For example a youth hotel or a squat are good places to start. If you cannot arrange a place, take a tent with you and/or a warm sleeping bag.
Getting a ride
The single most important factor for getting a ride is location. You need to find a place where you can be seen early (to let the driver and other car occupants have time to decide to pick you up) and where the driver can safely pull over. Ideally, there should be some traffic, but not too much either as this makes pulling over difficult and makes drivers assume that you can always get a ride with somebody else.
- For long-distance travel, the off-ramps of highway rest areas are excellent.
- Asking around doesn't hurt. If people notice you're friendly and speak their language you have a much higher chance to get a ride from them.
- Gas stations where many cars stop are good.
- Wait where traffic can stop safely. Laybys and roadside picnic areas are good.
- Avoid places where traffic cannot stop legally, like no-stopping zones, freeways, bus stops, taxi stands, etc. The only people likely to give you a ride from these places are the Police, and you may not want to go where they want to take you. Although they could also drop you in a much better spot if they're in a good mood.
- If you cannot get a ride from downtown, catch public transport to the edge of town. City drivers may be reluctant to pick you up as they may think you are too lazy to catch the bus. Check your map, or ask around, to find a good spot.
- Walk in the direction you want to go, especially if nobody is stopping to pick you up. Motorists are more likely to help someone helping themselves.
- Wear bright or white clothing, so that drivers can see you, when waiting or walking.
- A BIG cardboard sign with an indication of where you want to go can help. A grocery box is about the right size, and it can be folded up or thrown away. Short general directions like North, or West can be written bigger - and seen from further away - than a longer city or town name and are probably just as effective.
- It can be a good idea to not indicate your final destination. If you can get a ride in a direction that is not exactly the best one, it could still be a good idea to take it, since you might be able to get more rides from that spot.
- Some people do not believe in direction signs, and suggest funny ones ("I DON'T STINK") or nothing at all. If you speak the local language, saying this on your sign may also be useful.
- If you're waiting for a long time and all the cars that want to take you go in the wrong direction it can be a good idea to let them take you anyway - just to drop you at a better spot.
- Sometimes you get an offer that brings you a little bit in the right direction. This can be okay, but if you're at a place where lots of cars stop it could be a better idea to wait for an offer that brings you a lot further.
- Ask if you can be dropped at a good continuation spot if your ride isn't bringing you to your final destination. I.e., a gas station, a toll place.
- Always stay happy - even if people react nasty.
Stay Safe
- Take care who you get a ride with. Some criminals prey on hitchhikers. If in doubt, turn down the ride.
- At least note the registration number and/or vehicle make, model and colour before you ride.
- Choose a car with a single occupant or a couple rather than the last seat in a car with 3 guys that you do not know.
- Sit in the front passenger seat, if you can. Rear doors often have child locks on them, meaning they cannot be opened from the inside.
- If possible, hitchhike with a friend.
- Keep your bag or backpack in easy reach - so you can grab it if you need to bail out. Or be prepared to lose it if it is locked in the trunk.
- Wear some of your valuables, i.e. passport, wallet, money, I.D., bank and credit cards, etc. under or in your clothes, do not put them all in your pack. Keep them in different places, so that if you lose one item, you don't lose them all. A thief or robber who gets your wallet and small change may overlook a concealed moneybelt or second billfold.
- In some places, the Police take a dim view of hitchhikers and will arrest on the smallest excuse.
- While pedestrians may have the right to walk along most roads, walking along some roads can get you arrested in some countries. Find out about what roads you can and cannot walk along.
- As a general rule avoid walking along freeways and similar high speed multi-lane roads. Also avoid walking along railway tracks; apart from the risk of encountering a train, it is often illegal to walk along or close to railway tracks.
- Getting a ride when it's dark is very difficult. You might have some luck at a gas station, where people can see you.
People giving rides
Of course you can try every passing car or driver, but it seems some people tend to give rides sooner than others. People who hiked themselves know what it feels like to stand at the side of the road. Working people like to have some conversation, especially if they're on a long trip (which can be of great use for you!).If you're a guy drivers tend to be more careful. A good shave and not looking too shabby can help though. If you're a woman, be careful not to take a ride with every man. Some men have loose hands. Especially more dangerous when you're riding with multiple, young men. If you're a guy, you'll have more luck when you hitchhike together with a female friend. Two women traveling together will also do fine, while two men traveling together will find progress difficult.
Countries
Borders where traffic has to stop are great. But beware that many countries in Europe are part of the Schengen treaty, so they don't have border control.
Americas
Canada
Excellent. Waits in Alberta and Maritimes are known to be slightly longer. Legal unless otherwise posted; usually tolerated anyway. It is often better to stand directly on the motorway. Crossing the whole country takes about one week on the Trans-Canada Highway.
Mexico
Is probably good. Varies according to region. Fairly safe and easy in the Yucatan Peninsula.
United States of America
In some places hiking is forbidden.
Asia
Japan
Japan is an excellent place to hitchhike, although the language barrier can be an issue and knowledge of at least elementary Japanese is recommended. If you do speak Japanese, dressing neatly and carrying a sign stating "I speak Japanese" (in Japanese, naturally!) will help. Hitchhiking your way out of large cities is nearly impossible, but once on the expressway or in the countryside rides are much easier to flag down.
Europe
The viamichelin.com route planner can help you planning your itinerary.europe.bugride.com is a place where car drivers offer (paid) hikes.
France
France is a great country for hiking. There are many friendly car and truck drivers. The highways cost money, and at some tollbooths (French: péages) you can get a hike easily. At some tollbooths all the trafic has to stop and pay - these are excellent spots to get a long ride further.You can get free maps in the toll offices - these also indicate where you can find the "all-stop-Péage".
Some tollbooths are really good, some not so good. If you've been waiting for a while with an indication of where to go, drop it and try with your thumb only. And also, you can try to get a ride to the next good spot in the wrong direction.
Note, though, that hitching from a péage, while a common practice, isn't legal and French police or highway security, who are normally very tolerant of hitchhikers, may stop and force you to leave.
Germany
Okay. Especially good for long rides on highways.
Great Britain
Okay - if you use signs, it's fairly custom to use the number of the road on them. In other words, from Birmingham to London you wouldn't use a sign "LONDON", but rather "M25". Two places where signs are quite useful are Land's End and John O'Groats, the two extremes of the country, especially if your sign say the other.
Ireland
Okay.
Italy
As long as you stay on the Autostrada, hitching from one "Area Servizio" to the next, you will not have any trouble crossing the country. Off the Autostrada things are a bit more difficult!
The Netherlands
Generally okay. Not okay on small towns or non-highway but gas-stations at highways are quite good places. So try to stay on the highways!There are official hitchhiking spots in at the center or edge of 7 cities.
External link: http://www.franknature.nl/hitchhike/hitchhike.htm
Poland
Hitch-hiking in Poland is (on average) OK. Yes, it's slower than its Western (Germany) and Eastern (Lithuania) neighbours, but your waiting times will be quite acceptable!
Slovakia
Ok?
Romania
May be OK sometimes, even though Romanians have become more wary of taking hitchhikers. Public transport here is cheap, so hiking is not worth it unless you want the experience of meeting new people. Payment is normally expected from hitchhikers. As of 2003, 80,000 lei/100 km was considered a normal price.
Spain
Not many Spanish people take hitchhikers. It is a good idea to try to get a long ride at the border with France.
More information
- autostopguide.com has some very specific information, check its Navigator
- Hitchhiking forum at Hospitality Club for discussions about hitchhiking
