Digihitch
This a website promoting hitchhiking. You didn't used to need a website to hitchhike, only a thumb and pulse. I've spent a lot of time standing by the side of the road with my thumb out, and it led to some of the best days of my life. Times are different now.
What this site offers is mostly encouragement. Stories of other hitchhikers having a blast, reassurances that hitching is safe and legal, and suggestions about where in the world the natives are friendly to hitchers.
If you'll hitch, I'll pick you up.
-- KK
Isn't hitchhiking illegal in many areas? The short answer is: no.
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Hitchhiking is not as popular in North America as it was 30 years ago, but it is still legal if one follows the laws of each state. Also, hitchhiking is still a viable mode of transportation in many other areas around the world, including Europe, parts of Asia, Africa, Australia, etc.
The most common law related to hitchhiking in the United States has been established in the Uniform Vehicle Code (UVC). It states:
No person shall stand in a roadway for the purpose of soliciting a ride.
What many people fail to realize is that a roadway is defined (in the same UVC) as:
That portion of a highway improved, designed or ordinarily used for vehicular travel, exclusive of the sidewalk, berm or shoulder even though such sidewalk, berm or shoulder is used by persons riding bicycles or other human powered vehicles.
As you can see, the law only states that hitchhikers cannot stand in a driving lane (good idea, huh?), but they can stand on the shoulder or sidewalk of a road. A further code mentions that US States have the right to restrict pedestrians (i.e. hitchhikers) from entering certain highways (interstate routes, for example), but must post a sign if this is the case.
What it all boils down to is this. Hitchhiking is not only possible in the US, but also legal. Many US States have adapted the above code to their own liking, though keeping a similar wording. You can research more about current hitchhiking-related laws in the digihitch USA section.
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I held up a sign in Japanese: "Kaze o fuku mama, ki no mukoo mama," loosely translated to mean: "Wherever the wind blows, so too will my feelings take me." A folk singer I met thought it would be funny if I tried hitchhiking displaying this old song lyric.
It was funny. So funny, in fact, people stopped their cars to take pictures of me, and then drove away.
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I had been stuck at an entrance ramp for hours [in Belgium]. I was joined by a six foot five fellow hitchhiker carrying what looked like a body bag.
A car stopped for us, and the woman inside hit the button to lower the passenger side window. She peered out of the opening at us. "Are you dangerous?" I shrugged my shoulders and said "Not me," turning to my fellow hitchhiker, "Are you?" "No."
She let us into the car. She was a child psychologist, specializing in abnormal psychology, claiming she could tell by our body language during the response that we were, indeed safe.
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Double your chances of getting picked up by using a cardboard destination sign, like these from a European trip.
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During the past fifteen years I've hitchhiked through over a dozen countries, spending months at a time begging rides. Everyone from grandmothers to soccer hooligans have stopped for me. Rebels pick me up to bond with a fellow outlier of the system, while law and order types give rides to keep me from harm, or to make sure I cause none. I've been treated to steak dinners, been given free lodging, plenty of free advice and even some cash. I've slept in driver's mansions, in rest stops, and in road side culverts. I've traveled at 150mph with an executive in a new Mercedes across the German autobahn, and I've limped through the hills of central Japan in a sputtering Toyota van with a Japanese rhythm and blues band.
Favorite (15)
Pete D.
I did a lot of hitchhiking between 1976 & 1980. I went to college a short (100 mile) distance from family property. I met many interesting people and never failed to ger where I was going, although I did get high on second hand smoke and felt lucky to survive a 2 hour ride with winos and damn near crash a lumberjack's pickup while he took a leak in a coffee can of sawdust and, and and,
Ben
Yea... those were the days... to school and back... on Friday I could count on Cesar's pickup truck... when I first met him he was chomping on Snickers bars... "covers my breath so my wife can't tell I've been drinking"... that turned out to be a useful tip... although riding with Cesar was tense.
One ride I never forgot was getting in a car and finding open buckets of gasoline, presumably to help a friend out who had run out of gas a few miles down the road... I was sure that I would be incinerated before we made it to the stalled truck.
Jan Nieuwenhuizen
And if hitchhiking with your thumb is a bit
too adventurous or you have a plan,
there's http://hitchhikers.org for
planned rides.
Howard Dickins
I live in the UK & I used to give lifts to hitchhikers. But these days they're all gone! It's a shame, I met some very interesting people on my travels and it was great to have some company. I've given lifts to all sorts, musicians, soldiers and even a convicted murderer!
AXL Rising
"Are you DANGEROUS?"
(hiding axe) "Uh, no."
Greg
Hitchhiking reminds me of Thunderbolt and Lightfoot
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MwsSSrKnKO4&NR=1
Hitchless
...and then there's that time when your ride turns out to be shaky and unstable, drives frighteningly erratically, and has a gun that he feels compelled to pull out and show you, "in case we run into any n***ers". Yes, that's an actual quote from the character who picked me up on what was to be my final hitchhiking adventure, and with whom I then spent several hours in a car. While it turned out basically ok for me -- the gun didn't get pointed in my direction, though the interaction did veer in that direction at one point -- the whole thing felt like enough of a close call that I never considered hitchhiking again.
Faze
After having hitchhiked back and forth and up and down the US several times, I would not recommend the practice to anyone. As has been pointed out, hitchikers are perceived as outsiders, so people who pick you up make certain assumptions. They think you're probably into drugs and want to hear about all their drug experiences. Or they suppose you like sex with strangers (them). Or they think you'll be impressed by demonstrations of how dishonest, racially prejudiced, or generally crazy they are. In any case, you'll have to listen to whatever crappy music they like. At best you'll be stuck with some of the world's most spectacular bores. If you're a poor student who can't afford to see the world in the conventional way, I'd suggest that you postpone travel until the day when you can afford to go like a normal person. Hitchhiking is as depressing as hell.
Kevin Kelly
@Faze: Great post!
Wayan
I hitch hiked across Australia back in the day - no book or website needed
http://www.bellybuttonwindow.com/2000/australia/doing_the_hitchdance.html
Gart
I used to hitchhike a lot in Canada. My favorite technique was large cardboard sign that read "Free Cookies".
nick thomas
I love hitchhiking. I lived on Vancouver Island for a year back in 2000 (coincidentally returned to US 1 days before 9-11), and I hitched all over that wild playground of an island. Also hitched in various parts of the US since then. Canadadian's were the friendliest and quickest to pick me up. Remember one time a Newfie picked up me and a french-canadian kid en route to Tofino. We were crammed into his tiny Toyota under a surfboard and between his luggage. He had to start swerving around the bad potholes until a cop stopped us, thinking he was drunk! I have never had to wait longer than 30 minutes for a lift in 10 years. I've waited 3x's that for the Seattle city bus, got sick of standing there, stuck my thumb out, and got a lift downtown in 30 seconds. Maybe i've just been lucky, but I don't think hitching's as flat out dangerous as some of you insist. (knock on wood!)
Dick Gallien
Started thumbing in 1951, when drafted for the Korean Peace Action. Did 42,000 mi. in 20 months, mostly from Norfolk, Va. and Quantico, Va. to Boston, plus 2 rounds from the coast to Mn.. Ten years later my wife warned that "times had changed", when I had a chance to thumb home to Mn., from N.J.. Heard the same warning 10 yrs. later, when thumbing rounds from Plattsburgh, NY, to Mn.. Anytime of day or night, doors would open and we'd be off, sharing our thoughts.
Five years ago, at 72, I thumbed home (Mn.) from Big Fork, Mt. and wrote a Letter to the editor entitled, "Times have changed". Of course, at that age, they may have thought I was just out of the looney bin.
Just returned, at 77, from the farm, in Mn., to visit a dau. in Big Fork. The 1500 miles out, took 31 hrs. and I didn't see another thumber. The return was another reminder how times have changed. No doubt, fear is a factor. Most were raised with, don't talk to strangers, Commies under the bed and terrorists above and why ain't you got a muscle truck, like me and the bank. I also think many are angry, unhappy people. They put they're faith in the government, schools, insurance, etc. and have often been let down. There has been a major shift in attitude.
Thousands opened their doors to me and not once was I threatened. Hitch hiking renews ones faith in humanity, but sadly, it is dying at both ends.
Kevin Kelly
@Dick: That is so cool! I am inspired to embark on a long hitchhike when I reach 70!