THUMBS UP FOR HITCHHIKING

Some tips and tricks for staying safe and getting a lift when hitchhiking

Spot location is key. A stretch of straight road? Check. Beautiful setting for hours of waiting? Check.

So you’re considering hitchhiking somewhere along your travels. I say go for it, but be smart! Hitchhiking can be a fantastic way to travel, allowing you to meet people from all walks of life, have unique experiences well off the beaten path, and learn way more about a country than a guide book could ever tell you. So here are some tips for hitchhiking that will help get you on your way safely to some amazing moments!

Trust yourself

Always trust your intuition. When your gut is telling you something doesn’t feel right, don’t second guess it. Better to wait for another ride than to get stuck where you don’t feel comfortable.

Check your politeness

As a Canadian, I grew up learning to be polite above all else. Trash that thought. Being polite is great, and makes the world a more pleasant place. But don’t be afraid to seem rude if you’re feeling iffy about a situation.

This one sticks alongside intuition. Even if you’ve already settled in for the lift, if something changes and you don’t feel comfortable anymore, ask to be dropped off right away.

Feel free to turn down lifts if you’re getting a weird vibe. Be pushy and get out. You’re likely never going to see that person again, and it’s better they leave thinking you’re a rude human than putting yourself in a potentially dangerous situation just to seem polite.

Hitchhiking can land you in some spectacular and off the beaten track locations, if you let it.

To sign, or not to sign

This one is more of a personal preference for each hitchhiker. Some like to hold up signs, thinking that it’ll get them picked up faster if someone knows where they’re going.

Personally, I never hold a sign, for a few reasons.

1. They know what direction I’m going. Sometimes if they’re not going as far as the place on your sign, they just won’t bother to stop.

2. That small interaction when they stop and ask where you’re headed is a great moment to take stock and see what your intuition is saying about the person.

3. Without a sign, it’s easy to turn down rides. I always ask where they’re headed to before I say where I’m aiming for, that way if I get a bad vibe, I can easily say that I’m not going to the place they are and have a polite way to turn down a lift.

4. Sometimes it’s more interesting to have a direction over a destination. The people who pick you up might know of a great hidden gem that you would have otherwise passed right by on your attempt to get to a specific place.

Trust is a two-way street

Always keep in mind that you are trusting them as much as they are trusting you.

Patience is a virtue

Sometimes it takes a long time. Sometimes you won’t make it as far as your desired destination in a single day. Be prepared for anything. Have the right gear, have extra food, maybe even have a tent.

Some places just aren’t suitable to hitchhiking… Talk to locals and other travelers to find out if hitchhiking is suitable where you are.

Choose wisely

Choose where you stand wisely for hitchhiking. You want to be in a spot that has a nice wide shoulder for someone to pull over, preferably on a long stretch of straight road so they have time to spot you, decide, and pull over. Make sure the speed limit of the road isn’t so high that no one will be able to see you in time.

Dress the part

It’s going to be easier to get picked up if you don’t look like they’ll need to wash the inside of their car after you’ve been in it. Try to wear clean-esque looking clothes, or at least something that doesn’t scream feral animal.

Enjoy!

Honestly, enjoy the experience. Talk to the person who picked you up. Ask them questions about their lives, the country, anything and everything. The more you interact, the more you can squeeze out of the experience.

I once ended up at a Maori festival in a tiny tiny tiny village in New Zealand with the family of one of New Zealand’s most famous Maori TV hosts because he picked me up, we got to chatting, he invited me along, and I ditched my other plans and accepted. It’s one of the best things I did in New Zealand. So don’t forget to enjoy the unexpected experiences that hitchhiking brings!

Hitchhiking can be a wonderful option when you’re traveling around, as long as you’re smart about it. The biggest thing to take away from all this is to trust your intuition. Everything else is just icing on the cake. So get out there, stick your thumb out, and have an adventure!