I guess I haven't posted enough to make a topic in the article section, but I haven't seen anyone else talking about this so I'll post it here instead.
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One of the most common complaints I heard during my 2012 thru hike was that it always took forever to get a ride into town. This was a mystery to me as I seldom experienced waiting longer then 15 minutes. But waiting for an hour as cars go by when you're wet, tired, and just coming from a week of hiking in the wilderness sucks. Especially when that image of a Ben & Jerry's pint is floating just out of reach. And unless you're made of money, calling a shuttle every time isn't an option.
In case you don't know how to hitch hike, it's very easy. First stand on the side of the road next to but not in the lane going in the direction you want to travel. You don't want to have to cross a lane of traffic to get to your ride, and it's also much less likely that someone will turn around to pick you up. It happens sometimes with some saints among men, but it's rare. Second, face oncoming traffic so they can see your beautiful face and stick your arm out with your hand in a thumbs up gesture, and wait for someone to stop. Now, here are some tips:
Smile - Even if it's pouring out and you just did a 25 mile day, people are much less likely to pick someone up who has the disposition of Eeyore. You don't have to be beaming from ear to ear, but at least have a positive ambiance about you.
Location, location, location - Where you stand on the road is paramount. This is the #1 mistake people make when hitching, and you'll have a lot more success if you remember this rule: if the driver can't see you, he/she won't give you a ride. Having said that, the name of the game is all about making it as easy as possible for cars to see you. Consider this image:
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The bad hitcher is standing where drivers cannot see them until very shortly before they actually pass him/her, whereas the good hitcher gives drivers plenty of time to see them and make a decision about whether to stop or not. Giving drivers this time to see you and decide is crucial. If cars come upon you too quickly they will pass you before deciding to give you a lift.
Time of day - You know those funny commercials with people driving at night and there's an axe murderer trying to hitch a ride? That's what you look like if you're hitching when it's dark out. Especially with a 4 month beard going. So make sure it's light out when trying to get a ride. I always tried to sleep within a mile of a road into town (sometimes right there), hitch in in the morning, do my thing, and hitch out after getting lunch and I could still put in a good 8-10 miles that day if I wasn't taking a zero.
Alone or with others - This is the one that sparks the most debate. Is someone more willing to give a lone hiker a lift as opposed to a group? A group usually comes off as less threatening, but if the driver doesn't have enough room for all of you that's a ride you could've gotten solo. I don't have a recommendation on this one, but I will say that when I was with a group of 3 other hikers (Jackrabbit, Sasquatch, and Tetris) we'd do a synchronized hitching dance that almost guaranteed us a ride within 10 minutes. Lastly, if you're a guy and can get a girl hiker to try to flag a ride with you, that's a surefire way to speed up the process.