How to hitchhike, advice from a master

[John B]

As usual, another great essay in the NYT, this one about "the world's greatest hitchhiker."

https://nyti.ms/2FV6HRE

[Thefurther]

man , in the mid nineties i was in seattle hanging out and struck out form there and hitched down the cali coast across the bottom of the states and than back up the east coast to maine . it was a adventure of a life time . that next year i took off from bar harbor and was going to do the a.t. in 96 and hitched down to south carlolina and ended up chilling there for 7 years . man , i used to hitch to and from college when i was younger all the time . that was a 70 mile hitch all the time and got a ride every single time . i have met the coolest people on my travels ... now that i think about it i used to hitch rides all the time . haha ... very cool

[tiptoe]

Until I started hiking the AT, I had never hitched in this country, but had many hitch-hiking adventures in Europe and Africa in my well-spent youth. This article brought a smile to my face; things have't changed all that much since the 60s in terms of the hospitality shown to strangers.

[fiddlehead]

I agree totally with his methods.
Most important: location (make sure it is easy for them to pull over)
then: look your best: Smile, not too dirty (try not to look homeless even though we are, technically, right?)
Sometimes a sign helps (especially if on or near a popular hiking trail.
Sometimes a dog helps many people love dogs, and I've been picked up already when hitching with someone with a dog and told they picked us up because of the dog.
The pot hole idea is funny (but good)
Try to never stand where they are picking up speed to go up a hill. Better at the top, or long straight-a-way where they can see you and it's safe for them to sit on the shoulder while you come up and talk and get in.
I pick up hitchhikers a lot and learned to shock them with a question when you first get there: "Do you have a gun?" Sorry gun lovers, but I ain't giving rides to you when you're packin.
Had a guy ask me that once when I was the hiker and I felt safe after I said: No! do you? (and he replied negative also)

[Dogwood]

A true master.

Note his attitude and thought life, not just his techniques. He rarely makes a negative statement. When he does he doesnt stay there. He doesn't magnify negativity.

Note he said getting a ride is less about a thumb and more about a smile.

He's not very white looking or come across as a self absorbed American and he talks up rides too which all assisted him getting where he was going in those places he was traveling. It helped he had studied psychology and was Argentinian. Growing his hair out curly as he did helped too where he was hitching.

I'm going to get his book.

[Slo-go'en]

I hiked with a guy for a while who wore a kilt. He said once he started wearing the kilt, all of a sudden he was getting lots of rides from middle aged woman. Hum..

[Dogwood]

I've only been asked if I had a gun as a hitcher a few times. I usually say no...even though. It's a question that can mean different things...like someone intends harm to me. If I truly intended to harm someone when getting a ride a gun wouldn't be needed nor would it always be paramount to my protection.

IMO, best thing I would get out of asking this question is not whether or not a ride has a gun but the psychological profiling information provided in the way it was answered.

I've had rides who had guns and brandished them before me...to let me know they were carrying. I've been around guns, shot at, etc so rarely not immediately over concerned. If you, as a ride, having a gun makes you feel protected great. If it gets me a ride fine. I can ride in a vehicle with a gun to get where I'm going.

[fastfoxengineering]

I've only been asked if I had a gun as a hitcher a few times. I usually say no...even though. It's a question that can mean different things...like someone intends harm to me. If I truly intended to harm someone when getting a ride a gun wouldn't be needed nor would it always be paramount to my protection.

IMO, best thing I would get out of asking this question is not whether or not a ride has a gun but the psychological profiling information provided in the way it was answered.

I've had rides who had guns and brandished them before me...to let me know they were carrying. I've been around guns, shot at, etc so rarely not immediately over concerned. If you, as a ride, having a gun makes you feel protected great. If it gets me a ride fine. I can ride in a vehicle with a gun to get where I'm going.

Not many people are shot at in their lifetimes.

Military or a really interesting story?

If someone were to show me their pistol to "let me know" they are carrying... Well I feel safer knowing where it is.

Fools.

Sent from my Moto G (5) Plus using Tapatalk

[Dogwood]

I'm Dogwood to many. Richard Kimble to others.

[Dogwood]

For some reason Alanis Morisette's Jagged Little Pill Isn't it Ironic keeps playing inside my head.

[lonehiker]

I didn't read the article but I like to remove my sunglasses so that they can see my eyes. Not sure if it has had any affect upon my hitches but I've been pretty successful in getting rides quickly.

[Dogwood]

@Lonehiker curious were you hitching living up to your WB user name?

[lonehiker]

WB monikers are silly at best.

[Dogwood]

That was a serious question with no ill will intended. Is that your serious answer?

[lonehiker]

That was a serious question with no ill will intended. Is that your serious answer?

Dog, that was my serious answer. Were you expecting something to this effect? I have no compelling need to live up to my WB user name as this might imply the need for external validation or approval. Honestly the only thing that I have to "live up to" is to live consistent to my own values and a moniker on WB isn't one of them. Additionally the user name is lonehiker not lonehitcher... (I forget how to do one of those smiley face things)

[Tipi Walter]

I pick up hitchhikers a lot and learned to shock them with a question when you first get there: "Do you have a gun?" Sorry gun lovers, but I ain't giving rides to you when you're packin.

Like Dogwood says, I've had 3 incidents with guns while hitchhiking---meaning: I'm hitchhiking and the drivers pull out their handguns. Two of the times I accepted their rides as they just wanted to show me they're packing. The third time I was outside Chapel Hill NC trying to get to Greensboro and three guys in a pickup stopped at dusk and it was two white guys and one black guy. One of them waved a pistol and said to jump in the back of the pickup. I got spooked because night was falling and the gun didn't help. The actual conversation:

Me: "Uh . . . duh . . .I'm actually supposed to be ON THE OTHER SIDE of the highway and hitching into Chapel Hill, dangit. My mistake."

All this just to avoid their ride. They said "Whatever" and took off. I saw a treeline about a hundred yards away and spent the night in my tent and in the morning got a ride . . . to Greensboro.

One time I was hitching from Boone NC into Asheville and in Burnsville stood on the highway and an older guy in a small car stopped and I trotted up to the passenger window wearing my old ALICE pack fully loaded and looked down the barrel of a chrome plated .38. The bore looked pretty dang big at the time.

I back pedaled hard and scooted away and he popped his car in reverse and reached me and yelled out "It's okay! Just showing you I've got a weapon!" Well heck I accepted his ride as he placed his pistol on the back seat and I threw my pack in the back on top of his gun. He told me he was a retired newspaper reporter from Syracuse NY and got the gun as a retirement present. Neato. Turned out to be an excellent ride.

[rocketsocks]

Dog, that was my serious answer. Were you expecting something to this effect? I have no compelling need to live up to my WB user name as this might imply the need for external validation or approval. Honestly the only thing that I have to "live up to" is to live consistent to my own values and a moniker on WB isn't one of them. Additionally the user name is lonehiker not lonehitcher... (I forget how to do one of those smiley face things)

Here, lemme help ya

[Another Kevin]

I hiked with a guy for a while who wore a kilt. He said once he started wearing the kilt, all of a sudden he was getting lots of rides from middle aged woman. Hum..

I might just know whom you're talking about. He's a notorious liar, though.

[ldsailor]

Hitchhiking. Brings back memories. When I was 16 in 1966, I hitchhiked from Chicago to Anaheim, CA. It took me five days. I rode the majority of the way with a bearded ex-Marine who picked me up in Missouri and dropped me in Anaheim. His car was a VW bug filled with his belongings in the back seat. We slept in the car off the road and ate in diners. I had $20 with me when I left Chicago and reached Anaheim with most of that left. The picture below is me in front of the "Welcome to California" sign.

BTW. My parents were not impressed.

Hitch Hiking to CALF.jpeg

[Tipi Walter]

Hitchhiking. Brings back memories. When I was 16 in 1966, I hitchhiked from Chicago to Anaheim, CA. It took me five days. I rode the majority of the way with a bearded ex-Marine who picked me up in Missouri and dropped me in Anaheim. His car was a VW bug filled with his belongings in the back seat. We slept in the car off the road and ate in diners. I had $20 with me when I left Chicago and reached Anaheim with most of that left. The picture below is me in front of the "Welcome to California" sign.

BTW. My parents were not impressed.

Hitch Hiking to CALF.jpeg

Cool story. 1966 is a long time ago. Reminds me of hitching a ride with a discharged vet who was affiliated with 5th Special Forces at Ft Bragg and he took me from North Carolina into Ft Campbell where I cowboy camped on the outside deck of his friend's place and we continued up past Chicago to Milwaukee where we stopped at his sister's house on Lake Michigan(or some big lake) and where I set up my North Face Westwind tent in his backyard and it never got above 0F. They thought I was nuts.

Then we breezed thru Grand Junction Colorado and took the loneliest highway in America (Hiway 50?) into Utah and he dumped me off in Nevada City Calif so I could stealth camp around a yoga retreat for the next month. Good guy and a big fat good ride. Ended up hitching to Sacramento . . .