Pros and Cons of Hitchhiking

These are the pros and cons of hitchhiking. Musician extraordinaire Roger Waters once eloquently coined this phrase. For those who frequent this blog page, you will notice that Mr. Waters quoted for his “tongue and cheek” insight. I am trying to assess if the fine art of moving across the earth while not paying a dime, dollar or Euro in transportations cost is still in vogue? I have to admit it has been a while since I have stood like a solitary figure on an endless road. Hoping, sometimes praying for that next ride. At one point, I believed that I had telekinetic powers that could “will a ride” to stop. I think I just conjured this up in my mind to aid in my heroic version of hope.

 My journey of standing and anticipating began when I was a high school student in Toronto, Canada. I did not want to pay the bus fare to school often when out of view from my mom, I would stand by the side of the road, place my right hand out and with confidence someone would drive by within minutes and pick me up and take me to school. There were two dollars saved. Soon after that, I began to widen my horizons, and one summer, the old thumb took me to the east coast of Canada. Honestly, I did not think much of it. It seemed natural, and most of the interactions that I had were very amiable—learning quickly that this was an ideal method to see the country.

Media Portrayals may be misleading.

 I started to notice articles in print that hitchhiking was dangerous and should not be done under any circumstances. Police began to issue tickets for using “the thumb,” soon, all media started to portray hitchhiking very negatively. Yet my experience indicated otherwise. Soon it was time to take “the thumb” to further pastures. So one day without much planning, a plane ticket, a few Canadian dollars in my pocket, I flew to Belfast, Northern Ireland, to explore a way of life that only those that ride by thumb could ever really appreciate.

If it were easy, we would all do it.

To tell you that hitchhiking is an ideal way to travel and that there are no obstacles on the road would be to mislead the reader, which I would never do intentionally. However, as a wondrous experience that can open you to a cornucopia of possibilities. Hitchhiking can lead to real adventure. Landing in Belfast, with no more than a map, and my two primary travelling appendages, it was time to see Europe.

Are courage and confidence the same thing? Confidence is what arises through courage. When you are confident, you begin to portray yourself as the person that you know that you are. When you are on the side of the road, you need to be confident with all your belongings sitting beside you as potential rides pass, and you wait optimistically for the next. The more lifts you get, the higher your confidence. Here as I alluded to in the opening paragraph, are the pros and cons of hitchhiking. 

Free Transportation.

You can go from town to town, city to city with not spending a single penny. You work, standing at the side of the road confidently anticipating that someone will pull over to the side of the road and say: “Hop In.” Sure, you may have been on your knees, praying for a ride or even showed a “little leg.” Or act like a sideshow act, drawing attention to yourself. Most times, your destination sign did all of the talking for you. In short, this is one of the costs that a Hitchhiker must pay for a ride that may have cost hundreds by train.

The Contract- Nothing is free

In most situations, the person(s) that will pick you up will be amiable and want to know about your story, where you have been, where you are from, where you are going etc. We all love to talk about ourselves. However, one of the reasons that someone may have picked you up- especially those going long distances, is the conversation. You have now become the late-night TV host. 

Be prepared to keep the conversation going for many hours. You can talk about the vehicle. The origin of the driver, and where they have been and where they are going. What are they hauling? Talk about sports, theatre, Cricket, the stock exchange. It doesn’t matter what you are chatting about as long as you can continue to converse.

In this case, you may find it advantageous to look at local news feeds or pick up a newspaper. If you want to make it easy, hone in on the driver’s interests and speak about them. Even if you do not know about the topic, ask them and build your reservoir from there. Remember, you are here to help the driver make his or her passage as casual and painless as possible, and of course, keep them awake—the Tonight show starring you.

Hitchhiking Personal Interaction 

You are a traveller and what do travellers want to do beyond anything else. It is to explore the country and its people. On the wily road of hitchhiking, you encounter people from many different perspectives and attitudes. Some you may agree with while others that make your skin crawl. Remember, you signed on for a one of a kind experience. Perhaps, getting to know that neo-nazi in the 1999 Mercedes may not be your ideal. They did drop you off at a gas station, and you were not the worst for it- other than the spoon-fed propaganda. It is incredible how many people you will encounter, and most just leave you on the side of the road with a “Good luck” and drive away. Enjoy them all. The most bizarre people will make for the best stories as you recount these experiences.

Learning to judge character- Quickly

The vehicle pulls off to the side of the road. The transportation has arrived, wasting no time you gather your belongings, and for the first time, you have to make a rapid decision. Should I get into the car? The choice is yours; it is a gamble, one that you have taken countless times, and so far, you have not been wrong. This time it is different. It is a small car with four men in it, do you take this ride? It may be awhile until another comes your way, and it is getting dark. Traditional wisdom says you shouldn’t. The odds physically are against you. Still, the chances of being accosted while hitchhiking are in your favour-slim. You looked at them, summed them up quickly, confidently, you jumped in and started up a conversation, remarkably they speak your language. You are driving down the autobahn, a few kilometres down the road, you have been let out all your body parts in order.

The example may be a rash, but you must use all your intuition to assess the ride quickly, for your “own” safety.

If you ever have the “Funny Vibe” as I like to call it, pass on the ride and wait for the next one- it will come.

When and If you should turn down a ride

The above scenario is one where you should turn down the ride. Short of having the fighting skills of Bruce Lee, you are placing yourself in a very compromising situation. Things turn bad very quickly, and you can alleviate this by using your power of observation. 

Assess the character of the occupants, learn as much as you can immediately. Look to see how many people are in the vehicle. Are they a couple male and female, perhaps a family. Gather as much information from the person or people as possible. Inspect the car, does it look safe?, Empty beer bottles, people smoking marijuana, weapons on the seat, outrageous religious or cult documents are sure giveaways-look for them.

If the vehicle has a trunk, you may run the risk of the driver running off with your gear as you exit the car. If possible, hatchbacks or the back seat is best for stowing, although not always possible. The real message here, if you suspect anything that may trigger off any type of strange sensation- “Funny Vibe,” then turn down the ride. Another will come along.

Appreciation for the countryside

You have made the bold choice to place yourself into the great outdoors, unlike the train or bus. The sounds and smells are more vibrant, and you are not merely watching it pass by at 100 kilometres per hour, you have become part of the mosaic of that society. With each step you take or anytime you place your pack down on the side of the road, you become part of what train riders view as part of their experience. In France, you magically become French. In Austria, the same experience is presented to you as is in every place you stop, and every conversation you have. Sit, absorb and enjoy. 

Shoes were made for walking.

Picture this. It is a warm summer day, just after noon. Your last ride dropped you on the side of the road on the outskirts, a small Swiss town. You plant your pack down, pull out a few meagre morsels of food and indulge in something that we will call lunch. The air is refreshing, as you are on a mountainside at altitude. Off into the distance, you can hear the sound of cowbells resonating off the surrounding mountains. All you are missing is someone shouting: “Ricola.” Your first ride proved so fruitful that you are confident that the next should be arriving at any moment. You flash your sign, do an aboriginal travel dance (that you just invented), pray, still no ride. It is time to walk. 

Placing your pack on your back, you follow the map (no GPS you are in the dead mountain zone). You love to walk, and you are in such a pristine environment. The vehicles become scarce and not seen a ride in hours. You stopped into a store and are told that there had been an avalanche, and the nearest campground is 5 kilometres back from where you have just come…No worries. Walking was part of the price.

No Porter

Your pack becomes cumbersome, and you are tired. Sure, you packed light, after all, it is less than fifty pounds since you just finished that last can of beer that you kept for and emergency thirst situation. The strain on your back and neck becomes unbearable as the straps dig into your shoulders. The waist strap will not adjust properly to remove some of the load from your shoulders. No matter, you are now at the threshold of that fabled campground, just to find out it is full, and the owner will charge you a mere three euros to share a site with a religious family that does not speak your language. Thankfully you believe as I do that most people are inherently good. Still, you go to bed hungry as you forgot to get some food. Remember this is just another of the pros and cons of hitchhiking.

Scheduling

You may have to wait for a very long time for a ride, other times you may get a series of shorter trips to reach a destination. Rides do not have a schedule, so you have to create an extensive berth in your calendar. You can not expect to arrive at 12:33 pm on Tuesday if the rides are not coming. Often, if you are lucky, you may get picked up by truck or cargo van, and the kilometres will disappear quickly. Sometimes, they are heading to the city or town that you are going to, often they are going to another destination and will drop you off at a moderately convenient location. 

The Unknown and scary

Standing on the edge of a major city, one that you have never been too before, and it is just 10 pm. It is not late, and you might not be concerned if you didn’t have a 25-kilogram target on your back (your backpack). You wander along one street to another, trying to stay on the main roads with the most light—a stranger in perhaps a strange part of town.

 Ask yourself, would you feel comfortable in this scenario unsuspectingly walking through Compton or Watts in Los Angeles. There are many places such as this all over the world- tourists should not go unaccompanied. I would suggest that my confidence level would be incredibly deficient. And it was. Another of the pros and cons of hitchhiking.

Sometimes the cost of a free ride can be very high.

Hitchhikers of the world unite.

Although Hitchhiking may not be something that many North Americans participate in any longer, it is still a prevalent form of free transportation in other parts of the world. While on the road, I have had some great and some bizarre experiences and came out the other side unscathed, living to tell the tale and shared the experiences with friends and family.

However, I have also met those whose experiences have not been as positive. Ladies and this may not be a popular thing to mention. I would suggest hitching in pairs. It seems the horror stories that I have been unfortunate enough to hear have been primarily with women hitchhiking solo, to a lesser degree single men as well. 

Hitchhiking is something I have always done by myself, and it is much easier to “hitch a ride” as a lone male. I love the freedom, the exhilaration, and the self-confidence that I gain with every excursion. 

Size does not matter

I am not a big person, and I did not hold a black belt except to secure my pants. My success was primarily due to identifying the traps quickly, being confident and plain luck. I was able to survey the vehicle and passengers rapidly and turn down rides if I did not feel comfortable. I have to add I did not turn down many rides. These are the pros and cons of hitchhiking.

 Hitchhiking is relatively safe. There are many pros and cons to travelling, and I have tried to create realistic expectations for the reader. You are taking a chance, but as every traveller, before us, we are all willing to take that chance for the adventure and experiences of a well-lived life.

Forget the Eurorail-Use the thumb

Have you hitchhiked? If so, please let us know when, where and your overall experience. Please leave your comments in the section below. 

I am confident that many people would like to “thumb a ride,” with a little guidance and confidence; this could be you.  

If we at VTE can help you with your Hitchhiking ideals, drop a note in the comments section below, and we will certainly help where we can and direct you in the correct direction for further information.

As always, it is our privilege to help with your life adventure.

Your Vacation YourEscape.

VTE