volume 1 Hitchhiking Anick-Marie BOUCHARD Neo-Nomad Collective • www.neo-nomad.org Hitchhiking Anick-Marie BOUCHARD Published by the Neo-Nomad collective • www.neo-nomad.org Hitchhiking Written by Anick-Marie Bouchard Published by the Neo-Nomad Collective Avignon, France www.neo-nomad.org Copyright © 2010 by the Neo-Nomad Collective. All rights reserved. Unless another license is specified, no part of this book may be reproduced or redistributed in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the Neo-Nomad Collective, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages in a review. Photo Credits: by-sa 2.0 Justinc/Wikimedia Commons: cover; by 2.0 davidorban/flickr: p. 10; © Taylor Booth, 2009: p. 28; © Taylor Booth, 2009: p. 7. Design: Geneviève Destroismaisons Special thanks to: Guillaume Charroin & Nans Thomassey, for their extensive revision of the contents and precious advice. French ver sion: Nicolas Beauchamp, Judikaelle Marterer & Julie Lemaire. English version: Martine Konings, Emma Rault & Gwen West. Printed in the European Union. Contents What Is Hitchhiking ? 7 Understanding the Context 8 Relevance 8 Economical 8 Ecological 9 Human 9 Legal Aspects 10 Understand Basic Solicitation Techniques 11 Passive Hitchhiking 11 Active Hitchhiking 12 Optimal Path 13 Finding a Spot 14 When to Leave? 16 Speed, Distance and Duration 17 Useful Equipment 18 Sign or No Sign? 19 Your First Time 21 The Art of Getting Dropped 22 Shattering the Myths: Risks and Hardships 22 Car Accidents 23 Getting Lost or Dropped Off Far Away 24 Becoming Victim of a Crime 25 Safety Advice 26 For Everyone 26 Specific Advice for Women 28 Leaving a Vehicle 32 Variations on a Theme 33 With Pets 33 Long Distance and Night Hitchhiking 33 More Resources on Hitchhiking 34 The Neo-Nomad Collective 36 6 What Is Hitchhiking ? Hitchhiking is soliciting a ride from a car or a truck driver. It is a spontaneous ex - change (in contrast with to planned ride- sharing) and is generally free , except for some countries where public transporta - tion is scarce. The hitchhiker generally signals the driver with the hand, or re - quests a ride directly by asking him/her. Understanding the Context The '70s were probably the golden years of hitchhiking. Veterans re - ! member: “Over forty hitchhikers at Dreilinden (gate to West Berlin)”, “about thirty at Porte d'Orléans (in Paris).” Are the hitching days over? Not so sure! Despite strongly negative media coverage of the tech - nique, it is still possible to find dozens of hitchhikers queuing after a rock festival (such as the Roskilde Festival in Denmark), in Vietnam (where it is a means of public transportation just like any other), or during a race like the fund-raising event Race to Prague or Race to Morocco organized yearly by the charity Link Community Development . Who said nobody raises their thumb anymore? 8 Relevance Economical • No need to spell it out for you: hitchhiking as a means of trans- portation is generally free . • In countries where private vehicle ownership is inaccessible, petrol prices too high for most people and public transportation is defi- cient, you might be asked to contribute your share of the fuel. This is often the case in Latin America, in Asia and in AAfrica, but also in some Eastern European countries. The requested fee is usually much lower than a bus fare would be (if there even is a bus). It is also possible to hitchhike for free in some of these areas (not all of them!) by explaining that you are looking for a free ride. Make sure to inquire about the local customs beforehand. Ecological • In principle, hitchhiking causes only a marginal rise in fuel con- sumption, i.e. the amount of fuel required to transport the weight of the extra passenger. Compared to the vehicle's weight, it is over- all negligible . It is an optimization technique, meaning that it in- creases the efficiency of existing motorized transports by reducing the energy consumption per person. • Drivers sometimes take detours to show you something amazing or even their grandmother's house. They might also drive you a bit further so that you're not stuck in dead-end or a place that's hard to get out of. In practice, there is an ecological footprint while hitch- hiking, but it's very low compared to other motorized means of transport . Human Generally, people first try out the technique because it's cheap and eco- friendly, but it's the human encounters that nourish the hardened hitcher. 9 • The relationship between the hitchhiker and the driver is fleeting and close to anonymous . For these reasons, discussion will gener- ally be sincere, deep and direct. It is therefore a way to subtly dis- cover the local culture: how people think, how they live, their dreams, what worries them, their wishes, their regrets... • The people picking you up may come from all social backgrounds, which means that it's a very diversified sample. From the truck driver to the businessman, from the priest to the criminal, from the stripteaser to the illegal worker, from the immigrant to the purest local, each vehicle carries its distinct reality to discover, to question and to engage with. • Hitchhiking is an ideal way to learn and practice foreign languages . Since it is essential to understand and be understood, no one really worries about making mistakes – there goes the shyness! It's an excellent way to break the ice, even if it sometimes leads to hilari- ous results... • For his/her safety, the hitchhiker must learn to be aware of the driver, to read his/her body language and hidden messages, and confront his/her fears. In an intercultural context, this means con- stant evaluation of his/her own stand, of what is or is not accept- able. It is a good exercise in communication , personal develop- ment and tolerance . 10 Legal Aspects In most countries, it is legal to hitchhike. To our best knowledge, there are three general conditions under which hitchhiking could be illegal : * When pedestrians are not allowed to be walking on the road , for example on emergency lanes on motorways. * When it is forbidden or dangerous for vehicles to stop where the hitchhiker is standing . It is the most common situation – by prompting people to put themselves in a dangerous or illegal position, you are yourself breaking the law and may be arrested. It all depends on how the police sees it – if the traffic is very low, they might tolerate your presence regardless. * When it is expressly prohibited to solicit rides by means of hitchhiking. This is the case in some parts of the United States, though not all of them (as it is some- times believed). In some states, you are allowed on cert ain types of roads only, or it is not allowed around pris- ons, etc. Finally, it goes without saying that you can be checked by the police at all times, for an I.D. check (if relevant) or for any offense that you might be suspected of: carrying drugs, illegal entry to the country, etc. It is important to colloperaborate with the authorities, to have practical knowledge of the local laws... and to have your papers in order. It is however necessary to mention a few other things a hitchhiker should keep in mind when dealing with the authorities: ignorance or oppression from the police, corruption, grey areas of Law and current events such as terrorist attacks, recent investigations, paramilitary forces, armed conflict... Golden Rule : ask locals (while putting their answer in perspective) and other experienced hitchhikers . 11 Understand Basic Solicitation Techniques Passive Hitchhiking Standing straight up by the side of the road, facing traffic, you signal with your hand (usually extending your arm, fist closed and thumb raised) to drivers passing by on your side. Ideally, vehicles would have enough space to be able to stop safely. One of the unwritten rules of passive hitchhiking is that you get the first verbal contact by asking the driver where he/she is going. As they answer, you briefly have the possibility have a brief chance to assess the situation: who are the passengers in the car, how do you feel about the situation. You have an opportunity to refuse : “Sorry, it's too far, too close, too out of the way, and I forgot to feed the dog at home...” It is of course a bit more complicated to explain refusal if you use a sign when hitchhiking... Your assets: Your smile, your visible clothing, your physical appear - ance, eye-contact with the your eyes meeting the driver's, your begging eyes or your hopeful look or begging eyes, a sign of the hand, or more generally, any non-verbal communication. 4 This technique is usually good to leave a city, to get “on the road”. 7 No real direct contact, no possibility to talk to potential driver and no way to know if they are really going your way. A bus stop is often a perfect spot for passive hitchhiking. It can be a bit con - fusing for drivers, but at least they get a proper space in which they can stop safely. 12 Active Hitchhiking Between two toll gates, close to the petrol pumps, or at a red traffic light, you take a few seconds to ask drivers directly where they are going and if they care to take you with them. Your assets: Your smile, your physical appearance, your attitude, your social and language skills, your humor and sometimes your native country.