We picked up a hitchhiker on our last road trip and it got me thinking.
My first experience as a hitchhiker was when I was 18 and living in Chile. My boyfriend and I had stayed out partying all night in town. Our friends who drove us had left long before the sun came up. We began the 15km walk home and decided to stick our fingers out and see what happens. Within a couple of minutes a middle aged gay couple in a pickup truck were offering us a ride. They were on their way to a tennis match on our side of town. I got cosy in the cab and my boyfriend rode in the tray of the truck. In less than 10 minutes we were curled up in bed ready to catch up on the night of sleep we had neglected. It was a simple and short hitch. No money was exchanged or expected for the favor. Despite years of travel that remained my only hitchhiking experience until our recent trip.
In contrast to my ‘time on the road’ our new companion was alone, on a much longer trip and payment was discussed before he even got in the car. I must admit that when I saw a young man with a battered backpack and the stench of cigarette climbing into the back seat I was a little uneasy. Even though we had an agreeable conversation during the journey I was very diligent with checking our phones and wallets when he climbed back out. Why, after years of travel and befriending countless strangers, did a hitchhiker still make me a little uncomfortable?
I was surprised, and a little disappointed, by my reaction and began to think about whether my instinct was ‘natural’. After reading dozens of forums on hitchhiking from around the world I have decided NO. I believe my ‘instinct’ was not natural but a product of fear mongering. We all know It’s difficult to turn on the TV or look through a twitter feed without seeing a story of someone being stabbed or attacked while going about their daily business. Nor is it long between reports of fatal car accidents or plane crashes yet we continue to drive and fly regularly. We are told we can avoid being a target by staying out of dangerous situations. It appears that if you were to ask any main stream media outlet hitchhiking is most certainly considered a ‘dangerous situation’.
Lets say I turn of the TV and stop reading the relentless bad news and base my decisions on my experiences. In the world I live in people are generally good. They are often in a rush and consumed with their own lives, but they are essentially good. Sometimes this is easy to forget. I want to make a concerted effort to remember, to let my real instincts, of trust and acceptance, to speak louder than those of fear and doubt that I have been conditioned to have.
When you take a good look at hitchhiking culture it turns out most people are on the road to meet interesting people and have a bit of an adventure. Those picking up hitchhikers are usually bored or just as keen to have an interesting experience as the hitcher. Sure there is an exception to every rule. If you are in a place where people are regularly assaulted in broad daylight then hitchhiking probably isn’t the way to get around, but not every culture is tared with the same brush.
People have been hitching rides since horses started pulling carts. Social media and an endless supply of apps and online communities now make sharing rides easier than ever before.
So if you are ready to launch into a hitchhiking adventure what exactly is good hitchhiking etiquette? (No one wants to be the person that makes someone give up hitching or offering a ride) But that is like asking what is good table etiquette? My two hitchhiking experiences were certainly very different. Should you chip in for fuel? Should you offer to buy a meal? Can you accept an offer of accommodation? Every blog or forum that you read gives conflicting advice because, just like eating and greeting, hitching varies from country to country.
There are many stories of people who have hitchhiked around a country, a continent or even the whole world. Some people hitch rides on ships and even planes. In many places, like Cuba and much of Central America, hitchhiking has become not only an accepted mode of transport but a daily practice for many locals. While on the other hand in some countries, like Japan, many people may have never seen a hitchhiker let alone picked one up. Then there are countries like Morocco where picking up a hitchhiking foreigner could very seriously lead to jail time.
Hitchhiking is like any other form of travel, regardless of how strapped for cash you are or how far you need to get by nightfall it’s important to respect the local culture. If someone in Morocco does take the risk of giving you a ride remember wages are low and fuel prices are high, chip in and don’t take advantage of their hospitality. If a Japanese person takes the plunge to let you in their, often very tiny, car do your best to make them feel at ease. Follow the lead of the locals and you will be more likely to have a positive experience.
Now, If have reached this point and are still waiting to read the ‘global tips for a successful hitchhiker’, not only are you in the wrong place but you are definitely not ready to hitch your way past the nearest town. But if you are rethinking what you will do next time you drive past someone trying to hitch a ride, good on you! If you’re about to hit the road in search of a ride, see you out there.
