If you were to tell a friend or relative that you were planning on taking a hitchhiking trip, you can expect one of two reactions. One, the person you tell will be excited for you, they will tell you about all the great experiences you will have, and how brave you are; perhaps they’ll even relay some of their own hitchhiking stories of travelling around, meeting new people, and having a life-changing adventure. Or two, the person you tell will panic; their immediate reaction will be worry and concern that you might not be safe, that there are other options you could choose, or fail to understand why you would even consider hitchhiking to be remotely fun.
While it is great when people react positively, it is important to remember that those who think hitchhiking is a bad idea only think so because they care about you, and let’s be honest, their worries do have some foundation. Hitchhiking might be one of life’s great adventures with countless new experiences and untold freedom, but it is vital that you are sensible and make good choices along the way in order to stay safe. Therefore, if you are planning on taking a trip anytime in the future, have a look at the article below to see things you can do in order to avoid getting into trouble during a hitchhiking trip.
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Table of Contents
Don’t Travel Alone
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It’s surprisingly common for people to go traveling alone, people report that there are many benefits from being able to explore the world, and meet new people while travelling alone, it’s a great way for people to learn more about who they are and what they want in life.
However, hitchhiking entails more dangers than organized travel, so when it comes to hitchhiking, you should absolutely never go it alone. A great way to find a suitable travel partner is by looking at online travel forums and social media pages such as Facebook groups. Finding someone is relatively easy, after all, these pages are full of people with the same interests and goals as you.
Nevertheless, this doesn’t mean that you should trust the first person who comes along. When a potential travel buddy does pop up, it’s important that you check them out first so you know you will be safe. Maguire Haigh tells us that the best way to run this check is by using Spokeo. Spokeo is a reverse search tool that allows you to access information related to any individual. By using the phone number search or the email lookup tool you will be able to see details such as any social media pages they have if they have a criminal record or any other public profiles and connections they have. Spokeo is so simple to use, all you need to be able to see all this data is their phone number or email address and the reverse phone lookup or email search tool does all the work for you. An app like Spokeo is the ultimate way to get to know more about a person without them even knowing, so you could sleep easy knowing that the person you are travelling with is upstanding and genuine.
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Don’t Loiter in the Road
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Even though it might seem obvious that you should never stand in the middle of the road, far too many hitchhikers think that their chances of getting a lift will increase if they make themselves even more visible. It goes without saying that the risk of getting hit by a car because you are loitering in the road is absolutely not worth the reward of getting a life. Stand well out the way at the side of the road, drivers will still be able to clearly see you.
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Interact with the Driver
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Having a conversation with someone is a great way to gauge what kind of person they are. Of course, people can pretend or force a certain type of personality, but for the most part, you can tell people’s motives and sincerity just from a few minutes of conversation. Knowing what kind of person they are could help put you at ease early on.
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Be Polite
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The majority of us are polite to strangers in daily life anyway, but being polite while you are in a strangers car is something you should be even more conscious of. Make sure that you are polite, and you are not confrontational or argumentative (even if they are talking about things you don’t agree with), just smile along until you reach your destination. Causing disagreements or expressing your opinion over certain subjects could change the atmosphere in the car and the driver’s attitude toward you.
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Be Aware
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If a car pulls over, quickly assess the state of the driver, if you think they are under the influence of drink or drugs, then don’t get in the car. Even if you only have an inkling, it is always better to say no and wait for the next car. If you only realize that the driver is inebriated in any way after you are already in the car, ask them to pull over as soon as possible. It is better to not make a big deal out of it though, so use an excuse such as you need the toilet or want to stop for food. Once you are out of the car, let them know that you’ve decided to stay, then get a lift with another person once they have left.
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Don’t Hitchhike at Night
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This one makes the list for obvious reasons. You are so much more vulnerable at night than you are during the day, hitchhiking in the dark puts you at an immediate disadvantage. Only travelling during the day will ensure that you are in public view at all times and will go a long way to keeping you safe. Resist the temptation to hitchhike at night to get where you’re going sooner, always wait until the next morning to continue your travels.
Undoubtedly, there are some great benefits that come with hitchhiking, and the vast majority of people come home with some of the greatest stories and experiences a person can have. However, safety is always the number one priority, so following the steps above such as using Spokeo to check out your travel buddy and not traveling at night are the best things you can do to ensure your safety during the whole trip.
