Do you ever hitchhike to save money while you travel?

Discussion in Travel started by Kek • Aug 12, 2014.

  1. Kek

    KekActive Member

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    I've heard so many great stories about hitchhiking around Europe, but I've never tried it while backpacking! I've hitchhiked on shorter distances with considerable success, but have yet to try it out on longer distances.

    I met a guy in Budapest that was just heading back home to England. He had a bicycle with him and wanted to get to Britain in a fortnight, just in time to catch a birthday of his relative. He said he would try to hitchhike to get home even faster. Turns out he managed to get home in just two days! With a bicycle!

    Does anyone in this forum use hitchhiking as a cheap method of transportation? Do you have any awesome stories to share? If you have any articles or online resources that would help hitchhikers, post them here! I want to learn as much as possible about it before I decide to try it myself.
     
  2. forextraspecialstuff

    forextraspecialstuffActive Member

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    Definitely no, I have a tendency to be very cautious but to me this is really asking for trouble. Not only are you hitchhiking but doing that in a country that is foreign to you seems particularly dangerous. I would rather save up to pay for transportation than risk my safety hitchhiking.
     
  3. Denis Hard

    Denis HardWell-Known Member

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    When I was a kid, a group of us boys would hitchhike for fun. We didn't how dangerous it was. I remember getting a ride a police cruiser at one time. It was cool.

    Anyway, getting back to the topic. . .

    I've never tried hitch-hiking while traveling. It's not that I'm scared of getting murdered by some psycho, it's simply because the other people are scared to. Will this guy turn out to be a killer or car jacker? I'd rather not make anyone uncomfortable. Ladies have it easier I've heard.

    While hitch-hiking can save you cash, it does come with its risks. You'll have to weigh those risks carefully and decide what means more to you. Your life or a little bit of the money you'd saved to spend for that purpose [traveling].
     
  4. Mayvin

    MayvinActive Member

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    Ladies have it easier? Do you mean in terms of the woman offering the ride? In either case anyone especially a female shouldn't be picking up a hitchhiker or vice versa. I have never hitched a ride and never will, there are too many crazy people to be doing that. They can look really nice at first but turn on you in a minute, and its just too risky.
     
  5. Jessi

    Jessi<a href="http://www.quirkycookery.com">QuirkyCooke

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    Nope!

    Where I am, hitchhiking isn't considered safe at all. And most people won't pick up hitchhikers either, so you could try getting a ride for a really long time without getting one at all.

    As a young female, I would be the worst candidate for trying it, too.
     
  6. Kek

    KekActive Member

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    Okay, I see most of you wouldn't want to hitchhike nor would you be comfortable with picking up a hitchhiker, which is such a shame! I think the serial killer stories fear-mongered the adventurers out of you! :(

    Statistically, a female solo hitchhiker will get a ride much faster than a solo male. Interestingly, a female and a male hitching together can get a ride quicker than a solo male.
     
  7. ACSAPA

    ACSAPAWell-Known Member

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    I've never hitchhiked. Unfortunately there are too many scary news stories to make me feel comfortable taking a ride with a stranger. A Japanese tourist in Florida accepted a ride from a guy years ago and he took her to a house full of his friends and they all assaulted her.

    I get the adventure aspect of hitchhiking and I'm sure there are some good people out there on the road, but there's really no way to tell the good motorists from the serial killers.
     
  8. daimashin

    daimashinActive Member

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    Never done it in my entire life. I think it's unsafe to be hitch hiking especially in my country. The old people used to tell us never to talk to strangers or get on strangers vehicles is a wise advice. No one knows what kind of person the driver is, they could be pretending to be nice and have other motives behind. I'd rather spend a little more money for transportation than get on strangers cars.
     
  9. prettycolors

    prettycolorsActive Member

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    I hitchhiked plenty of times in my younger years, especially when going to visit the sea, but never alone. The distance was quite big, it took a whole day to drive there and that only if you got lucky and found cars fast. We had little money back then, but enough to board a cheap train. Still, we hitchhiked for the fun of it and because we got to know new people with great stories to share.
     
  10. Kek

    KekActive Member

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    Thank you! You are the first person in this thread to understand the appeal and that wasn't scared of it! Hitchhiking can be a lot of fun and I honestly can't understand why people are so afraid of it. You can met so many amazing people and hear crazy stories that you would've never hear if you stayed at home.

    Honestly, there is a bigger chance to die in a car crash than to die or get assaulted while hitchhiking. I hope to be able to share some of my future experiences with all of you. If I don't get killed, that is. ;)
     
  11. True2marie

    True2marieActive Member

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    In the past, I have hitchhiked, but not in regards to travel or vacation.

    Because my prior cars were old clunkers, they would break down a lot. Then, someone would give me a ride home, etc. More recently, I have been picked up in the course of going to work. I commute on the bus and have to walk up a steep hill. People have stopped to ask if I need a ride and I accept their assistance. The main reason why I am not scared is because all of this occurs early morning in a business area.
     
  12. lindbergh

    lindberghWell-Known Member

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    I have only tried to hitchhike once when I was in college with my friends. We went on a community mission wherein we had to go to a far place to let some residents there fill out a survey. When we were about to leave, there wasn't any available public vehicle. A van passed by and the driver offered his vehicle. He was kind and he dropped us off at the city.

    Nowadays, I wouldn't ever want to hitchhike. I think it's not very safe as you don't really know who you're dealing with. Also, there are reports going around here that there are those who are kidnapping people and selling their insides in the black market.

    But, if the driver is a pretty girl... hmm... I dunno. Maybe I'll hitch. :D
     
  13. hellavu

    hellavuActive Member

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    Hitchhiked during my summer in Okanagan (cherry picking valley in Canada) and then from West to East at the end of the summer with my new boyfriend, because I wanted to and because I did not want to pay a bus ticket. It was such a great adventure, I will always look back upon it fondly and the people who took us were so generous, they make dozen of wonderful stories.
     
  14. Spectre456

    Spectre456Active Member

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    I would be too paranoid to hitchhike to be honest. Ever since we're kids we're taught not to get in a car with a stranger, and I think the same applies when we're older. I'm glad some people had good experiences, but it's not for me.
     
  15. Feneth

    FenethActive Member

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    I hitchhiked a bit as a teen, usually from an Appalachian trail access/exit point to the nearest town for resupply or when my car died on the side of the road.

    I also occasionally pickup hitchhikers if the mood strikes me and I get a good vibe when I stop to talk to them. I don't let them get in the car right away. I always get them to talk to me for a few minutes to see whether they seem sober/sane. (I know that could be an illusion. I worked in a counseling office for sex offenders doing court ordered counseling and some of the most dangerous predators seemed the most normal.) I have not yet had problems picking up hitchhikers except for one with a dog who definitely brought fleas into my car.

    I tend to be very laid back about potential risks though. Everything has potential risks and I just don't stress myself out with "what if" stuff very much. If I can help and a gut check tells me helping someone will feel good and seems okay, I help.
     
  16. jfab

    jfabNew Member

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    I've never done it. In the US where I live, a lot of people are doing it but I don't recommend it. It's not safe.
     
  17. shother

    shotherMember

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    I only go hitchhiking in places I'm familiar with just for fun and not as a way to save money. I'm not saying it is wrong but I would be to scared to do that in any other way.
     
  18. katherine25

    katherine25Member

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    I personally would never hitchhike, there are way to many crazy people out there and you just never know who you getting into the car with. I have heard way to many horror stories to even attempt this.
     
  19. LeopardJones

    LeopardJonesActive Member

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    I would only consider it if I was with a male. I don’t know if it’s any safer, really, but I’d feel more comfortable at least. And even then I’d probably take some convincing.

    I had an ex who would hitchhike around here all the time (if I’d had a car at that point, he wouldn’t have needed to, haha), but he completely understood why I wouldn’t want to try it alone. He did say he met a few interesting people along the way, and even ended up hitching a ride with the same people twice. We never did hitchhike together, though.
     
  20. DreekLass

    DreekLassWell-Known Member

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    I have never hitchhiked in my life, and I would never hitchhike. Well, I say never, but you never know what kind of situation I could find myself in. But as far as free will, or willingly, I would not do it. I watch far too many murder investigation shows to be doing stuff like hitchhiking lol. Nobody is kidnapping me and hacking my body to pieces in their trunk, thanks.