# Interstate hitching



## Yuppie scum (Jan 26, 2015)

So I'm pretty confused here when it comes to the logistics of hitching. 1. If it's illegal to walk down the interstate how the fuck do you get from a to b 
2. If it's illegal to walk down the interstate how else do you get to truck stops and rest areas
3. Once at said rest area or truck stop are you stuck there until you get a ride out.
4. Why can't I just walk down any interstate with a thumb out, camp wherever wake up repeat .
And I don't want any shit just answer the fuckn ?'s


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## Kim Chee (Jan 26, 2015)

Your questions are good ones, grasshopper. Your request to hold the shit will likely be disregarded.

Just to stay on topic, I'll answer your first question:

Typically you don't walk along Interstates unless it is legal (which it is in some places). People normally hitch from onramps, but there are many other ways to get from a to b.


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## Yuppie scum (Jan 26, 2015)

I'm thinking just gonna get a van and rubber tramp it , because I wanna be in the middle of nowhere sometimes and not be stuck or stranded


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## Kim Chee (Jan 26, 2015)

Yuppie scum said:


> I'm thinking just gonna get a van and rubber tramp it , because I wanna be in the middle of nowhere sometimes and not be stuck or stranded



Cool. Getting long layovers in hitchhiking isn't unheard of. There have been some pretty good contributions made in the rubbertramping forum which you might find useful.


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## Deleted member 20 (Jan 26, 2015)

You all must have known that I would bash this yuppie scum. I like ho you have evolved from a wannabe hitchhiker to a bonafied rubber tramp in 2 post responses. If I had a drivers license I would seriously consider being a part time rubber tramp. We tend to give ourselves the answers. Just as you knew that your impatient question here would receive shit.


Yuppie scum said:


> And I don't want any shit just answer the fuckn ?'s



Please use the search button and try to research the hundreds/thousands that have contributed on all of these new traveler type questions. You will certainly have many basic questions:: that we all get very tired of answering, dont post them all without first doing your due diligence with research. Or we will surely let you know.::rules::

My rules are If you are behind the sign you are not out of line. Meaning that I hitch at the beginning of on ramps, ideally on a sidewalk. If I get waived off by the police I move it along & readjust my location. Some times they will run your id & question you, I play dumb & point to the sign & say that I was behind the sign; they usually say that you cant be on the ramp at all. I say sorry, part ways & walk back to a lesser vantage point & try again. They willmost likely come by to check on you periodically over the next few hours. Often times they will give you a ride elsewhere to get you out of their hair so they dont have to issue you a loitering ticket. Most times this involves walking instead. Now you cant usually walk along the highway but a good trick is if you are walking but not soliciting(no sign/no thumb) you can say that you were ejected by a driver on the middle of the highway. You dont deny that you were hitchhiking at the time that you got picked up but while walking you were trying to get to the next safe exit. They will drop you somewhere legal for pedestrians & warn you not to be hitching on the interstate. Dont let them scare you into not hitching just know your legal rights. Some places its illegal like Wisconsin & I think NJ, near prisons etc but fuck it you gotta just keep moving either on foot & or take the risk hitching.

Truck stops are usually your island oasis but dont press your luck. Different places have different rules & it best to be as invisible as you can for as long as you can. I usually beg a locl trucker for a shower credit once I get there. I hen shower, do laundry, charge my phone & eat if I have cash. Then once the basic needs are taken care of I will fly a sign in a direction or to a destination but be posted up near the entrance but off to the side to not harass customers & ideally be out of view from the staff & manager. If I get run off of there I will usually walk out onto he on ramp area & start hitching in earnest or go across the street since most truck stops have competitor truck stops less than a mile away usually in a direct line of sight.

Rest areas are a bit harder at times since they are often patrolled by state police or staffed with some rent a cop. Some places are cool & unmanned & you can stay there for days out of the elements in the lobby/bathroom while charging your device, spanging up coins for he vending machine or trying to get a ride out. Since they are usually located on the highway without an access road you are on an island that doesnt allow walking off of the property yet leo will often tell you to leave & that you can solicit in or near the rest area. Prepared to have your id ran & your gear searched.

I usually only camp where i have all of these, access to electricty to charge my phone, working plumbing with running water or at the least a porta pottie, cover & concealment from the weather & being spotted by leo. 99% of the time I can find a suitable spot with 3 out of 4 of these. I have also just crashed on the side of the road due to exhaustion & had to find all of the infrastructure anyway to take a shit, get some food, clean up etc.


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## Yuppie scum (Jan 26, 2015)

I didn't go back and forth from hitching to rubber I have been planning on getting a van and was just wondering. And my suspicions have been proven thank you. Fuck hitching if the MAN is gonna interfere with me that much, I have a violent tendency and can't deal with people getting up in my shit "police" so yeah rubbers my best bet . And I have very strong principles when it comes to my choice of lifestyle so I'm not the one to call a wanna be, like I give a shit about punk crusty aesthetic funny how a lifestyle that is suppose to be about freedom has it's own form of materialism, that's the whole reason I'm choosing this lifestyle is to get away from the competition aspect that capital creates . And my name is a joke


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## Deleted member 20 (Jan 26, 2015)

Take it easy there @Yuppie scum. I hope you have a sense of humor if you create a username as a joke. There are plenty of alternate experiences that you will deal with cops over rubber tramping so get ready to create another post to learn the difficulties of rubbertramping, or just read whats already here.

I aint competing with you & I dont participate much in capitalism myself (food, socks & underwear are all I buy new). I am sorry that you are so angry about ummm, life? Life dont always get easier on the road. If you have such strong principles perhaps actually heading out & gaining some first hand experiences instead of getting defensive after I spent 20 minutes writing a response. I call em like I see em, you can become anything that you want & I will try to help you as I am sure others will as well. Please dont think you can come into this community & start bossing anyone around. Be honest, respectful & humble & we will all welcome you. The traveling community dont need anymore angry kids who havent traveled yet with violent tendencies online or on the road.

I try to be kind & loving in my posts all though I am a natural sociopath. More importantly I want to help steer the image of our lil micro-culture in a possitive & healthy direction. Some times I may come off aggressive & brash as are more of my personal character defects but if you hang around here longer; hopefully you will see how patient & understanding we are with new users. There is no online cheat code around here & no one will hold your hand. I am just so excited that you are choosing to be a rubber tramp & not the "usual" wannabe traincore hobo.


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## Yuppie scum (Jan 26, 2015)

Sorry brother didn't mean to come off like I was jumping down your throat or anything . I'm not violent by nature , just towards any form of authority I only get violent when people try to control my body , it's like you have to go into some kinda special mode around cops and be all fake. I feel like if they tell me to do something I should have my own autonomy to have the right to decline that's all. And as for rubber ing it they can search the cock pit and that's it without a warrant. Yeah I'm angry modern society has really limited any alternative to opt out of the wage economy. Damn private property to hell . sorry again if I came off like a prick I appreciate your composure.


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## Deleted member 20 (Jan 26, 2015)

No hard feelings. I am an ass online anyhow, just as well you learned now. I may have completely read that post wrong so I to am sorry. I completely understand you not wanting to be a wage slave. I have found a way to balance it for myself but I am somewhat of a hypocrite with regards to my 10 year old daughter & wife who dont share the same philosophy as me by choice. They have to deal with the consequences of my choosing intentional poverty for so many months a year. I am self employed as a fisherman & depend on supplication often for myself & to help the nonprofis I support. I dont work anywhere where I get paid for my time & not my performance, Its been over a decade since I have. And when you live paycheck to paycheck like all the working poor it is easy for them to get scared about our living situation & bills. They arent true capitalists but more jut low income dependents who want nice things. I understand & try to provide for them but will always fall short since enough is never enough when you constantly want more. I believe less is more but am not willing to break up my family as that would be selfish of me.

I havent really changed much of my approach to living but take advantage of the times during a year where I can earn a lot of money for them to have enough. It is also selfish of me since by bringing in cash, they both allow me to volunteer & travel & temporarily be free. I think having a skill that sustains you that you can either do remotely or bring your expertise with you to seamlessly provide income when needed. I hate to sound like a if you cant beat em, join em type but often to achieve real change in your personal life you must first raise capital. 

I know lots of people who want a house, land or a vehicle like an RV or a bus/van to enable them to live a more free life. This usually requires employment & discipline to save. I think that lots of people would love to obtain a piece of cheap real estate & use it for the common good of a communal living/work space, farm etc. I own a few bicycles, packs, sleeping bags& other gear, clothing & boots that were all bought second hand from surplus/thrift stores.

I have a more mature understanding of cops now as Im older & have a few Assault & Battery with dangerous weapons on police officers as well as other felonies on my record. At the end of the day some cops are just doing there job & may have a deep rooted anti capitalist philosophy brewing yet unwilling to break up their family unit. I know when I need to move along & or stay without them having to hassle me. I will sometimes wave to them when hitchhiking since I am already engaging random drivers anyhow. I think it shows that I am friendly & not afraid. Sometimes I just give them a blank stare. I dont feel I am being fake either way just showing my cards either way. They can be assholes if I am an asshole first so now I try to be happy & confident while projecting indifference to what they have to say. I am gonna keep moving along & they will be stuck in that uniform long after I am gone.


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## Yuppie scum (Jan 26, 2015)

lol stuck in that uniform yeah that's a good way to put it , fortunately i receive ssi so I should be able to supplement van dwelling easier than most . Not crazy or anything just got a decent rap sheet cause of abusive parents that called the police on me a lot when I was younger so it made me eligible after all the paper work, so sense I get money like that it makes me realize how much we really are trapped. Basically just because your life is supplemented doesn't mean you can do what ever you want like people think. And your really honest about you circumstance of wanting to be free and having a family I wouldn't be so hard on yourself the concept of private property puts us all in a really weird game of musical chairs. Oo you didnt get a seat when the music stops no you can't just sit on the floor that belongs to someone.


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## Deleted member 20 (Jan 26, 2015)

nice way to look at things with the musical chairs::smug:: My wife gets ssdi & my daughter got ssdi at age 4 but is now well. We get food stamps & have gotten cash assitence at times, its all very funny since I owe the DOR over 100k::greedy:: & they are paying me & I have never paid taxes. I also dont have a drivers license. I think that you are in a perfect situation to be a longterm rubber tramp::woot::. I am envious that you have a fixed income & a license, if you can also get a passport than I will be truly jealous. Theres a bunch of vehicle suggestions & info here at STP & others who have invested lots of time researching, converting vehicles, boondocking & living the life. I think I will now invite myself to roam around with you a bit once your up & running. Feel free to network with others & ask for help here & where you are from strangers who may want to help you convert your ride.


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## Yuppie scum (Jan 27, 2015)

Wow 100k. yeah man hmu some time an experienced travelers company would be appreciated , trying to get it together by mid summer .thanks for the encouragement brother.


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## Charlie (Jan 30, 2015)

I like to ask for rides at gas stations near on ramps. I get rides quicker that way, unless if I get kicked out of the gas stations. Then I stand at an intersection and yell at people who have their windows rolled down, in a non-threatening manner, asking for a ride. It's like a video game, but less limited.

If you're stranded in the woods, you got a friendly camping area nearby, and you're not actually stranded until you're actually stranded. I tend to get stranded in cities pretty easy because it's difficult and sometimes dangerous to put out a thumb (gas stations are easier at this point, if you're on the proper side of the freeway).

I just approach a person and ask them if they're heading in my direction and if they say yes, I ask for a ride.


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## dyingslowlyeveryday (Jan 30, 2015)

Yuppie scum said:


> 1. If it's illegal to walk down the interstate how the fuck do you get from a to b


I've always just walked the interstate to the next exit. If you know the patrolling cops are out in force and are dicks, there's usually a country road/access/clearcut running parallel you can trek down.



> 4. Why can't I just walk down any interstate with a thumb out, camp wherever wake up repeat .


Yeah, some may disagree for whateverblah reason, but I've never myself or heard of someone else having a real high risk concern of walking the interstate.

Interstates are really under the assumed jurisdiction of hwp, locals avoid, and then any leo never wants to really fuck with it unless they're giving a revenue citation. (this info is just what numerous cops have consistently told me). Some states are strict on the Interstates (foremost Tennessee, imo) but I'd wager the majority just see it as something to charge if you're giving them a billion extra reasons to. I've been stopped on interstates by some kind of law enforcement at least well over 40 times, no tickets/charges. Be nice, let em know you're trying to get out of their patrol, you aren't trying to disrespect their laws, just taking the only reasonable option you have, etc.

Of all the times I've been stopped, perhaps 60% ended up with a copride to the county line, next big exit or next big town. Even if you catch a ticket, that just means you have a free ride into town next time you come through, a shower, meal, night's rest maybe, and back out on the road around noon. Or else you get $50 or so held against that state's dmv.

maybe WindandRain might swing by here to give the expert opinion on it.


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